Most of you have probably seen Audrey Hepburn’s iconic 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. If you haven’t, you’ve at least heard of it — and I urge you to go watch it immediately after reading this post. It’s dramatic, funny, romantic, and everything you could want out of an old movie. I will mention that there are a few problematic aspects that shouldn’t be ignored, such as the racist, stereotypical portrayal of the main character’s landlord. But, the movie is a classic and it does have an extremely fascinating plot that centers around Holly Golightly, a glamorous and complicated woman who gets paid to hang out with men and lives with an unnamed cat.
After you see Audrey Hepburn as Holly, you’ll understand why it’s such a memorable role that people still talk about today (and even dress up as for Halloween). In the film, Holly finds great joy in being at the famous jewelry store Tiffany & Co. Here are a few quotes to help you understand Holly’s affection for the retailer…
“If I could find a real life place to make me feel like Tiffany’s, then I’d buy some furniture and give the cat a name.”
“Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany’s. Calms me down right away.”
“I don’t mean I’d mind being rich and famous. That’s very much on my schedule, and someday I’ll try and get around to it; but if it happens, I’d like to have my ego, tagging along. I want to still be me when I wake up one fine morning and have breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
How to have Breakfast at Tiffany’s in NYC
In real life, breakfast at a luxurious jeweler like Tiffany & Co. may seem a little unrealistic, but it turns out it’s not! The flagship store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan actually has a small restaurant on the fourth floor called The Blue Box Cafe. It’s not as easy as walking in and sitting down though, it’s pretty small and very high in demand! You have to sign on to Resy to make a reservation at exactly 9 a.m. The tables go so fast that it took me at least 5 tries before I finally got through to make a reservation! And all reservations are for 30 days in advance. So, you sign on in hopes of snagging a table for exactly one month later.
Is it worth it?
It may take you a few tries to get your reservation. You should also expect to spend at least $50 on your meal (probably a little more depending what you get). The menu is fairly simple and you can view it ahead of time here. I ordered the tea tower, which I found amazing. Since it’s pretty fancy I was a little nervous about the food being not tasty or not filling, but it was delicious! My friend Rachel who went with me ordered the buttermilk waffle and she could barley finish it. We were both impressed with our meals.
The atmosphere was stunning. Everything is, of course, Tiffany Blue, and clean and elegant. The service was good too, even though we were the last reservation of the night (the latest reservation is 5 p.m.). And after we ate, we were able to wander around the rest of the beautiful store. The enormous store didn’t just have cases of diamonds, it had books, kitchenware, home goods, and more.
Basically, it was 100% worth it. The experience, the food… I would totally do it again if I got the chance (or got lucky enough with another reservation). I would definitely recommend trying to go and living your best Holly Golightly life!
What I Wore
Of course, I had to dress the part… I live for a good theme! I wore a stretchy black dress with a lace tee layered underneath and black stockings. I added my houndstooth printed jacket to make it look a little more classy. And I accessorized with my black Ray Bans, a long pearl necklace I had bought for a Gatsby party, silver and blue earrings, and my coveted Tiffany’s “color splash heart” necklace that I got for Christmas.
Check out the rest of my photos from the experience.
Have you ever had Breakfast at Tiffany’s in NYC?
Is it something you’d like to experience?
