Here’s the UWS Dish: Daily Provisions’ B. E. C. – Classic vs. Lumberjack

By Abigael T. Sidi

When your mom is the one providing the tip, the tip is no longer a tip, it is an order.

“I have the perfect idea for your column: the B. E. C. [bacon, egg, and cheese] at Daily Provisions. It is scrumptious. Go!” 

I gladly accept her $20 bill and make my way to the franchise’s Upper West Side location on Amsterdam Avenue between West 77th and 78th streets.

Waiting in line, I realize the B. E. C. is offered either on a poppy roll, or on something I’ve never heard of — a donut-like pastry called a “cruller,” which, apparently, Daily Provisions is legendary for. For the first time ever, mom isn’t answering my texts, so I order both: the roll (referred to here as the “classic”), and the cruller, which goes by the cool if slightly intimidating name “The Lumberjack.” Notably, it made The New York Times’ recent list of the “57 Sandwiches That Define New York City.”

Starting off with the classic, I all but capitulate at first bite: it is, indeed, scrumptious. The mouthful of runny fried egg, soft bread, crispy-charry thick bacon, and melted cheese might just be what we, as a species, ultimately, evolved to eat. It is glorious, and regret starts to fill my heart knowing I spent three years in middle school a block away and never even knew (at $8-ish at the time, it would have been an uphill battle, but I could have secured one with a good grade every now and then). The airy roll is perfect to capture any runny egg that escaped to the plate — I finish it in full. 

Is it enough for a meal? No, as decadent as it is, the sandwich is relatively small, with one egg only, and I definitely have room left. I slowly set my sights on… (drum roll)… The Lumberjack.

At first glance, it is even smaller than the classic B. E. C., but the cruller’s shiny maple glaze already signals a richer experience. I bite into it and all the elements are there, just trickier to savor because of the overpowering sweet glaze. The caramelly bacon does come through, thanks to its thickness, and the overall bite feels like an elevated, juicy sweet pork belly bun. The star of the show here is the cruller itself, which delivers a delightful, gentle, creamy texture and flavor very different from a traditional donut. 

Daily Provisions offers two main crullers, cinnamon and maple, as well as a seasonal option (currently, the Chai cruller, all at $4.95). Next time, I may ask for the cinnamon to replace the maple in my Lumberjack, perhaps allowing the B.E.C. flavors to better come through.

Union Square Hospitality Group owner and New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer, who founded Daily Provisions in 2017, stated that the all-day café “started as the bakery for Union Square Café” on East 19th Street and Park Avenue South, and evolved from there to offer breakfast and lunch sandwiches, as well as pick-up roast chicken dinners. Their menu sacrifices breadth to focus on high-quality ingredients and precise execution. In a promotional YouTube video, chef Amanda Wilson summed it up:  “[We] try to make the best version of [things] you’re used to and that you know very well.” 

The UWS location, which opened in 2019, is typically bustling and loud. It is open from 7 a. m. till 9 p.m. every day, with take-out and delivery available. The wait time, including on weekends, is acceptable and nowhere near the ridiculous 6 a. m. lines that formed when the restaurant first opened, and the cruller, which can only be made by hand and in limited supply, became the town’s new cronut-like obsession. At the time, the Rag reported that the chefs had to close Daily Provisions one day a week so they could “catch their breath.”

The Dish: B.E.C., classic and Lumberjack ($9.50 and $12.50, respectively)
The Restaurant: Daily Provisions, 375 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 77th and 78th streets)

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