It isn’t easy to find a comfy spot to have a coffee or tea where you don’t feel rushed, crowded or wishing that the taste of a waxed-coated cup wasn’t spoiling the taste of your espresso. So when I happened across Sullivan Street Bakery on 9th Avenue (at 25th), I was immediately smitten.

Captured in a small, clean and modern space, Sullivan Street serves up piping hot espresso drinks and teas in simple, beautiful white porcelain cups.

If this isn’t enough to get you to stay, the just-baked aroma of the place will nudge you toward sampling one of the many wonderful choices of bread (like strecci with baked garlic), Roman-style pizzas (such as the potato, onion, olive oil and rosemary), or rustic Italian pastries (can’t go wrong with the tortino di cioccolato).

“Sample the bomboloni, Sullivan’s signature Italian doughnut. It’ll make you wonder why you ever thought an American doughnut was satisfying. Plump and inviting, you’ll spy a bit of the creamy vanillla bean custard peaking through the top of the pastry, before you even dive in. With a hint of lemon zest and vanilla in the dough, your sure to be back for more.”

If you’re a bit more hungry, the distinctly Italian paninis, or bread-oven baked chicken will win you over. Not to be missed on a cold snowy day is the chicken soup, wonderfully flavored, yet brothy enough to give you that warm fuzzy feeling. And, oh, did I mention the really friendly, down-to-earth staff?