It's T-minus practically nothing until New York Fashion Week starts (tomorrow!), and we've realized that every NYFW, we use our smartphones to search frantically for things like 'coffee near Milk Studios nyc' and 'cheap eats, Lincoln Center' on the run. This time around, we did a little detective work beforehand and scoured the areas surrounding Fashion Week's biggest venues for delicious options. The challenge? To stay within a 10-block grid around the venue. In the Milk Studios 'hood, we found $2 cappuccinos (for real), warm chocolate-chip cookies, $5 model-friendly smoothies, some of our favorite tacos in the city, and more. Best of all, we mapped out our finds in this handy-dandy GoogleMap. Happy Fashion Week, everyone––and you're welcome!
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CAFFEINE
Ninth Street Espresso - Chelsea Market (75 9th Ave) - MAP
We know, Chealsea Market––a little too obvious. But having some of the city's best coffee just footsteps away from the heart of the action is so great.

La Taza de Oro - 96 8th Ave (betw 14th + 15th St) - MAP
A $2 cappuccino in a land where they're almost double? We couldn't believe it either. No skim or soy in this Puerto Rican eatery with a Caribbean diner feel––only regular milk.

The Grey Dog - 242 W 16th St (betw 8th + 9th Ave) - MAP
Free coffee refills! If you need a non-Starbucks spot in the area to hang at in between shows, this is not a bad place to stay caffeinated. 

Think Coffee - 73 8th Ave (betw 13th and 14th St) - MAP
Think's newest location to open. If an affable barista dutifully insists on topping your capp' with a perfect design, chances are his name is Ben, and he is a true artist.

Stone Street Coffee Company - 132 9th Ave (betw 18th + 19th St) - MAP
Relatively new to the neighborhood (open since July 2011), this new Gowanus coffee roaster is set on challenging the likes of Stumptown for the coffee-roasting crown.

Joe The Art of Coffee - 405 W 23rd St (betw 9th + 10th) - MAP
Grab your joe here before heading to the Rodarte show nearby on 25th St.

Café Grumpy - 224 W 20th St (betw 8th + 7th) - MAP
Farther from Milk than the rest, we only slipped it in because it's one of Chelsea's best coffee spots.
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FOOD
Bar Suzette - Chelsea Market (75 9th Ave) - MAP
Hot crêpes tucked neatly into a paper cone really are a fashion show-hopper's best friend.

Cafe Tacombi - Chelsea Market (75 9th Ave) - MAP
We flipped when we found out that this Nolita favorite of ours (which you probably remember from here) opened up shop in the bustling market across from Milk Studios.

Artichoke Basille's Pizza  - (10th ave at 17th)
They offer both pies and pizza by the slice with dangerously delicious toppings––like artichoke hearts, spinach, cream sauce, Mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheese on the Artichoke pizza; and olive oil, plum tomato, and fresh basil on the Margherita.

Co ba - 118 9th Ave betwn 17th + 18th St) - MAP
Granted, these aren't your Chinatown bahn-mi sandwich prices. However, your lunch total will hover around $7.50, and for an extra two bucks, you can choose between a soup of the day or mixed salad with sesame soy dressing to accompany your meal. If the name sounds familiar, it's because it's a neighborhood favorite of OC HQ's Bettina. (Peep her post on it here.)

Westville (246 W 18th St betwn 7th + 8th Ave) - MAP
A no-brainer for healthy, simple yet delicious food. Among the lunch specials you'll find $5 soups, but we particularly love their Market Sides deal. Choose from sides like sautéed kale with shallots or lemon-grilled asparagus with parmesan, and get one for $5 or five for $14.

Bill's Bar & Burger - 22 9th Ave (at 13th St) - MAP
The spot for a mouth-watering burger that's got the food blogs raving. Guaranteed to keep you fueled through multiple fashion shows and parties.
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SNACKS & SWEETS
Jacques Torres - Chelsea Market (75 9th Ave) - MAP
Famously decadent hot chocolate. If you're feeling nibbly, go for their giant chocolate chip cookie and ask them to warm it up!

Empire Cake - 112 8th Ave (betw 15th + 16th) - MAP
Just outside the A,C,E subway stop at 16th St., this bakery is a convenient spot to grab coffee, a big cookie ($3), or precious-looking iced desserts. 

City Cakes - 251 W 18th St. - MAP
Walking into this tiny bakery tucked under 18th St. makes you feel like you've discovered a heavenly, batter-scented secret. We kinda fell for the salted carmel cupcake with caramel buttercream frosting.
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MODEL MEALS

Paradise Café -139 8th Ave (between 16th St & 17th) - MAP
Made with a base of apple cider, soy milk, orange juice, water, or regular milk, these fresh and nutritious make-your-own fruit smoothies are 100% natural and don't contain any of those icky syrups. The small size (18 oz.) comes out to just under $5, while the bigger one (24 oz.) is $5.99.

Grey Dog - 242 W 16th St (betw 8th + 9th Ave) - MAP
The coffee spot mentioned above also has fruit smoothies, at $5 a pop.
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Click here for our GoogleMap!

FILED UNDER: nyfw fw12 , food , just eat it , coffee , coffee chronicles , nyfw , fw12 , fashion week , new york