Tiramisu is having a BIG moment, so when I discovered Cafe2BY2, NYC’s first cafe dedicated to the Italian dessert, I knew I had to go. I thought I was a tiramisu expert, but the culinary minds at Cafe 2BY2 are doing incredible work, infusing East Asian and trending flavors into tiramisu in incredible ways. I brought Delish’s social media producer, Catherine Sillars, with me, and between us we tried 9 of their upwards of fifteen varieties (!), all laid out on one of their cute cafe tables. Unsurprisingly, classic tiramisu still ranked #1 for us, but there were some unexpected hits among the bunch that we loved too. Read on to hear more of our thoughts, then get yourself to Cafe 2BY2 to try them for yourself—it’s definitely worth the trip.
Related StoryOriginal Tiramisu 
Photo: Catherine Sillars
Their original tiramisu is right on the nose of what a classic tiramisu should taste like. (Of course, none could surpass my mother’s, but that’s a story for another time.) The best part was the crunchy topping: chocolate-covered paillete feuilletine, which are like deliciously crispy little crêpe flakes. The cream was rich, and the lady fingers were gently soaked in coffee so the outside was tender and the middle was soft. I thought it could have tasted a little more coffee-forward, but that’s just me.
Strawberry Tiramisu 
Photo: Catherine Sillars
Berries and cream is a sophisticated option that any discerning palate can appreciate, and this tiramisu really did it justice with its sweetened cream base, lady fingers, fresh berries and a jammy strawberry top. This was one of my favorites for its simplicity.
Peach Lychee Tiramisu 
Photo: Catherine Sillars
The idea of this one had me turning my nose up, but I was humbled by the delicate, floral, and refreshing flavors. This variation was definitely a top pick. The top had pieces of juicy lychee studded throughout a soft jelly speckled with dried rose petals. The cream center was subtle and sweet, balancing the fragrant top and the pieces of peach and lychee throughout together perfectly.
Pistachio Berry Tiramisu 
Photo: Catherine Sillars
Pistachio can be bitter, savory, and sometimes overpowering—great for a Dubai brownie, but maybe not so great for a tiramisu? Ultimately though, I thought this had a lovely combination of ingredients. The pistachio cream base was subtle and delicate against the soft lady fingers, and the homemade jam layer on the base of the cake was surprisingly the best part.
Sea Salt Caramel Tiramisu 
Photo: Catherine Sillars
When you think of salty and sweet, THIS is what you should be imagining. The combination of sticky and deeply-rich caramel against the sweet and fluffy cream was a textural dream, and the crumbled Biscoff cookie topping paired perfectly with the warm, bittersweet notes of the caramel base.
Magnum Crispy Chocolate Tiramisu 
Photo: Catherine Sillars
I was immediately drawn in by the name—who doesn’t love a Magnum ice cream bar?–and this tiramisu delivered. Not only were the ladyfingers dipped in chocolate here, it was also the only one that had a crackable chocolate top, which made it feel like a candy bar in pastry form.
Oreo Tiramisu 
Photo: Catherine Sillars
I was sure this one would be my favorite, being that Oreos are one of my favorite cookies, but it ended up pretty even with the rest. The lady fingers are soaked in some kind of chocolate-infused liquid, and the top is covered in Oreo crumbs and a rosemary garnish that gave it nostalgic dirt pudding vibes. If you want a simple cookie and cream dessert that’s not ice cream, this is a good option.
Mango Sticky Rice Tiramisu 
Photo: Catherine Sillars
This one infused mango sticky rice and pandan into tiramisu in a really clever way. I can’t say I loved this one the most (I’m not really a rice pudding girlie) but it did have a fascinating structure—the sticky rice and coconut milk are whipped into a paste that’s layered between the lady fingers in a way that definitely had me intrigued.
Seaweed Pork Floss Taro Tiramisu
Photo: Catherine Sillars
I’m not against savory tiramisu, but I will say, this one is for the adventurers. In it, starchy, purple taro is combined with the sweet cream base, layered with lady fingers, and then the whole thing gets topped with pork floss (AKA strings of salty dried pork) mixed with seaweed. It’s a lot of…different ingredients to see on tiramisu. They gave this dessert (can I still call it that?) a level of funky umami that was definitely interesting, and certainly worth trying at least once.
So, Was It Worth Every Bite?
These tiramisu were DEFINITELY worth the carb overload and sugar coma. In retrospect, I actually didn’t indulge enough. I wanted to give them all equal opportunity to hit the spotlight of my palate, but I wish I’d had a few bites more. I won’t deny that the classic tiramisu was my favorite, but when I go back, I’ll definitely give the others a chance too.