Godiva Jumps In on the Instagrammy Chocolate Cafe Trend With New Midtown Spot
It opens April 18 and features a croissant-waffle hybrid called the Croiffle
by Carla Vianna Mar 29, 2019, 1:13pm EDT
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Godiva [Official Photo]
NYC is getting yet another big brand, sweets-heavy cafe. Belgian chocolatier Godiva will open its first cafe in Midtown next month, bringing with it new chocolatey drinks, sandwiches, and a croissant-waffle hybrid dubbed the Croiffle.
Though Godiva has shops in malls across the country, the new cafe at 560 Lexington Ave. on 50th Street will introduce both sweet and savory items like sandwiches, salads, and drinks that normally aren't found in its chocolate stores. It's part of huge expansion push for Godiva; the company has announced ambitious plans to open 10 more in the Northeast by the end of the year, with hopes of eventually having hundreds of locations across the Americas.
The menu will have grab-and-go items like those sandwiches or the Croiffle — which is like Godiva's version of a Cronut, except here a croissant is pressed into a hot waffle. The Croiffle will come in six flavors like stuffed with melted Gruyère, Havarti, and Swiss cheeses; egg and gouda; and, of course, chocolate. Marketing materials also show a signature of the chocolate shops: chocolate-covered strawberries.
Executive chef Thierry Muret helped create the menu. It's a similar model as the pop-up Godiva opened at Penn Station in February, which served as temporary shop to gauge New Yorkers' reaction to the new concept, a spokesperson says. The standalone Midtown store opens April 18, and will also have Belgian Liege waffles, cookies, and an affogato with soft serve on the menu.
As for drinks, the highlight here will be the Chocolixir, a cold-blended chocolate drink topped with whipped cream and more chocolate. That drink will go for $7 to $8, while the Croiffles are priced under $6 and the waffles under $7.
NYC has been flooded with such gimmicky, Instagram-friendly "cafes" run by big brands in recent months. In November, the Nutella Cafe opened in Union Square with a menu dedicated to the hazelnut spread, reportedly drawing a line of more than 100 people, among them a bunch of influencers, bloggers, and students. Soon after, a cafe from Italian chocolatier Venchi opened with a 45-foot-long, 10-foot-high chocolate waterfall inside — a thing that's surely meant to bring in tourists.
Now, it's Godiva's turn to capitalize on this latest fad. The new cafe will be open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Godiva Cafe
560 Lexington Ave. , NY, NY