Over winter break, I jokingly suggested that my mom and I take a trip to New York City to celebrate my 21st birthday. My parents wanted to do something special for the big 2-1 and surprisingly jumped on board with the idea. Before I knew it, my mom and I were boarding a plane headed to the Big Apple. I mapped out a few iconic restaurants from movies and shows I had seen prior to our departure. I wasn’t expecting much from these eateries and thought they would be all show with no substance. What I found couldn’t have been more astonishing.

Cafe Lalo ("You’ve Got Mail")

You may recall the scene from “You’ve Got Mail” where Tom Hanks spots Meg Ryan at a beautifully lit coffee shop on the Upper West Side. This coffee shop is Cafe Lalo. Even though the taxi dropped me off near the restaurant, I could’ve missed the building. The film made the restaurant look spacious and luxurious with lights streamed outside and inside the building. I went during the daytime, so no lights were spotted and the cafe was a whole lot smaller than it looks on the screen.

A glass case full of picture perfect pastries, cakes, pies and tarts greeted me as I walked through the door. A hostess came from behind the showcase and took my mom and I to our table. She allowed us to choose which area of the cafe we wanted to be seated in.

The waitress was just as accommodating, very friendly with a positive attitude. I had a cheese danish and a low fat yogurt with fresh mixed seasonal berries. For my beverage, I tried the Decaffeinated Mocha Cappuccino.

The danish was light, flaky and simply delectable. I was surprised to find that the low fat yogurt was flavorful even before I added the berries. My beverage was almost as pretty as the french art scattered throughout the cafe and was served with a Lindt truffle.

Unfortunately, I didn’t think to stir my beverage and later discovered that all of the chocolate had sunk to the bottom of my yellow mug. I wish I had mixed it, so that the delicious flavor would have been enjoyed with every sip.

Even though you may not have a run in with Hanks or Ryan at this iconic coffee shop, it is definitely worth the trip.

McGee’s Pub NYC ("How I Met Your Mother")

Whether you live according to the “Bro Code” or caught an episode once upon a time, you might remember MacLaren’s Pub, the frequent hangout of the "How I Met Your Mother" gang. MacLaren’s isn’t real, but, the pub that inspired it is. The pub is called McGee’s and is only a 10-minute walk from Times Square.

Since this is such a legen (wait for it) dary spot, I didn’t expect the food to live up to the hype. That couldn’t be further from reality. They offer a “How I Met Your Mother” drinking menu with drinks called “Robin Sparkles” and “The Naked Man.” Since I just turned 21, I checked out this menu and ordered the “Don’t Try Tequila.” For my meal, I had the chicken pot pie. The two-level restaurant was bustling, so I wasn’t expecting to get my food or beverage anytime soon. Both were out in a flash and tasted phenomenal.

“How I Met Your Mother” T-shirts were available for purchase at the hostess stand, and pictures of the characters dining at McGee’s plastered the walls. This pub is definitely a place to stop whether you’re a die-hard fan of the show or just looking for a bite to eat.

If you call your friends by the first letter of their name or sign everything with xoxo, the next three reviews are for you.

Pomme Pailas (Lotte New York Palace from "Gossip Girl")

The temporary home of the van der Woodsens when it all began is also home to a quaint pastry shop called Pomme Palais. Not only do they offer tarts and macaroons, they also serve breakfast sandwiches and lunch options. Whether you want to sit down and enjoy a snack or need to grab and go, this place is as close to perfection as possible. But, would you expect anything less from The New York Palace?

I had a bacon, egg and cheese on brioche accompanied by a strawberry lemonade iced tea. This may have been the single best breakfast sandwich I have ever had. The bacon was crisp, and the flavor was out of this world. I wish I had tried the strawberry lemonade iced tea earlier in my visit, because I just might have had one every day. My mom had a chocolate eclair that I felt guilty eating because it was just that pretty.

If you want to feel like Serena, if only for a minute, stop by the Pomme Pailas off of Madison Avenue.

Ed’s Chowder House (The Empire Hotel from "Gossip Girl")

Ed’s Chowder House served a breakfast worthy of a Bass. Chuck Bass, that is. Ed’s Chowder House is located in the Empire Hotel, which is owned by Bass in the hit television show, “Gossip Girl.” This eatery was casual, yet classy. Windows lining the walls let in an abundance of natural light and the decor was refreshing. The staff was accommodating and accentuated the relaxed vibe.

Now, let’s get to the food. I had the American breakfast, which consisted of two eggs, applewood smoked bacon, home fries and a pastry. The pastry came first. I had the choice of a blueberry muffin or a chocolate pastry. I’m a chocoholic, so of course I chose the second option. The waiter brought me not one, but two chocolate pastries and also a blueberry muffin. That was just the start of a fantastic meal. The scrambled eggs were fluffy and cooked to perfection. The five slices of applewood bacon weren’t overly crunchy, but not too soft either. Yes, five slices. The home fries weren’t your average throw-them-in-the-pan hash browns either. Instead, these potatoes were full of flavor.

All I’m saying is that if Chuck ventured down from his penthouse suite to grab some breakfast, he would be more than satisfied.

Butter ("Gossip Girl")

Butter is exactly the kind of restaurant you’d expect the Gossip Girl gals to dine at. It exuded class with a tasteful and simplistic decor.

I ordered a three-course meal off of the restaurant week Prix-Fixe. For my appetizer, I got the soup of the day, which was potato leek. My favorite food is soup and my least favorite food is onions. Even though leeks are in the same category as onions, my love for soup made me want to try it. It ended up being a great start to the meal. Next came the fresh lumache pasta made with butternut squash. The flavor was out of this world. I expected the portion to be too small, but it was exactly the right amount. For dessert, I had the butterscotch custard and my mom ordered the dark chocolate layer cake. The custard consisted of kumquat marmalade and truffle cookies. Both were flavorful, but after the first two courses, i wasn’t able to finish my sweet.

Butter was by far, one of the most luxurious restaurants I have ever been to. Even though it is so dimly lit that you could barely read the menu, you feel like you’re living the life of a Waldorf or van der Woodsen just being there.

All of the star-studded restaurants I dined at were phenomenal. I would feel comfortable recommending any and all of them. If you ever find yourself strolling down Broadway or flagging down a taxi on Madison, stop by one of these eateries and you won’t be disappointed.