Walking throughout the Upper East Side, people will realize that it is almost impossible to find a good cup of coffee. In an area littered with Starbucks, there is a new coffee and pastry shop that is grabbing everyone’s attention, from foodies to coffee aficionados and residents. Petite Shell, located on 85th Street and Lexington Avenue, offers an array of rugelach and exotic coffee blends.
“I am a foodie and master of all good food,” Shmilly Gruenstein, owner of the café, said. “My coffee palate has evolved over time and I come to enjoy carefully selected brews roasted over a short amount of time over specialty drinks.”
As a coffee lover, he realized that it was hard to find a coffee shop that served a tasty cup of coffee and delicious pastries. “I spent a lot of time, almost three years, to create this pastry program,” he said. “I wanted something that was really amazing, focused and specific.”
Patrons will delight their taste buds with a bite into one of the various rugelachs that is offered. The traditional Jewish dessert, rugelach is handmade and is filled with different flavors. “I grew up eating rugelach and we loved it,” Gruenstein said. “It is one of the greatest treats.”
There are 8 different flavors that are offered at Petite Shell, four of which are sweet and four of which are savory. Perfect for any time of the day, some of the must try sweets include the chocolate and Dulce de Leche. The savory side is a unique creation of Gruenstein and makes for a delectable lunchtime meal, especially the tomato and basil rugelach. In one bite the flavors blend together, making you question why you’ve never had such a treat before.
People shouldn’t forget that Petite Shell is also the coffee shop that was needed in the area. Brewing exclusively Forty Weight Coffee Roasters, Gruenstein traveled throughout numerous cites and countries to find the perfect brews for the café.
“I wanted to highlight them separately but compliment them both,” he said. Following his belief, the coffee is roasted with artisanal methods that offer a special taste that is not found elsewhere in the city. There are numerous avid coffee drinkers that add milk to cut the bitterness, but at Petite Shell hold the milk because it won’t be needed. “The coffee is a good as any other coffee out there,” he said.
Twisted Talk: Have you been to Petite Shell? What are some of your favorite types of rugelach? Discuss below!
