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    Home » Blog

    Russ & Daughters Café, New York

    January 19, 2015 By Sara McCleary Updated July 11, 2022 - This post may contain affiliate links

    Do you know the history behind New York’s iconic Russ & Daughters? An inspiring story, even more so if you are a woman. It’s believed that Russ & Daughters was the first business is history that used the word ‘Daughters’ instead of ‘Sons’.

    It was the history behind Russ & Daughters, as well as the produce available that made me fall in love, just a little bit, with the establishment. On my last visit I quite happily sat on one of the benches out front of the main store, in icy cold conditions, and munched away on a bagel with smoked salmon and a schmeer. It was the best bagel I have ever eaten.

    Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.com Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.comThis time in New York I wanted to visit their new café. Just around the corner and up the street from the flagship store. I did walk past Russ & Daughters Appetizers on the way. I was a little amused to see the hoard of people standing and squishing onto the few benches out front eating their bagels. It would make it very hard for anyone to believe my quiet winter bagel experience.

    They don’t take bookings at Russ & Daughters Café. Due to this we headed there before lunch, hoping to miss the breakfast crowd and beat the lunch ones. This of course meant we joined the large brunch crowd. We put our name on the list and waited. If you do have a USA mobile number, they will happily ring you when your table is ready. For those that don’t, you need to hang around in the limited waiting area (5 people) or wait outside on the street for them to come and get you.

    Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.com Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.comThe wait was around 30 minutes for two spots at the bar, it would have been longer to secure a table to dine at. We were quite happy to sit at the bar and watch the staff in action. Lunch with a show is always fun.

    Inside you will see that the café’s décor is similar to the shop. White tiles, signage and the way staff are dressed. Of course the menu is designed to showcase all the gorgeous produce you can purchase and take home from the shop.

    Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.comOriginally I was going to have a coffee, then enticed by a brunch cocktail, but it was the egg creams ($8) and shrubs ($7) that really grabbed my attention. The egg creams contain neither egg nor cream, but are made with seltzer, milk and flavouring. You have a choice of malt, buxar (carob buxar molasses) or chocolate.

    I end up ordering a shrub as it was something I hadn’t heard of before. On the menu they say that shrubs are the beverage equivalent to the process of pickling. Invented as a way to preserve fruit with vinegar. Apparently shrubs have been used to flavour drinks across America since the 18th century. You have a choice of beet, pineapple or cherry.

    Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.comThe pineapple shrub is made with sherry vinegar, sage, rosemary and Aleppo pepper. Let’s just say it’s interesting. I’m still not quite sure if I enjoyed it or not. You can taste the vinegar, on the savoury side, but there is slight fruit sweetness, completely like nothing else I have tried before.

    My eyes light up when I see there is a small caviar section on the menu. I day dream about what it would be like to order the Osetra, Gueldenstaedtii ($255/50 grams), which is the most expensive caviar on the menu. Then think to myself that if mum was with me (Mac isn’t a caviar fan) we may have splurged on the Hackleback ($115/50grams), the cheapest option on the menu.

    Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.com Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.comInstead we order the chicken matzo ball soup with vegetables ($8) to start. The broth is quite light in chicken flavour and I was expecting a stronger and more salty flavour like my Jewish girlfriend’s version. The matzo ball is humongous, taking up a good portion of the bowl, and has a subtle chicken flavour to it. It’s a comforting soup and I could see people just popping in for it when they wanted a hug from the inside.

    Russ-&-Daughters-Pretzel-RollAfter sharing the soup we move on to our next course. Mac orders a Pastrami Russ ($12), which is pastrami cured salmon, muenster cheese, sauerkraut, mustard and pickle on a pretzel roll. Great flavours and well balanced on ingredient ratio, I’m a little envious I didn’t order it.

    Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.com Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.comI ordered the potato latkes ($14), served with salmon roe and crème fraiche. I’m pretty sure I subconsciously order this after drooling over the thought of caviar, making the salmon roe is my consolation prize. The latkes are fried to an inch of their life, just shy of being burnt. But I still enjoy them with the salty burst from the salmon roe with each bite.

    Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.comThe dessert menu also wins us over and we order a dish each. Again I’m envious of Mac’s pick, chocolate babka French toast ($10) served with sour cream and strawberries. It is quite simply delicious. Soft gooey chocolate French toast covered is fresh summer strawberries. I will admit I had more than one bite.

    Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.com Russ & Daughters Cafe New York | www.bellyrumbles.comI couldn’t help but order the noodle kugel ($7). The flavours in the dish reminded me of something my grandmother would have made, egg noodles with farmers’ cheese and raisins. It is a heavy dessert, but my Latvian taste buds adore the tart farmers’ cheese contrast against the sweet raisins. The dessert defeats me and I can’t finish it, eating half of the babka French toast also may have helped with my defeat.

    You can still pick up a take away bagel at Russ & Daughters Appetizers, but I do highly recommend adding Russ & Daughters Café to your eats list when visiting Manhattan.

    Sara xxx

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    Russ & Daughters Café
    127 Orchard Street, Lower East Side, New York, USA

    Russ & Daughters Appetizers
    179 E. Houston Street, Lower East Side, New York, USA

    Russ & Daughters Cafe on Urbanspoon

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Chanel | Cultural Xplorer

      February 07, 2015 at 4:03 am

      I have had R&D on my list for some time now and I am VERY anxious to try their food out 😀

      Reply
      • Sara

        February 11, 2015 at 10:24 am

        You have to get there Chanel

        Reply
    2. Gourmet Getaways

      January 22, 2015 at 10:28 am

      Lol, noticed the latkes too ;). But that chocolate babka looks reeaaaallly good!!! Thanks for the review, Sara!

      Julie & Alesah
      Gourmet Getaways xx

      Reply
      • Sara

        February 11, 2015 at 10:23 am

        The chocolate babka was awesome.

        Reply
    3. Felicia @ Next Stop: Food

      January 21, 2015 at 10:29 am

      The Pastrami Russ looks sooo good!

      Reply
      • Sara

        February 11, 2015 at 10:23 am

        It was really awesome, just wish I had ordered it. I felt I was being a bit mean by having more than 2 bites.

        Reply
    4. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

      January 21, 2015 at 2:43 am

      It's an iconic place for Americans, even those who live all the way on the Sunshine Coast. You've made me homesick. 🙂

      Reply
      • Sara

        February 11, 2015 at 10:22 am

        Awe sorry Maureen!

        Reply
    5. Helen | Grab Your Fork

      January 20, 2015 at 10:28 pm

      Just reading the title of this post made me weep with longing. I've only been to their Houston Street outlet but will definitely have to stop by the Orchard St cafe just so I can have that matzoh ball soup!

      Reply
      • Sara

        February 11, 2015 at 10:21 am

        Is definitely worth a visit Helen, but I will admit I am a Russ & Daughters fan girl.

        Reply
    6. milkteaxx

      January 20, 2015 at 5:14 am

      they have so really unique dishes here, if i ever hit up NYC i must go check them out!

      Reply
      • Sara

        February 11, 2015 at 10:19 am

        You have to!

        Reply
    7. Gaby

      January 19, 2015 at 10:59 pm

      I didn't know the story behind the cafe's name, and never really thought about the "& sons" deal. Pretty cool. That shrub sounds a bit like kombucha, an acquired taste for sure. And I'll have to agree with John's comment above.

      Reply
      • Sara

        February 11, 2015 at 10:19 am

        I do love the history behind this place, and yeah, John is probably right.

        Reply
    8. john | heneedsfood

      January 19, 2015 at 9:23 am

      The latkes just shy of being burnt? You're being a tad polite, Sara. Those things probably shouldn't have been served. And babka French toast? Um, hello, I need some of that!

      Reply
      • Sara

        January 19, 2015 at 12:56 pm

        I probably am being a tad polite, it was a hair follicle of shy, but I did eat them all.

        Reply

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    Well hello there! I’m Sara McCleary a food photographer, creative recipe developer, and avid traveller (when the World isn’t in a pandemic).

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