Cafe Kristall - New York City

I was feeling creatively inspired from my recent cooking class so I decided I would try to make my friend’s birthday present.  I mean, don’t you think a gift you make yourself shows your thoughtfulness and love?  I also had a good friend from Chicago visiting NYC for the first time and she wanted to visit SOHO.  I immediately headed downtown to Swarovski Crystallized^TM concept store located at 499 Broadway, between Spring and Broome, where you can play with over 2000 lose crystals and create something magical with the help of the Swarovski experts.   When we arrived I didn’t realize I was going to discover a hidden gem.

Who knew Café Kristall was tucked away in the back of the Swarovski Crystallized store?  You can enter the café through the main store or from a separate entrance at 70 Mercer Street to experience a little touch of Austrian bling.

Cafe Kristall

I was willing to allow my curiosity overtake my inspiration and decided to put the jewelry making on hold.  I was in the mood for a snack and in need of a cocktail to help get my creative juices flowing, so I decided to take a load off and give Café Kristall a chance.  Our timing was perfect because we arrived at the start of happy hour where you can get 2 for 1 drinks on Monday – Friday from 5 to 8pm.  The full cocktail bar was inviting and Barbara was an added bonus because she makes the best drinks!  Here are some of my highlights:

The White Crystal

No, this is not a stone but the perfect combination of liquids to make a flawless cocktail!  The crystallization process for the White Crystal includes vodka, elderflower, lime juice and white cranberry juice.  It is very smooth, light and delicious.  Don’t worry, these don’t sneak up on you so feel free to have one, two or three and still be able to play in the store.

The White Crystal

The Snacks

I love, love, love mushrooms and my friend is a fan of olives.  They had them on their Viennese inspired cafe menu!  The presentation is lovely and the portions are just enough to keep you satisfied. 

         Olives                           Marinated Mushrooms    

The Sweets

As an avid chocolate lover, I couldn’t just try one dessert!  Barbara was a doll and put together a

sampler of the most popular chocolate concoctions from the great mind of Kurt Gutenbrunner and topped off with Café Kristall homemade whipped cream.  My favorite is the Mozartkugel which is KG’s interpretation of an Austrian traditional delight in a mousse version.  It is a combination of nougat parfait, dark chocolate mousse, and pistachios, which comes together as a quintessential chocolate masterpiece!  I was in chocolate heaven.

Mozartkugel, Mercer Torte, Florentimer

My Creation

After my little treats at Café Kristall, I was ready to go into the CrystallizedTM boutique and make something.  I picked out the perfect red stones to make a pair of earrings for Miss Kiddles.  I decided to use gold “findings”—I even learned how to speak jewelry lingo—and went to work.  With the “slight” assistance of Crystallized experts, I was able to complete my little project.  The earrings were a hit because Kiddle’s loved them.  I am going to be sure to come back and make a matching necklace for her for the holidays.  Below is the proof for the unbelievers, my before and after!

My Creation

Café Kristall is an excellent place to stop and grab a bite, a drink or something sweet in between your SOHO shopping and if you so desire, get creative and play in the Swarovski Crystallized^TM concept store.

Epicurean Girl’s Conclusion: 4 VIPs

Café Kristall gets an overall rating of 4 VIPs.