Manhattan Fruitier opened in the fall of 1987 to rave reviews from
The New York Times and The New Yorker. These two reviews helped
launch Manhattan Fruitier on its 20-plus year journey to being a
trusted and valued gift resource. We are humbled by the reviews we
have received over so many years. We remain committed to making every fruit
basket and gift a special experience for our customers and their recipients.
The list below begins with these two formative reviews and then displays our
press history in reverse chronological order. It's been an amazing adventure
spanning three decades
The New York Times, Oct. 1987
Manhattan Fruitier does for fruit what florists do for flowers ...
[their] unusual gift baskets are filled with fruit that tastes as good as it looks:
tiny succulent seckel pears and equally juicy small bartletts tinged with red, tiny
red grapes that retailers call champagne grapes but are really courant grapes,
kadota figs tasting the way the poets say they should but seldom do, and Macoun,
Winesap, Greening and Rome Beautie apples, all unwaxed. These fruit baskets are
likely to give flowers a run for their money.
New York Times Article
The New Yorker, Dec. 1987
On and Off the Avenue: Think of a 19th century painting, a still-life basket of fruit; pears and apples and grapes,
perhaps. Then hustle right over to the phone and call Manhattan Fruitier and order one of
these works of art come to tangible and edible life, either for a friend or for yourself.
Aside from their glowing, un-waxed good looks, the fruits are in varying stages of ripeness,
so that they don't all have to be eaten on the same day. These fruits are set in a nest o
f juniper sprigs and heather, then covered with the kind of course veiling used for ladies' hats,
secured with a grosgrain ribbon. You may be briefly deterred by the thought that the baskets
are too beautiful to disturb, but such aesthetic restraint lasts about three minutes; sweet
smells undermine any misguided ideas about not spoiling the composition.
NYMag.com, 2009
From exotic and organic fruit baskets to assemblages of artisanal cheeses and baked goods,
this highly edited gift emporium sources outstanding products, and packages them in
baskets that recipients will actually want to keep. Inspired by nineteenth-century luxury
gifts that were delivered by horse-drawn carriage, the baskets are hand-filled with care.
Patrons can shop by occasion or by price, selecting a modest but delectable gift of L.A.
Burdick chocolates or an elaborate "epicurean hamper" that includes caviar, smoked salmon,
chocolate-dipped dried fruits, and English poached pears. But there's little need for a
visit to the bricks-and-mortar shop. Although the workroom is wide open, the treats that
fill the baskets aren't on display. Instead, the catalog and website do an excellent
job of portraying the high-quality wares on offer. New York Magazine
MyUrbanSherpa, April 2009
If your work this week entails finding holiday gifts for clients and
associates, may we suggest Manhattan Fruitier. Beautifully presented
fruits, nuts, chocolates and cheeses in a variety of sizes and prices
make excellent gifts.
My Unban Sherpa
WCBSTV, Dec. 2008
Style Editor Picks Thoughtful Hostess Gifts
Chassie Post, contributing style editor at Domino magazine
has a few classy hostess gift ideas for anyone on a budget - whether you're
coming to dinner, staying the night, or longer. Manhattan Fruitier offers
wonderful gourmet baskets that can be ordered on line and shipped right to
your host's door. For the cheese lover we have a gorgeous artisanal cheese hamper
filled with handmade cow, goat and sheep cheese, each selected to reflect the season's finest
offerings. The cheeses are accompanied by fresh fruit, crackers, a cheese knife, and quince
paste from Spain. Also, have a huge selection of gourmet baskets which can be tailored to your host's
tastes, from smoked salmon hamper, to a caviar hamper to this beautiful Champlain basket which
has something for everyone - fruit, cookies & sweets! WCBSTV
ConsumerSearch.com, Oct. 2008
Best Fruit Baskets: If your recipient is more adventurous, reviews say that the fruit in Manhattan Fruitier's
hampers is so flawless that it could have been plucked from a still life painting. Real Simple
magazine says that the Tropical Fruit Hamper will "mesmerize" the recipient with unusual litchi nuts,
cactus pears and kumquats. New York Magazine calls the company's products outstanding and says that
recipients "will actually want to keep" its baskets. Manhattan Fruitier ships fruit hampers nationwide.
Consumer Search
Martha Stewart Show
Manhattan Fruitier demonstrates how to make a fruit basket on the Martha Stewart Show.
MarthaStewart.com
Manhattan Fruitier is known for its heaping exotic-fruit gift baskets, but the Martha Stewart
Weddings editors especially like the company's unique seasonal flavors of ice cream and
sorbet, which can be shipped nationwide Martha Stewart
NYMag.com, March 2008
Reader review: Easy and seamless. A truly extraordinary experience.
We all assume that purchasing fruit gifts online would be difficult,
right? With Manhattan Fruitier it was easy. And the fruit was perfect!
Even in the middle of winter (in the middle of NYC)! Year after year, we've been going
to the storefront, but now I can order fruit from my desktop. A double-treat...
New York Magazine
Is that a plantain in their pocket or are they just happy to see you?
You'll be happy to see pretty much anyone if they're packing organic fruit
from Manhattan Fruitier. Its baskets, which you can pick up or deliver anywhere
(hold for our address), are stuffed with weekly selections of perfectly ripe,
run-down-your-chin-juicy fruit such as kiwis, grapefruits, apples, and
ambersweets (um, fancy oranges). Everything's grown sans pesticides and
chemical fertilizers, and you can even throw in organic extras like dried apricots,
chocolate, and nuts. It's up to you to find someone to admire your mangoes.
Ideal Bite
Today MSNBC, Dec. 2007
Manhattan Fruitier is known not only for its delicious fresh seasonal fruit,
but also for its beautiful presentation. The willow hamper filled with fruit
is pretty enough to be centerpiece. Their Cortland Hamper is $85 and includes
16 pieces of fruit plus either sweet or savory accompaniments.
MSNBC
Manhattan Users Guide (MUG), Nov. 2007
They've been at it for 20 years now, and Manhattan Fruitier remains the gold
standard for gift baskets. Fruit, chocolate, cheese, flowers, caviar-whatever you
send from them is something you'd want for yourself.
Manhattan Users Guide
DanaRoc.com, The Good Life
Why I am recommending ManhattanFruitier.com: Well, as nice as it is to get flowers,
sometimes a little bit of gourmet fruit provides the perfect sentiment. Whether you
want to congratulate someone for a job well done, celebrate an occasion or express
your sympathy, -- this time around, do it with fruit. Manhattan Fruitier's gourmet
gift baskets can include specialty nuts, cheeses, CHOCOLATE! They will even deliver
ice cream. Now, what could be better?
The Good Life
SortUV
The best thing about a luxury gift is its superior quality. Though they require some splurging,
handcrafted and locally made offerings are meaningful and extra-ordinary tokens and in this age
of mass-production, such gifts are warmly appreciated. Since 1987, Manhattan Fruitier has
offered customers baskets of fruits, flowers and gourmet foods modeled on arrangements from
the turn of the 20th century and designed to evoke Dutch still-life paintings.
SortULV
FirstSilverWedding.com
Why send flowers when this very unique gift basket specialist offers very sophisticated,
visually stunning creations filled with the most decadent fruit? ANSWER:
Manhattan Fruitier is described as "getting better and better.
There simply aren't more beautiful fruit baskets around."
First Silver Wedding
Los Angeles Magazine, Nov. 2006
On paper, a basket of fruit doesn't sound like much. But this one was a dazzler-positively
sexy and capable of keeping a family set with healthful snacks for days.
Connecticut Cottages and Gardens, Dec. 2005
Simple and delicious, four pint-size container of the finest natural ice cream can be delivered to your doorstep.
Victorian Homes, Dec. 2005
Even the most restrictive diets shouldn't resist a taste from the Chocolate Fondue Hamper, which includes
seasonal fresh fruits and microwavable dipping chocolate, stylishly packaged with ribbons and roses.
Manhattan User's Guide, July 2005
Ice cream and brownies? Check. Chocolate? Of course. Artisanal cheese hamper? That, too. Plus fruit baskets,
caviar chests, and many other luxe groupings that will please just about any crowd.
U.S. News & World Report, March 2005
Five white chocolate bunnies frolic with powdery truffles in a
wooden box. Hazelnutty hares are fine. Honey-caramel truffles are divine.
GO NYC, March 2005
The folks at Manhattan Fruitier gather pick-of-the-day blossoms,
just as you might while strolling through your own garden. Bouquets
are then arranged in a natural style using seasonal flowers and foliage.
They also compose exotic fruit baskets that look like Dutch still-life
paintings and make gorgeous centerpieces (and that could also double as dessert!).
Food & Wine, Dec. 2004
Four sensational flavors (pistachio and strawberry are the best) from Manhattan Fruitier, plus cones, a scoop and six brownies.
Real Simple, June 2004
To the folks who invited your family for a day at the lake, send a basket of exotic fruit.
Mesmerized by lychees, kumquats, and cactus pears, their kids may, for a bit,
forget about the candy bars in the freezer.
New York Magazine, Nov. 2003
Baskets of Bounty - Manhattan Fruitier sends fifteen pounds of mangos, papayas, pomegranates,
loquats, persimmons, Spanish clementines and other fruit in a hamper or basket.
Victoria, Feb. 2003
Luscious Seasonal Fruit- Clementine, passion fruit, persimmon, Asian apple pear -
is accompanied by a thirty-six piece box of handmade chocolates in Manhattan Fruitier's red,
heart-shaped basket. What a thoughtful way to spoil your Valentine, who can always
justify an indulgence in sweets by saying, "Yes I ate half a dozen bonbons, but I had an orange too!"
INSTYLE Weddings, Spring 2003
With treat-packed goody baskets, travel-weary guests can sniff, snack and relax
Cosmopolitan, Dec. 2002
For a chic alternative to that basket-in-cellophane look, Drew Pleak, creative director
of Manhattan Fruiter, purveyor of gourmet gift baskets, suggests you cover your party
favors with a fabric such as netting or tulle.
Black Men, Dec. 2002
Manhattan Fruitier offers unique gift baskets for every taste and budget.
Crain's Executive Gift Guide, 2002
Food is love, food is art, food is news. We have developed a great passion for fine food
and all the imaginative gadgets used to prepare it. The gift of gourmet food is a natural,
and Manhattan Fruitier makes the gift of it easy with attractive and abundant rustic willow
gift baskets and hampers containing such delicious delights as chocolate fondue, smoked salmon
and caviar, as well as the more traditional fruit selections.
NY Daily News, 2002
For a special gift for someone (or simply to treat yourself), Manhattan Fruitier's Fall
Hamper comes with crisp, juicy apples, aged Vermont cheddar cheese, cheese twists and a liter of cider.
Time Out New York, Nov. 2002
This bamboo gift box carrying chocolate-dipped dried fruit from the Manhattan Fruitier is too nice
to toss out, but what to do with it? Leave that to the recipient!
NY Daily News, Oct. 2002
Little Luxuries: For a special gift for someone (or simply to treat yourself), Manhattan Fruitier's
Fall Hamper comes filled with crisp, juicy apples, aged Vermont cheddar cheese, cheese twists and
a liter of cider. The large size is $90 and the smaller size $60. There is overnight shipment by
UPS (check) or the item may be delivered anywhere in Manhattan or within a 25-mile radius on the
same day you order.
NY Daily News
Boston Phoenix, Oct. 2002
Rosh Hashanah baskets - sweet beginnings. Those who celebrate the Jewish New Year know that tradition
calls for a taste of something sweet - usually apples and honey - to start the year. And apples and
honey are all well and good - that is, until you've caught a glimpse of something a little more exotic,
like the Rosh Hashanah baskets from Manhattan Fruitier. Filled with all sorts of fruity delicacies - mango,
feijoa, Chinese saucer peach, kiwi, carambola, finger banana, and cherimoya, to name a few - as well as
sweets like chocolate-covered pistachios and cocoa-dusted almonds, the baskets are both kosher and
tasty. And, even aside from its contents, the willow hamper itself makes a beautiful gift. Of course,
treats like these will set you back a little more than a jar of honey and bag of apples would, but the
New Year never looked sweeter. Boston Phoenix
Country Home, Feb. 2001
Manhattan Fruitier's Dried Fruit Boxes deliver a boxful of goodies perfect for serving with
cheese. Succulent dates, figs, pineapple, roasted almonds, and more are prettily wrapped,
tied, and packaged in a wooden box, making a delicious gift to send to friends.
The New York Times, Dec. 2000
This is no ordinary gift shipment of Ruby Reds or Honeybells. A big wicker hamper is filled
with exotic citrus varieties, perhaps including blood oranges, Clementine, Meyer lemons,
Minneola tangelos, kumquats, pomelos and sweet oranges.
Town & Country, Dec. 1999
Forget to share? Make up for your self-indulgence by sharing Manhattan Fruitier's Dried Fruit
Box, a grand tour of exotic dried fruits and sweets packaged in handmade papers from China
and arranged in a handcrafted wooden box. Sophisticated gourmands will appreciate.
INSTYLE, Dec. 1999
Oh, my darling, feast your eyes on the sweet Spanish clementines, chocolate
covered toffee, roasted almonds and dark chocolate-orange crunch, on a bed of pine
boughs in a willow hamper from Manhattan Fruitier.
Elegant Bride, Summer 1999
From Manhattan Fruitier, these handmade chocolates nestled in a keepsake wooden box
are an elegant addition to every place setting
Promenade, 1999
Whatever the sentiment, I Love You... I'm Sorry... Happy Birthday... Bon Voyage...,
say it with fruit baskets from Manhattan Fruitier. Manhattan Fruitier
combines modern-day efficiency with standards of personal service, attention
to detail and quality from a bygone era. Whatever the selection, it's a gift
that will always be in good taste!
Victoria, Feb. 1999
Fruit baskets that flower in winter are the signature of Manhattan Fruitier, a
premier gift basket service available nationwide. Both beautiful and bountiful,
these lush baskets are works of art that seem to come to life.
Manhattan User's Guide, Dec. 1998
Manhattan Fruitier just seems to get better and better. There simply aren't more beautiful fruit baskets around
Colonial Homes, Nov. 1998
The fruit baskets and hampers produced by Manhattan Fruitier satisfy both the aesthete and the
gourmand with a visual and edible feast. Owner Jehv Gold and creative director Drew Pleak
select items from around the world to meet their exacting standards. Recipients of
Manhattan Fruitier's baskets have included movie stars, world leaders, and royalty.
Whether famous or not, "people most often send our baskets to say 'thank-you'". Whatever
the occasion, these lavish baskets make welcome gifts.
INSTYLE, Dec. 1997
Manhattan Fruitier's picnic basket is a perfect gift for that picnic lover in your life. And
the great thing about it is you don't have to wait for nice weather:
Spread a blanket on the living room floor and dig in.
Martha Steward Living, Nov. 1997
Delicious gifts to give and receive. Beautifully wrapped in papers tied with
colored twine. Impressive assortments sure to delight even the most discriminating tastes.
SELF, Nov. 1997
Bypass holiday chocolates for an au natural gift from Manhattan Fruitier.
The Holiday Observer, Nov. 1997
Manhattan Fruitier's elegant, gorgeous baskets beg to be torn open.
Worth, May 1997
A distinctive gift basket from Manhattan Fruitier impresses like no other gift.
They use only the finest seasonal and exotic fruits and handmade edibles to
create an elegant "thank you," congratulatory, or holiday gift.
Martha Stewart Living, Feb. 1997
Inspired by Flemish still-life paintings, fruit baskets from Manhattan Fruitier are edible works of art.
INSTYLE, 1996
The next time you're looking for a way to say thanks, take a tip from the Pilgrims
and think gastronomic. Socially well-set couples, like Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols,
give nature's gift and send baskets overflowing with goodies such as champagne grapes,
Nashi apples, and kadota figs in tony French hampers from Manhattan Fruitier.
New York Magazine, Dec. 1996
'Tis a gift to be simple: if all else fails, find one perfect item and buy it for everybody on your list.
Wooden crates filled with dried pears dipped in dark chocolate at Manhattan Fruitier.
ELLE, Dec. 1996
Skip the fruitcake and send the real thing: Beautiful baskets from Manhattan Fruitier
overflow with exotic delights - pomegranates, mangoes, persimmons - but even a
clementine has never looked so goo
Departures, Nov. 1996
Nothing impresses like a distinctive gift basket from Manhattan Fruitier. Only the
finest seasonal and exotic fruits and edibles are used to create an elegant thank you,
congratulatory or holiday gift.
Time Out New York, Oct. 1996
Manhattan Fruitier, located on a quiet street in Murray Hill, prepares beautifully
laden fruit baskets - they're the quintessential host/hostess gift for weekend
visits and holiday gatherings. Baskets overflow with an artistically arranged bounty of perfectly ripe fruits.
Bon Appetit, 1995
This Big Apple vendor features fruit baskets inspired by classic still-life painting.
Their fruit baskets and wooden boxes of dried fruit are available for local delivery or shipping nationwide
Food & Wine, Nov. 1995
The exotic fruit sampler is a handsome gift basket that overflows with seasonal
and exotic fruits, such as passion fruit, pomegranate, Asian apple pear and star fruit.
Agenda New York, Sept. 1995
Some of the most beautiful fruit baskets ever delivered are made by Manhattan Fruitier.
Greens, sprigs of herbs, flowers, and choice pieces of fruit are arranged in
displays that look like they've stepped off the canvas of an old-master painting.
They can easily double as decorative centerpieces for any special occasion.
The New York Observer, June 1994
Manhattan Fruitier puts together gift baskets that taste as good as they look.
Paper Best of Guide, 1993
Basket of Earthly Delights - persimmons, passion fruit and pomegranates
are among the exotic fruits in Manhattan Fruitier's custom made baskets.
They are as artful as a Flemish painting. These fruits of Eden make
excellent gifts for Christmas, thank you gifts and what-have-yous.
NEXT, Aug. 1993
Looking for the perfect basket to enhance a day in Central Park,
an afternoon at the beach or a drive in the country? Manhattan Fruitier
offers a summer picnic basket filled with luscious summer fruits.
Allure, Feb. 1993
Manhattan Fruitier's gift baskets are environmentally correct and as beautiful as a Cezanne still life
MGM Grand Holiday, 1992
If you have ever wanted to lift a basket of deeply colored ripe fruit right off the canvas
of an Old Master painting, call Manhattan Fruitier, a company that combines art and
food into strikingly beautiful gift arrangements. The staff scours produce markets and
regional farms for the best seasonal fruits, from perfect grapes, pears, plums, berries,
or figs; to more unusual fare such as passion fruit, Asian apple pears, lychees, or special varieties of apples
Conde Nast Traveler, March 1992
Send a woodsy gourmet food basket to your friends back home.
Town & Country, Dec. 1991
Choose a fresh or dried selection of fruit from the wizards at Manhattan Fruitier,
and embark on an enchanted journey. A few Medjool dates, some Australian ginger root,
some Calimyrna figs, the most perfect fruits are treated with care, attention and imagination. Unmatchable
Food & Wine, Nov. 1991
Manhattan Fruitier's Dried Fruit Box is a treasure chest filled with dried fruits,
nuts and sundries from around the world. Small wicker boxes and brown paper bundles
tied with red wax cords are artfully arranged in a handcrafted wooden box. Each package offers a discovery.
W, 1990
Thanks to Manhattan Fruitier's bold innovations, the humble fruit basket is as glamorous as a dozen perfect roses.
The Holiday Observer, Nov. 1990
When it comes to giving gifts, you really can't go wrong with something rich,
delicious and decadent. Manhattan Fruitier's baskets are truly elegant.
The Clementine Dessert Hamper is a cornucopia of bright fruits and aromatic evergreens.
HG, Oct. 1990
The best fruit baskets in the city. Antique apple varieties, seckel pears, colorful
leaves in the fall; plums, cherries, champagne grapes, white peaches, and hydrangea in the summer.
New York Magazine, Oct. 1990
This beauty of a fruit basket is nice enough for a centerpiece or as a special gift.
VOGUE, Dec. 1989
Manhattan Fruitier hand delivers handsome baskets of seasonal fruit. At Christmas
time we can look forward to clementines, seckel pears, kumquats, grapes,
persimmons, and lady apples. They cause great delight when sent
New York Newsday, Oct. 1989
The days of old-fashioned, cone-shaped, yellow cellophane-covered fruit baskets are over.
Manhattan Fruitier has achieved a whole new look by intertwining greens and
flowers such as hydrangea and wild lilies with perfectly ripened fruit.
NY Daily News, April 1989
The beautiful baskets of fruit from Manhattan Fruitier look almost too artfully
perfect to eat, but he who hesitates will lose. Manhattan Fruitier is really a
return to a pre-WW2 carriage-trade business, when fruit baskets were hand-delivered
in the city, both to homes and to ocean liner and train travelers. These exquisite
baskets have been discovered by many of Manhattan's celebrity hostesses who use
them as thank you gifts, as arrival gifts to friends staying in hotels, and as
centerpieces for their own dinner parties.
Details, Jan. 1989
The baskets these people create would easily fit in a 17th century Dutch still life.
Their work is so extraordinary that they are an invaluable resource for gift giving in Manhattan.
The New Yorker, Dec. 1988
Perhaps the most welcome gift of food would be a basket of fruit from Manhattan Fruitier.
They have gone from beautifully composed baskets of perfect fruit to even greater
artistic heights. A welcome and welcoming sight on a front door.
ELLE, 1988
Only Eden's finest could rival the juicy fruit available at Manhattan Fruitier.
Simple country baskets are filled to order with unusual varieties, such as
miniature seckel pears and champagne grapes as tiny as peas
New York Magazine, Aug. 1988
Best Bets- The More the Berrier: Artfully arranged as in a Flemish painting,
figs, champagne grapes, strawberries and white cherries have never looked so
delectable. Manhattan Fruitier came up with this winning notion last September,
and they've been delivering a seasonal mix of fruity lusciousness ever since.
Cook's, May/June 1988
Start with a willow or mulberry basket, add champagne or pearlette grapes,
sweet cherries, black amber plums, fresh figs, tamarillos, strawberries, and
a whisper of violets, a few lychees for good measure, and you have a
cornucopia based on the 19th century European carriage trade fruit basket.
W, May 1988
Manhattan Fruitier has elevated the humble fruit basket to a work of art.
Victoria, Spring 1988
An artfully assembled basket of goodies from Manhattan Fruitier makes a most appreciated gift for a new mother.
