Chron Critiques: Bibble and Sip
Anna DeGoede / The Hofstra Chronicle
Take the C Train or the E Train two stops uptown from Penn Station and you’ll find Bibble & Sip: a cozy bakery café that offers a variety of unique beverage and pastry options. Sitting just a few feet away from the downtown side of the 50th St. station, this café is a welcome reprieve for explorers looking for something sweet to eat, or in my case, a safe refuge from the rain.
Once inside, you’re quickly confronted with a difficult prospect: choosing from the large display case bursting with different sweet treats. There are traditional croissants and scones, matcha or Earl Grey tea, cream puffs and a variety of puddings.
Though you can’t go wrong with these classics, the obvious choices line the bottom row of the display case in a bright array of colors and animal faces. Some of their most adorable and flavorful combinations include a llama-shaped cake that boasts a hazelnut and chocolate flavor and a dark chocolate birthday cake decorated like a panda.
I came to Bibble & Sip expecting these delightful creatures after seeing them on the café’s website, but they were even more impressive in person. Each was made with clear attention to detail, with not a piped-on eye or berry nose out of place.
Unable to decide at first, my friend and I ordered drinks to sip while we chatted. I selected the iced hot chocolate with almond milk (a plus, considering I often struggle to find dairy-free milk options at boba and similar shops).
My friend got a strawberry matcha which came with a distinct ombre layering. Both drinks also came in thematically cute cups decorated with the shop’s llama mascot which offered the option to sip directly from the lid or use a straw.
As someone who isn’t a fan of most teas, Bibble & Sip didn’t offer as many non-tea or matcha-based drinks as I would have liked. However, my iced hot chocolate was delicious. So, even if you don’t like coffee, green tea or black tea, there’s still something here worth indulging in.
Once I had an hour or so to decide on my sweet treat of choice, I went back to the counter for the lychee berry dessert – which featured a white tea mousse, lychee compote and a strawberry Bavarian-and-matcha almond cake.
Unfortunately, the desserts come at a steeper price than what they offer in terms of taste. My pig-shaped cake cost about $10, and my friend’s much smaller Totoro macaron was $6. Even then, I was so distracted by the appeal of the pig décor that I didn’t end up liking the flavor combinations as much as I would’ve hoped.
Bibble & Sip is also quite cramped considering how popular it is. My friend and I arrived just before it opened, and we weren’t the only people waiting outside. The seating options, while charming, were few, and those they had were close together, so not everyone who came in after us was able to sit. As a result, my friend and I felt like we should leave out of courtesy long before we wanted to part ways.
Overall, I’d advise anyone going to Bibble & Sip to closely analyze the flavor profiles, prices and sizes of the dessert before selecting their treat of choice. Don’t get so caught up in the décor that you forget about your taste buds – or your wallet. However, if you’re looking for Instagrammable desserts and light refreshments, Bibble & Sip is the perfect place for an aesthetic and yummy treat.
Bibble & Sip can be found at 253 W 51 St. in New York City.
