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Where to eat and drink along the NYC Marathon route

Spectators cheer on the runners during the ING New York City Marathon.
Spectators cheer on the runners during the ING New York City Marathon. Photo Credit: iStock

Watching the marathon?

You’re going to get hungry! And thirsty, observing all that running. 

From South Brooklyn to Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan, eat your way through the boroughs as runners race to the finish line.  

Here’s what to eat and drink along the route.

Mile 1

No spectators are allowed at the beginning of the race in Staten Island.

Mile 2

Narrows Coffee Shop, 10001 Fourth Ave., Bay Ridge. Marathoners will be passing Mile 1 early in the morning, and you will need a coffee. This place has caffeine, ambiance and donuts. 

Mile 3

Robicelli’s, 9009 Fifth Ave., Bay Ridge. Stop here for Stumptown coffee and cucpcakes and treats from the famous husband and wife team. Open at 10 a.m.

Chock Full o’ Nuts Restaurant, 7324 Third Ave., Bay Ridge. This is classic Brooklyn.

The Coffee Lab, 6903 Third Ave., Bay Ridge. Grab a Toby’s Estate coffee at this new cafe, which takes coffee seriously. They also carry macarons.

Mile 4

Don Paco Lopez Bakery, 7403 Fourth Ave., Sunset Park. Mexican pastries and more are available at Don Paco’s.

The Mug Cafe, 5811 Fourth Ave., Sunset Park. Grab a coffee or a wide array of breakfast items, both hot and cold are available.

Mile 5

Green Fig Bakery & Cafe, 462 36th St., Sunset Park. Fresh brewed coffee, baked goods and sandwiches can be picked up here.

Tacos El Bronco, 44th Street and Fourth Ave., Sunset Park. Get your Mexican breakfast!

Mile 6

Tin Cup Cafe, 718 Fourth Ave., Greenwood Heights/ South Slope. Coffee and baked goods.

Supercollider, 609 Fourth Ave., Greenwood Heights/ South Slope. High-end coffee and lattes and Balthazar pastries.

Crop to Cop Coffee, 541a Third Ave., Gowanus. Know your source! That’s easy at Crop to Cup.

Mile 7

Four & Twenty Blackbirds, 439 Third Ave., Gowanus. This is the spot for the best pies, slices and whole pies, in all of New York City.

Oaxaca Taqueria, 250 Fourth Ave., Gowanus. Tacos!! Open at 11 a.m.

Mile 8

Canteen Delicatessen, 57 Fourth Ave., Boerum Hill. All different kinds of breakfast items from omelettes to wraps.

Greene Grape Annex and Greene Grape Provisions, 765 Fulton St., Fort Greene. Fancy coffee at the Annex and food to go and groceries at Provisions.

Baba Cool, 64B Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene. Coffee, baked foods, breakfast sandwiches and gluten-free items available.

Mile 9

Choice Market, 818 Lafayette Ave., Clinton Hill. Great coffee and baked goods and other breakfast items.

Dough, 305 Franklin Ave., Clinton Hill. If you’ve never had a Dough donut, you haven’t lived. Luckily for those watching the marathon around mile 9, Dough is right there.

Brooklyn Kolache Co., 520 DeKalb Ave., Bed-Stuy. Get your portable pastries and coffee!

Mile 11

Marlow & Sons, 81 Broadway, South Williamsburg. This is the place for a hot coffee and a scone with cream and jam.

The Bagel Store, 349 Bedford Ave., South Williamsburg. The popular spot with the best bagels in North Brooklyn recently moved South down Bedford Ave. Non-dairy spreads available.

Pies ‘n’ Thighs, 166 S. 4th St., South Williamsburg. Biscuits and gravy at 10 a.m., while watching hard-core athletes run for lives? Yes, please.

egg, 109 North 3rd St., Williamsburg. Take a look at some runners and then run yourself over to egg for one of the best breakfast’s in the borough.

Bagelsmith Bedford, 189 Bedford Ave., Williamsburg. BAGELS, duh.

Mile 12

Right off the Nassau G you can carb-load with Calexico’s (645 Manhattan Ave.) rolled quesadillas.

Stop in for coffee at Van Leeuwen or Konditori (687 Manhattan Ave.).

Upright Coffee (860 Manhattan Ave.) serves specialties like their lavendar latte and vanilla latte with Brooklyn Roasting Plant beans. 

Mile 13

Head into Propeller Coffee (984 Manhattan Ave) for some warm hot chocolate or coffee.

Grab a bagel and coffee at Troost (1011 Manhattan Ave).

Warm up with a hot cup of bisque at Lobster Joint (1073 Manhattan Ave).

Visit Champion Coffee (1108 Manhattan Ave.) for a warm cup of Brooklyn roasted beans or a hot cider.

Mile 14

Grab a caffeinated drink from Sweetleaf (10-93 Jackson Ave) and take a rest on a plush chair.

If you want to relax for a longer brunch, check out Cafe Henri (1010 50th Ave.), which specializes in French bites like ouefs and crêpes.

Mile 15

Stop into BreadBox Cafe (47-11 11th St.) for brunch or grab a flavored latte to go.  

Mile 16

Relax at The Jeffrey (311 E. 60th St.) and warm up with a cold pint or an espresso drink. Here, you can nosh on sandwiches, salads and oysters if watching all that exercise makes you hungry. You can also pick up a growler to take home and celebrate whomever ran the race!

Mile 17

Grab a warm beverage from JavaTea (404 E. 70th St.) and snack on a few healthy options.

Visit Joe Coffee (1045 Lexington Ave.) for a warm cup of espresso and some energy.  

Mile 18

For some greasy spoon action before you watch the race, visit Timmy’s by the River (1737 York Ave.) for eggs, pancakes and hot coffee.

If you want to pick up a hot beverage to go while you head east, stop into DTUT (1744 York Ave.) for a latte and perhaps take advantage of their cozy couches and fully stocked bar on your way home.

Mile 19

Though you may be tempted to visit Manhattan’s only Costco for free samples, try fueling up at El Barrio Juice Bar (308 E. 116th St.) where fresh fruit smoothies start at only $3!

When you’re done spectating, check out Camaradas for happy hour from 3-7 p.m. and Puerto Rican pub fare (2241 First Ave.).

Mile 21

After a quick stretch of racing through the Bronx, run into Mott Haven Bar (1 Bruckner Boulevard) for a quick drink or chow down on what is known as the best burger in The Bronx. 

Mile 22

Warm up with a hot fritter at Cuchifritos (168 E. 116th St.), where specialties like potatoes filled with meat, plantains and chicken patties start at $1.50. 

For a warm cup of coffee and a muffin, visit East Harlem Café (1651 Lexington Ave.).

Mile 23

Head into Cafe 3 at the Guggenheim for pastries, sandwiches and Lavazza espresso drinks.

And as long as you’re on Museum Mile, visit the Neue Gallerie’s Cafe Sabarsky for warm Viennese coffee.

Mile 24

For a quick, warm treat visit Le Churro (1236 Lexington Ave) and dip the warm cinnamon sugar coated dough into chocolate sauce while you stand along wth route.  

Mile 25

Duck into the subterranean Plaza Food Hall (1 W. 59th St.) for a melange of snacks, sandwiches, sweets and drinks to fuel you while you observe and cheer for the final stretch.

Grab a Scandinavian coffee from Fika (41 W. 58th St.) and you’ll probably want to get a few chocolates too.

Mile 26

You made it to the finish line!

Maybe you didn’t run the 26.2 miles, but treat yourself for being a spectator with a pastry and hot chocolate from Bouchon Bakery inside the Time Warner Center or from Francois Payard Patisserie (3 Columbus Circle).