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The city's best cheesecake

By Daisy Carrington | dcarrington@am-ny.com

3:23 PM EDT, September 12, 2007

Cheesecake with strawberries and chocolate sauce from the Brooklyn Diner.

For those who love cheesecake -- I assume that's everybody who's still alive -- it's well worth traveling miles out of the way for even a single velvety slice of it. Fortunately, we've made sure you won't have to: Wonderful cheesecake abounds in almost all of they city's boroughs.

Eat in:

Brooklyn Diner If you don't mind dodging tourists to reach dessert Nirvana, head to these glitzy mainstays for a slice of strawberry blonde cheesecake. It's topped with giant strawberries and served with a pitcher of chocolate sauce. The cheese they use comes from a Vermont farm. (212 W. 57th St; 212-977-1957. 155 W. 43rd St.; 212-265-5400; www.brooklyndiner.com $8.75-$10 per slice)

Lady M Cake Boutique Miles away from the working-class roots of the dessert, this luxurious cafe serves gourmet sandwiches and a rich, fresh cheesecake with a chocolate-cookie crust and a sour-cream topping.. (41 E. 78th St.; 212-452-2222; www.ladymconfections.com $7 per slice, $35 for a 5-inch cake, $70 for a 9-inch cake)

Eileen's Special Cheesecake This cozy little Lower East Side alcove offers a wide range of flavored cheesecakes, including pumpkin and pineapple. Purists will also love their original, which is light and creamy, and not overly sweet. (7 Cleveland Pl.; 212-966-5585; www.eileenscheesecake.com $2.75 for individual cakes, $10.50-$39 for larger cakes)

Mona Lisa Pastry Shoppe & Cafe Don't let the kitschy, bright yellow exterior fool you -- this Bay Ridge cafe serves up excellent (and old-school) cheesecake. They've been in business more than 90 years and bake their cakes in a coal oven. The result is an utterly creamy, custardy, dreamy concoction. (1476 86th St., Brooklyn; 718-837-9053; www.monalisabakery.com $2.50-$3 per slice, $12.50 for a whole cake)

Take out:

Two Little Red Hens This cozy, Upper East Side bakery has been in business for more than 10 years and offers whole cakes that are silky smooth and delicious. (1652 Second Ave.; 212-452-0476; www.twolittleredhens.com $9 for a 4-inch cake, $25 for a 6-inch cake)

S&S Cheesecake This 40-year-old Riverdale shack is the darling of cheesecake aficionados everywhere. While owner Fred Schuler keeps a tight lid on the exact recipe, the batter is a mix of five different cheeses, butter, eggs, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla. For those not willing to make the trek up to the Bronx, S&S cheesecake is also sold at the Palm Restaurant in midtown.(222 W. 238th St., Bronx; 718-549-3888; www.sscheesecake.com $38 for an 11-inch cake)