Beat the Summer Heat in Midtown East!
With the summer heat in full swing, it’s time to find ways to stay cool. Earlier this year, we shared our Happy Hour and Outdoor Dining guides to help you enjoy the heat, but when it gets too hot, you'll need a spot to escape. Be sure to explore this guide to Midtown East for shady spots, delicious cold treats and refreshing drinks.
Cold Treats
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream (89 East 42nd Street): Located inside Grand Central Terminal, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream offers artisanal, handcrafted ice cream with a variety of classic and inventive flavors, perfect for a sweet treat while exploring the iconic landmark. Our favorite flavor is the chocolatey crisp cereal & milk!
Jacques Torres (89 East 42nd Street): Is the perfect spot to indulge in decadent chocolates and artisanal ice cream, so be sure to grab a scoop of their rich, handcrafted ice cream for a truly satisfying treat.
Pershing Square (90 East 42nd Street): Located just outside Grand Central Terminal, invites you to enjoy a delectable Warm Chocolate Sundae, a must-try indulgence that combines rich chocolate with a perfect blend of creamy ice cream and warm, gooey goodness.
Tartinery (89 East 42nd Street & 90 Park Avenue): Located inside Grand Central Terminal and at 90 Park Avenue, offers a refreshing Affogato, a delightful espresso poured over creamy gelato, making it the perfect choice to cool off while enjoying Grand Central Terminal.
Cafe 346 (346 Madison Avenue): Conveniently located at 346 Madison Avenue is the ideal spot to cool off with their delicious gelato, offering a refreshing and indulgent treat in a charming café setting.
(Pictured Above: 101 Park Avenue)
Midtown East Public Space's
Pershing Square Plaza West (East 42nd Street & Park Avenue): Head on over to our very own Pershing Square Plaza, which features a stunning view of Grand Central Terminal, serpentine benches and over a dozen chairs and tables for you to cool off at, alongside the popular Pershing Square Café.
120 Park Avenue (East 42nd Street & Park Avenue): Located beside Pershing Square Plaza, this indoor pedestrian space features some of the coldest air conditioning available in the area, combined with public bathrooms and more than enough seating, this may be the perfect location for you to cool off.
Vanderbilt Plaza (East 42nd Street & Vanderbilt Avenue): Finish your commute into Midtown East with a pitstop at Vanderbilt Plaza, its conveniently located just outside Grand Central Station and provides the perfect seating for you to figure out where to go next!
425 Lexington Avenue Urban Plaza (East 43rd Street between Lexington & 3rd Avenue): This pocket sanctuary features plenty of sitting space for you to enjoy your meal in Midtown.
Grand Central Plaza (East 40th Street & 3rd Avenue): This rooftop spot is accessible either by a hidden elevator or stairs. This public space offers a great escape from the bustling city with ample seating and shade.
101 Park Avenue (East 41st & Park Avenue): This urban plaza features a beautifully designed granite-paved triangle, a volcano-shaped fountain, diverse seating options, lush greenery, and unique lighting, offering a visually appealing and inviting space for pedestrians.
245 Park Avenue (Lexington Avenue between East 46th & 47th Street): This ribbon of plaza features elevated landings, brass-colored flagpoles, and long narrow planters, wrapping around the building and offering a dynamic, multi-level urban space.
280 Park Avenue (East 48th Steet between Madison & Park Avenue): Head over to the 48th street side of this plaza to sit on the granite-and-concrete seating ledges while taking in some sun.
12 East 49th Street (East 49th Street between Madison & 5th Avenue): This plaza boasts serpentine, polished granite planter benches, providing an ideal spot to enjoy your lunch.
457 Madison Avenue (East 51st Street & Madison Avenue): Enclosed by the historic Villard Houses, this European-style courtyard offers a beautiful, well-proportioned public space with trees, medallion-decorated planters, black-metal tables, and a seamless blend of nineteenth-century and modern architecture.
420 Fifth Avenue (West 38th Street & 5th Avenue): This urban plaza is located conveniently located in front of the Girl Scouts of American HQ and features elegant marble benches and ledges that provide fixed seating, and movable café chairs and tables are scattered about.
(Pictured Above: Gong cha)
Refreshing Drinks
Kona Coffee Roasters (100 Park Avenue): Head over to Kona Coffee Roasters for a taste of Hawaii. Grab an iced coffee, affogato or an iced tea and cool off in their beautiful midtown location.
Gregorys Coffee (122 East 42nd Street): Gregorys Coffee offers a fantastic variety of iced drinks. You might enjoy their coffee options, like the salted caramel cold brew or the iced fall oat boy. For something fruity, their triple fruit smoothie is excellent. My personal favorite, though, is the mango chili refresher.
Cafe Grumpy (89 East 42nd Street): Cafe Grumpy sits conveniently within Grand Central Terminal's Lexington Passage, but you can also reach it from outside on Lexington Avenue. Their honey oat latte is simply divine, but if you’re looking for something to beat the heat, their organic iced tea is a great option.
Grand Central Coffee Company (441 Lexington Avenue): Grand Central Coffee Company is a New York gem that truly takes coffee seriously. If you’re in the mood for a refreshingly cold brew, this is the place to be.
Madman Espresso & Bagels (141 East 44th Street): Madman Espresso’s midtown location offers a refreshing retreat from the heat—order an iced mocha latte or an iced chai to cool down.
Little Collins (708 3rd Avenue): At Little Collins, you get the ideal mix for all your day’s needs. Begin with a hibiscus berry iced tea to beat the heat in the morning, and then come back for a relaxing mimosa after work.
Maman NYC (155 East 44th Steet): Maman NYC features delicious seasonal drinks that'll have you coming back for more! Their summer drinks include a summer peach & mint iced tea lemonade, a banana caramel iced latte and a great mango matcha lemonade.
The Clock Coffee Shop (335 Madison Avenue): Situated within the 22 Vanderbilt building, The Clock Coffee Shop boasts a fantastic specialty drink menu featuring options like their iced espresso tonic and coconut cold brew.
Black Fox Coffee (45 East 45th Street): With coffee beans from some of the finest roasters, Black Fox Coffee is in a league of its own. Their cold brew and iced latte are exactly as perfect as you'd expect.
Ten Thousand Coffee (750 3rd Avenue): Ten Thousand Coffee, a hidden gem in Midtown East, offers irresistible drinks like their einspanner coffee and panela latte.
Gong Cha (160 East 44th Street): Gong Cha on 44th Street is ideal for enjoying a deliciously refreshing bubble tea. Their offerings go beyond that, with slushes, iced coffee, milk foam drinks, and a range of other delightful beverages!
Tiger Sugar (129 East 45th Street): Located next door to the well-loved Chunky Boss, Tiger Sugar provides the perfect drinks to go with their delicious chicken. Our personal favorite is their signature black sugar boba milk tea.
Juice Generation (122 East 42nd Street): Juice Generation serves up freshly made-to-order juices with unique flavors like Hail to Kale and Get Ur Green On. They also provide acai bowls and smoothies, perfect for a cool and refreshing treat.
Juice Press (87 East 42nd Street): When you need a quick and refreshing pick-me-up, Juice Press is your go-to spot. Stop by their location inside Grand Central Terminal and grab a Mother Earth drink along with a chilled pitaya bowl.
Pressed Juicery (369 Lexington Avenue): Pressed Juicery focuses their drinks on health and detoxes. Order a 7-Day Vacation Prep Pack to help you unlock a beach-worthy glow before you set out on your vacation.
Joe & The Juice (666 3rd Avenue): Joe & The Juice is featuring some exciting seasonal drinks right now. Give their Iced Espresso Tonic, which comes with a hint of grapefruit, a try. Or, if you prefer, sample their Iced Blueberry Latte.
Want more ideas for dining, drinking or shopping in the Grand Central neighborhood? Sign up to get the latest on this and more every Thursday with our e-newsletter, news@gcp
