Petak's Appetizing-Delicatessen & Caterers

One of the benefits to starting work late in the afternoon is having the mornings to explore different neighborhoods in the city, that is, when I'm not swimming/running laps at NYAC. One shoulder-crunching, chin-tucking, hands-crammed-in-pockets morning I found myself in my old hood-- the upper east side. I walked slowly up Madison Avenue glancing and drooling at Hermes belts, David Yurman rings, Carolina Herrera dresses, Chloe purses and Ralph Lauren sweaters I can barely afford to look at let alone purchase. It's tortuous at times, but I enjoy seeing how the haute caste is living. It'd be fun to have a little Mona dress-up doll so I could pick and choose items and see how some of the gorgeous materials and cuts would look on me. I don't have half the nerve and guts my brother has to go into these stores and try things on so I just play the spectator.

One of my missions that morning was to try a new bakery. Much like I base someone's cooking on three basics: burgers, pasta and chocolate chip cookies, I base bakeries on their scones. If I try a bakery and their scones are dry and chalky, or taste like their dough was mistaken for a blueberry muffin batch, I will not return.

I don't know what drew me to Petak's. I saw the window of baked goods stacked high in basket shelves and a woman walking out with her steaming coffee and white goodie bag and I was consumed with breakfast envy.

Petak's was much more than a bakery. They had a small salad bar in the back and people surprisingly were already eating lunch at this point. The displays in the front had all sorts of take-away delights, and if you want, you can sit in the back at the scattered tables.

I placed my coffee order and had a minor panic attack when I didn't notice the scones right away, but after a few seconds of wide-eyed desperation, there they were on the very bottom shelf. They had chocolate chip scones and currant scones. I went for the traditional currant one. I took one bite of the scone as soon as I walked out the door and died of surprise. This was the best scone I'd tasted in the city. It had the perfect consistency-moist but flaky and I was having a blogging emergency-- my camera wasn't working and I didn't even see a name or sign anywhere.

Fast-forward a week or so, and I conveniently found myself on the east side once again in pursuit of my favorite scone. On my second trip to Petak's, I gushed to the lady behind the counter about their scones and she showered me with smiles and laughter. I decided to mix it up and tried the lemon poppy scone with frosting. And as you see, I saved my receipt so I could share the name with you. Petak's lemon poppy scone is now my No. 2 favorite, behind the currant variety, and Balthazar's scones are No. 3 on the list, just in case you were wondering. If you ever find yourself on a morning Madison stroll, stop by Petak and tell them Mona sent you. And if you're not as satisfied as I am, I'll treat you to breakfast and coffee at the bakery of your choice.


1246 Madison Ave.

212-722-7711