On a recent trip to New York City, we spent just about an entire day art museum hopping. To catch our breath after spending the morning at The Met, we decided to have lunch at Cafe Sabarsky, which is a few blocks north. The best part is that this cafe is also in a small art museum, The Neue Galerie, housing several pieces by one of my favorite artists – Gustav Klimt.

On a Friday afternoon, just after 12pm, Cafe Sabarsky was busy and full. We waited about 15 minutes for a table as there are no reservations for lunch. The cafe is furnished in the Viennese style, and is cozy and old-school. I loved the vibe here, which was definitely energetic. Our service here was excellent, and you can’t help but be seduced by the long counter full of elegant and delectable cakes!

We wanted to have a relatively light lunch since we were indulging in an epic dinner at Eleven Madison Park that night, and Cafe Sabarsky really delivered the goods. I had a richly exquisite pumpkin soup which was served with fresh multi grain bread. Brian opted for the weisswurst, which was served in the cutest little pot, and soft pretzel, which was extremely fresh, super soft, and not over salted. The mustard that it was served with was sensational!

We couldn’t skip dessert, though, because that counter of cakes is impossible to ignore and we were sitting right next to it, so I tried the Klimt torte which was several layers of hazlenut cake and chocolate, and it was super dense and delicious. I loved the gold leaf touch on the cake as a nod to Klimt’s golden masterpieces. Brian had the famous Sachertorte, which I thought was actually better than the real thing when I tried it in Vienna!

The Neue Galerie itself is very small, about 10 rooms total, and costs $28 per ticket, so I would recommend skipping it unless you are very into German Expressionism, or Kilmt’s works. They do have about 6 or so works by Klimt, which is a pretty large amount. No photos are allowed in the galleries, unfortunately, but the building itself is gorgeous too. I love a good grand staircase!

Cafe Sabarsky in the Neue Galerie is a sophisticated, yet lively place for a delicious lunch while art museum hopping on the upper west side. I would highly recommend a visit, and don’t forget to save room for dessert!