NYCReview
photo credit: Kenny Yang
Café Patoro
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The owner of Café Patoro opened this spot because she missed the pão de queijo she ate as a child in Brazil, and these chewy little cheese balls draw long lines at her daytime, counter-service café. You’ll get the most baked-cheese flavor from the plain pão de queijo, but our favorite is the ham and cheese with little chunks of crispy pork. Fill up mostly on those, but save a little room for dessert. The gooey brigadeiro cake is a chocolate lover’s dream, and we also like the moist carrot cake, though it has no discernible carrot flavor. Other items on the menu—like an egg-and-swiss croissant sandwich and a tapioca crêpe stuffed with cheesy shredded chicken—are just okay, so stick with the pão de queijo and sweets.