Hanamizuki Cafe

"We first found Hanamizuki Cafe on West 29th after a particularly harrowing 10 minutes of dodging the tourists of Herald Square. At the time, their onigiri combo and steamy mug of miso soup brought us back to the realm of the living. And now we never get off the train at 34 St-Harlod Square station without seriously considering a stop. The mother and daughter who run the operation—which opened in 2012 and then closed during the pandemic before returning in 2024 in its original space—make all of the onigiri to order, wrapping seaweed around warm sushi rice around flaky salmon, or a dollop of mentaiko, and passing yours over the counter. Even if you've got somewhere to be, these fresh onigiri deserve a seat. So take five minutes to sit in the cafe-esque dining room while you sip your mug of miso in between bites. Food Rundown Onigiri Combo For $16, you’ll get to choose two onigiri, which come on a platter with miso soup and the daily side dishes—like slightly sweet tamagoyaki and goma-ae slick with sesame dressing. As for the onigiri, we like the grilled salmon with shiso, and the sukiyaki, which is blended with the rice so that each bite has shreds of sweet, soy sauce-laced beef and slivers of scallion." - Willa Moore

"Hanamizuki Cafe, Flatiron by Anti/Anti. The Hanamizuki Cafe considers itself a “minimalist-chic cafe specializing in rice balls with eclectic fillings, plus miso soup.” We know it as that Japanese spot next door that seems to be a hair-removal/spa (in the back) and also somehow offers very solid coffee that you can grab in under 60 seconds if in a hurry. They have the best quick snack in the neighborhood, an assortment of bite-sized meat/veggie rice balls pre-made to go."

Nice onigiri made by someone’s mom