Jack's Wife Freda, New York

We were an hour early... I thought this was the city that never sleeps?! Well let me tell you, Greenwich Village sleeps. We ended up in a dodgy Maccy D's drinking a large coffee, watching pigeons peck at kerb side trash while our allotted '30 minute' window stay slipped by... but it was all okay, because we were going to Jack's Wife Freda.

Jack and Freda

Whenever I'm going on a trip, I like to extensively research the best places to eat, drink, and generally be merry, and this little beaut popped up on almost every list where breakfast was concerned. I also try to vary the types of food, so we get to sample a wide range of what the city has to offer. I even have a spreadsheet of what to do on each day, complete with travel plans and other interesting things to do whilst in that area. You'll either be appalled by this geekiness, or want a copy (email me).

So it was 'Greenwich Village Day'. We had the most exciting of plans, which included Washington Square dog park, Williams Sonoma (cake tins yo...), Keste Pizza, The Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, visiting quirky shops, the Highline and the Sugar Factory. We were very likely to die of excess, then add stop number three including £150 of Nordic Ware, which I then had to carry. Bozo.

Spawned from the union of a South African and an Israeli, Jack's Wife Freda is a celebration of co-owner Dean's grandmother's hospitality. NewYork Mag described the cuisine as 'South African Israeli Jewish Grandmother Cuisine'. I have to say, it works.

We were the first in, the second they opened. Although we had already consumed the world's tallest coffee in McDonald's, it was 8.30am, and we were used to having had about five cups plus a pint of apple juice by this hour, which seemed to be a theme of our holiday no matter where we went.

This was lovely coffee, and instead of our usual large apple juice, we were offered house pressed cantaloupe melon juice. Dang that stuff is refreshing. When you get a breakfast juice over here, it's always served in a tiny little glass, whereas New Yorkers seem to always serve it like it's essential to your survival to have at least a pint. I noticed on one menu that fruit juice came in 'Large' or 'Ex-Large'. Melon juice really does need to be a thing.

Jack’s breakfast - two eggs (any style), grilled skirt steak, grilled tomato, fingerling potatoes and sourdough toast: Steak and eggs could only be consumed once, and this had to be the place. Stunning simplicity, with the hottest, indescribable 'green stuff' on record. And yes, I totally got a side of halloumi.

Poached eggs with grilled tomato and halloumi - two poached eggs, grilled tomato and halloumi, served with sourdough toast: So fresh and so clean... This almost doesn't feel like a treat because it's pretty healthy (let's ignore the wedges of halloumi). Ellie was over the moon with this wonderful veggie option.

Flourless chipotle chocolate cake with chocolate mousse: We didn't even order this, it just appeared. Anywhere that enforces breakfast dessert is worthy of a fanfare. Unfortunately, I had left my bugle at home, so they had to make do with our gratitude! This may look dense, bit it was actually as light as a little feather.

If I find out you have been to New York and not been here, I am going to firstly defriend you immediately, and secondly be very cross with you indeed. What a refreshing change from the usual 'belly busting' American food.

Go here for a relaxed morning, where the staff are chatty, the atmosphere is buzzing, and the cheese is squeaky. We absolutely loved it here.