Serendipity 3, featured in the famous movie Serendipity with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, is a beloved restaurant and dessert spot in the Upper East Side. With its charming atmosphere and decorative decor, it is a great spot for a quick bite or a tasty treat.

When you enter the small space, you are greeted by a small gift shop where you can buy any of your favorite trinkets with your meal. From there, you are greeted by a hostess that will most likely tell you that there is a bit of a wait. With the movie making this location such a known spot in New York, it can get a little difficult to walk right in and be seated. The spot does not take reservations for just dessert so I recommend checking their peak times and coming at an off time, as the waits do get lengthy depending on the time of day. One tip is to come when it is raining or super cold out, as there generally is not as many people trying to get in. When seated, the tables range from big circular tables to small intimate ones for two people. Depending on your preference and party, you might be seated in the front or the back of the restaurant. Either-or will suffice, but I will say that in the winter it is a bit chilly up front with being so close to the door. In terms of the menu, it is quite large and there is a variety to choose from ranging from omelets to casseroles. I have not tried any of the entree items on the menu, as I came here strictly for dessert but from browsing, I can pick out many things that I want to try (especially the Buttermilk fried chicken).

Now let’s talk dessert! That is my personal favorite part of any meal and rightfully so. It is the time where you can conclude the meal and celebrate the deliciousness that you got to partake in and top it off with a (literal) cherry on top. Having gone here with my little brother, who is a true sweets fan, we ended up with the largest ice cream sundae that is apparently for one person. I wasn’t too sure if an 8-year-old could conquer a ginormous 3 scoop vanilla sundae with caramel, hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry on top but trust me- it was all gone in a matter of five minutes. The sundae, given that I was only allowed 3 relatively large bites, was super delicious and the ice cream was very creamy and sweet. My favorite part of this experience was the caramel sauce! Not only was it topped on the sundae, but also in a small bowl on the side in case we needed extras. I could have eaten that whole bowl to myself if I wasn’t practicing self-control, as it was so tasty! Another menu item we ordered was the basic hot chocolate, nothing too fancy but something to warm us up as the rain came down outside. Steaming from the cup, the hot chocolate was the icing on the cake to wash down my minimal bites of the sundae that was permitted.

Surrounding us was the endless amounts of the famous frozen hot chocolates topped with all different items. Some had smores and others had sprinkles and other concoctions on top but for some reason, it did not appeal to me. Being that it was 40 degrees outside, I couldn’t oblige myself to order a cold drink on a cold night, especially when after I would have to walk 15 minutes back in the rain to the subway.

Regardless to say, I would recommend this spot as a fun tourist place to bring those that are visiting New York for the first time and/or those that are big Serendipity fans!