Here is the northeast city coffee shop with something for everyone. I don’t mean to say that the Utopia Diner serves food that is write-home-about memorable, but I do believe that the meals served are a memorable taste of New York. Many old time locals take three-meal-a-day coffee shops such as this for granted, but for us out-of-towners, they are a unique taste of city life. They’re in nearly every neighborhood (although fewer in number than there used to be), and generally they serve unsurprising square meals with a Greek flourish and such northeastern notes as lox-and-bagels, egg creams, and ultracrumby crumb cake. The fare can be mediocre or, as it is at Utopia, it can be very good.
Orange juice, for example, is freshly squeezed. So is lemonade. The Greek omelet contains bright, briny feta and a surfeit of flavorful spinach and tomatoes. The buttered hard roll is impeccably fresh.
Lunch temptations include Italian peasant salad and Greek salad; open-face hot turkey or roast beef; lamb souvlaki and moussaka; matzoh ball soup and Utopia chili; rice pudding and 7-layer chocolate cake. If you are on the West Side and hankering a decent meal at a fair price (for New York) any time between 7am and midnight, give Utopia a try.
Other Nearby Restaurants
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Dr. Mike’s
Bethel, ConnecticutSmall-batch, artisan ice cream at its finest has made Dr. Mike’s of Bethel, Connecticut, one of the very best places in the USA for a sweet tooth to visit.
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Mexicali Rose
Newtown, ConnecticutFour star Mexican mole in Connecticut: a culinary oxymoron? Not at Mexicali Rose, a hole in the wall that will make your head spin with authentic recipes.
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Katz’s
New York, New YorkThe best deli sandwiches are made at Katz’s on the Lower East Side. It’s the grandaddy of urban delicatessens – since 1888, an only-in-New York experience.
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The Little King
Trenton, New JerseyThe Little King is the quintessential Central New Jersey sandwich shop, serving grand Italian subs, house-roasted turkey, and iconic pork roll, egg & cheese.
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Hot Grill
Clifton, New JerseyHot Grill’s Texas weiners are deep-fried and nestled in a too-short bun topped with mustard, onion, and spicy/sweet beef-chili sauce. A New Jersey must-eat!
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Gluten Free Oasis
Brookfield, ConnecticutA small Brazilian bakery in Danbury specializing in cheese breads that are gluten-free and yeast-free, this Oasis offers creative sandwiches, too.