Every year, Bryant Park hosts its Winter Village, featuring shops from different businesses, big and small, and offering a wide range of goods and food. 

The village starts in November and ends around December. Taking the Q64 from school, and hopping on the F train for seven stops, is a quick trip, especially with friends and family. From jewelry to bags to drinks and delicious food, Bryant Park has it all!   

We tried six different food shops here: Bel-fries, Lazy Dog, Doughnuttery, Wafels & Dinges, Bao By Kaya, and Cocoa Cabin.

Bel-Fries: French fries 

Critic Rating: 8/10

Bel-fries sells fries and chicken nuggets. Even though it was a bit overpriced, I tried the $14 fries combo, which included French fries and chicken nugget balls.  The chicken nugget balls were slightly dry since no sauce was provided, and the fries were a bit oversalted and lacked flavor. Pairing it with ketchup or hot sauce on the side would definitely boost this food and add more flavor. Nevertheless,  I would still get it again for its nostalgic taste. 

Lazy Dog: Lazy Corn Dogs 

Critic Rating: 5/10

 Lazy Dog is a corn dog booth. There weren’t a lot of options but I got the All Mozzarella corn dog coated in  potato cubes. It was also a little pricey at $13 compared to other corn dog shops but despite that, it was delicious. The mozzarella cheese was cooked and fried perfectly, with an irresistibly stretchy interior. It was filling and had a lot of flavor, but once again, there weren’t any sauce options. I would give it a 5 /10 because other corn dog places like Oh-K-Dog and Ugly Donuts on Austin Street have a much better selection for better and more affordable prices.

Doughnuttery: Munchkin-Nuttery

Critic Rating: 4/10 

Next, I visited Doughnuttery. We got six donuts for $5.99. I first thought that a dollar a donut was a good price, but it should not be called doughnuttery, but rather ‘munchkin’nuttery because these small donuts were about the size of a munchkin. It felt falsely advertised  as I assumed they were much larger, and comparable to a donut from Dunkin’. I got the cinnamon and “just sugar” flavors, and while they were very oily, they were undeniably tasty. However, I would definitely not be purchasing this again, because even though it tasted great, the price just isn’t worth it. 

Wafels and Dinges: 

Rating: 9/10 

My next stop was Wafels & Dinges, a waffle store that specializes in sweet waffles. From strawberry to s’mores to ice cream waffles, their menu featured many indulgent, sugary treats.. Their booth was conveniently located next to the ice skating rink, with  a year round store front at the corner of the park. I tried the strawberry banana waffle, which included the waffle topped with whipped cream, confectioners sugar, frozen fudge, and of course, strawberry and bananas. The waffle may look very small but the rich delicate whipped cream topped off with the fruits made it so worth it. The dish was surprisingly  quite heavy, as the whipped cream was very dense, but it wasn’t  overwhelmingly sweet like other creams I have previously tried. The fudge froze perfectly and gave a beautiful sweet crunchy component to the dish. The fruits perfectly balanced out the sweetness of the  fudge but didn’t overweigh the entire dish. The waffle itself, however, was sweet from the  sugar or syrup that was lightly drizzled over it. The only downside besides it being a tad bit sugary was that their menu was very limited-they only offered four different styles of waffles and two hot cocoa options. I wished customizations and toppings were a choice, but the booth is quite small, so it’s understandable. I would definitely buy the waffle again even though it was around $13 because it simply tasted that good! 

Bao by Kaya 

Critic Rating 9/10

In case you’re craving a filling and warm side in the park, you can also stop by Bao by Kaya. Bao by Kaya mainly serves Gua Bao— otherwise known as “Taiwanese hamburgers”, that have steamed buns filled with meats and/or vegetables. The brand was founded in 2014 and has been regular food vendors at various locations throughout NYC since. 

Even though I was looking forward to trying some baos, buying more than one was out of my price range at the time. Each bao was $6.42, with many different combinations and variations to choose from. 

Rather than trying the baos, my friends and I decided to try one of the sides: the popcorn chicken, priced at $11.99.

The woman who took our order was very accommodating, and considering the number of orders before us, our food got to us very quickly— in about five minutes. The only real challenge while getting food from the park was finding somewhere to sit down.

While looking for a place to sit, I was surprised to feel how perfectly heated the chicken was— not too hot, yet warm enough to warm my hands and stay at that temperature for the 30 more minutes I was there!

Upon having my first bite, I was immediately surprised. Despite looking hard and tough at first glance, the chicken and outer breading was very soft and juicy. The portions weren’t that large, but compared to other locations serving chicken, they were still filling enough! In fact, despite the cold temperatures, the chicken stayed soft, warm, and addictive even without any sauces. I was left full after one small bowl and felt more at ease despite the cold air. 

If you visit, don’t just try the popcorn chicken, explore their bao options as well! If they’re able to make such delicious chicken, their baos and other sides are surely to die for!

Cocoa Cabin

Critic Rating: 9/10

In a “village” where there is a plethora of different hot chocolate stands, all varying from a mere $5 to $13, it can be overwhelming deciding on which cup to choose. With that said, I am here to put in my two cents and heavily recommend Cocoa Cabin. 

Despite its unfortunate location, tucked away in a corner of the park, Cocoa Cabin initially caught my attention with its bright red awning and realistic prices. With only a few things on their menu, categorized into two groups— hot chocolate and marshmallow cookie sticks— the stand looked promising, so my friend and I decided to pool together $8 (with tax) and invest in their hot chocolate. 

While I did have to wait a few minutes for the drink, the line was nothing compared to ones I’d seen at other locations and when I got the drink, it was still piping hot. The drink itself was rather simple— the hot chocolate, some whip cream, and some chocolate drizzle, but it was nothing short of magical. It may have been the slight numbness in my fingers, but drinking this hot chocolate brought me back to life on the gloomy day, making it one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. 

The hot chocolate itself was not too rich, but not watery either- a perfect medium in both texture and taste. The whip cream melted quickly, but was a present cooling agent for my first few sips which made them more enjoyable. 

Although I only bought the hot chocolate, I highly recommend trying out some other dishes on their menu too, such as their funnel cakes which smelled like absolute heaven while I was ordering! Cocoa Cabin makes a very reliable hot chocolate without breaking the bank. 

If you have never been to Bryant Park, especially during the holiday season, definitely check it out, and add it to your holiday bucket list! Not only is the food amazing, but there are many stores to buy from, it’s aesthetically pleasing and there is an ice skating rink!