When I say I never go to the West Village, I mean I never go to the West Village. But somehow, despite being one of the furthest places from my apartment in the island of Manhattan, I found myself in the West Village three times last week [and admittedly, wanting to go more]. My most recent excursion was to partake in my favorite New York cliché: Sunday brunch.

My friend Allison has talked up Philip Marie‘s brunch to me for the better part of two years, but due to my extreme laziness on my days off, I’ve never made the trek until this past weekend. And I have to say, it’s quite upsetting that I waited so long.

For one, CANDY BACON PANCAKES WITH MASCARPONE is a real item that lives on their menu. They had me at candy bacon. I obviously indulged myself like the ravenous bacon-obsessed monster I am, and they did. not. disappoint. According to my friends, the crab cakes eggs benedict, egg white frittata and croissant french toast were also great menu choices.

In addition to the tasty fare, our friendly waiter was the very opposite of the rude, brunch-hating wait staff that the spot was rumored to have, and we were lucky enough to get the best seat in the house. The food, the company, and the ambiance made this into one of the best Sunday “drunches” I’ve had in a while, and I’m thrilled to add Philip Marie into my regular brunch rotation.

What are your favorite brunch spots in the city?