Earlier this month my husband and I attended a preview for the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park’s Winter Village.

Bryant Park is the place that I fell in love with New York and Winter/Christmas time in New York is my favorite time of year, especially in New York. This is an experience I have great expectations about, and it did not disappoint. I love the skating rink, I love the lights in the little shops, and I love the people who work there. The spirit of Bryant Park shines through in the people who are working in the little shops and by the people who are walking around and enjoying the beautiful atmosphere. I believe the pictures speak for themselves but below are a few call outs from some of the shops at Bryant Park.

Here are just a few of the many highlights that you can find when wandering the Holiday Shops:

Mr. Bing is a staple you can find at Bryant Park’s Winter Village every year, and every year they are just as good. There is a reason why what they serve up is a very popular snack in China. It is just so darn delicious, but make sure to eat it right then and there as it is best hot and fresh.

CousCous is an amazing vegan option. I am not vegan or even vegetarian, but I have A LOT of friends who are and I do try to eat vegetarian half the week and it can still be a challenge to find good food stalls like this one in places like the Winter Village but this one is good. The CousCous has so much flavor, which is hard to do might I add and I fell in love with their vegan hot chocolate with vegan marshmallows. It was the best hot chocolate around. Creamy, thanks to the cashew milk, and chocolaty due to the intense cocoa flavor that has not been watered down with milk. I could continue to describe the flavors as there was so much depth in that hot cocoa but you simply need to go try it.

Enfes is a Turkish inspired Pop-Up Restaurant who makes enfes, and right now they are residing in Bryant Park Winter Village. As always, their food is amazing, true to Turkish traditions and their enfes are so so good. Mouth-watering good! You pick your filling and 4 minutes later you have the most amazing dish in your hand. Meat, vegetarian or vegan you pick, they got it all! Yay!

We tried a full-size helping from Crepe Café: I choose the S’more’s Crepe with graham crackers, marshmallows and Belgian milk chocolate. It was oh so good that I am still dreaming about it. I might actually go get one, right now!

You can smell the baked goods from Aux Merveilleux de Fred miles away and oh my. So soft, so good and sweet but not too sweet. Just right. I love sweet brioche. It brings me back to my childhood and these were heavenly. Please stop by and treat yourself, you will not regret it. The smell… I need to start baking more. Thank god it is the holidays coming up so I have an excuse!

The atmosphere is magical so if you want to start getting in the holiday spirits. Bryant Park is the place to go. Heck, why not take a trip up 5th Avenue with a start at Bryant Park?

– Line