Best fondue in NYC, at cheese shops and restaurants

Serge Becker could draw a crowd if he served nothing more interesting than baked beans on toast. At Cafe Select, the nightlife-impresario-turned-restaurateur (La Esquina, the Box, 205) does virtually that—offering up the sort of working-class Swiss comfort food you might find in a factory cafeteria in the Alps. (Becker, who grew up in Switzerland, was presumably pining for the simple pleasures of home.) The back room rolls out for-two fondue ($29) in the winter months: The rich Gruyère-raclette concoctions can come flavored with white truffle, wild mushrooms, dark beer, and more.  Taureau’s single-subject purview encompasses a dizzying selection of cheeses, various cuts of pork and beef, dark and milk chocolates, and sides for dipping. The creamy fondue (placed atop an induction burner cleverly built into the table) is a fine coating for garlic croutons; other sides including roasted vegetables and cured meats. At the wintertime makeover of the Standard’s courtyard, the festive space is filled with fresh pine trees and twinkling lights, plus outdoor heaters and faux-fur throw blankets to keep you warm and cozy. And the food-and-drink menu is similarly warming: Think: Swiss fondue for two ($30 per person), a gooey mix of Gruyere and Emmental, with dippers like sausages, potatoes, vegetables, and cornichons. Come wintertime, après ski concepts start materializing all over New York, but none have been quite as pretty in pink as this Barbied-out holiday pop-up. Running through March 2021, the Moxy’s East and West terraces have been festooned to look like Nicki Minaj moved to Aspen: floor-to-ceiling pink log walls, faux pink taxidermy, a pink electric fireplace, a ski lift “carousel.” If that doesn’t warm you up, a warm pecorino fondue ($16, with grilled bread and honey) should do the trick.  At Ladybird, the room alone—a jewel box of white marble, emerald velvet and gleaming gold—can distract you from the fact that there’s no meat on your plate. But executive chef Daphne Cheng does considerable work in making vegan eating as easygoing as shareable tapas. The restaurant originally opened with a satisfyingly thick chardonnay-splashed “cheese” fondue—now they’ve gone the sweet route with a chocolate sibling for $20, which can serve 2-3 people and comes with dippers like fresh fruit and cake bites.  This tightly packed, warmly bustling French bistro wins points for its menu of well-executed standards—the fondue is simply part of that solid lineup, not an added gimmick. Emmental, Comté and Gruyère cheeses are melted with a bit of white wine and served with diced baguette (included) and add-ons like green apples ($2 extra), garlic sausage and cured meat ($8 extra). The $30 feast starts with a chopped romaine salad.