51st Bakery and Cafe

I usually only go there for soup. There are always little things missing, but I figure it’s a local small spot, no pros, so I overlook it most of the time.
They are VERY slow, not matter how many times they see you in a hurry, they’ll just keep meandering about nonchalantly or keep texting right in front of you before getting around to wrapping your order (which just sits there next to the their phone and gets cold, that is after wasting 8 – 10 min on «warming it up» as they say)
They always stare in a kind of confused manner, answer questions in a way that does not explain much but wastes plenty of time, and never have the food ready no matter how long in advance you call it in.
SO this time I made a mistake by giving them a benefit of the doubt yet again.
I called ahead. The call literally went like this:
«Hi, I would like to find out what kind of soup do you have today»
«Soup? (sounding as confused as if they never even sold soup) Um… What. kind of soup… It is cream of tomato… No! wait, we don’t have any more of cream of tomato. we have… eh… broccoli! (pause) Broccoli and… (prolonged silence, after a while a thud) … broccoli and chickpea!»
«Alright, would you get an order ready for pick up? I’ll be there in 10 min?»
«Yeah, what’s your name?»
«My name is Ana, A-​N-​A»
«Oh, hi Anita!»
«Well, not that Ana, but I will still get the soup»
Just note please that I call this people at the same time from the same phone about twice a week for the last few months. And yes, they really are the same people every time.
So I go there, go through the usual motions of explaining why I am there repeatedly, then asking for salt and pepper (the soup is fresh, but inevitably bland and flavorless), then look into the bag to see if I have bread this time (some times they put it in, sometimes they don’t. sometimes it is slices and toasted and dressed in good olive oil /delish!/, sometimes it is just a piece of white baguette of various degrees of freshness and always a different amount)
This time there is no bread. SO I wait another 3 min while that arrives, then finally hurry out of there.
I am starving by the time I am back at my desk. I open the container and see… a thoroughly soaked peace of bread swimming in a grayish-​green semi-​transparent goo (not all an appealing color, but I didn’t of think of it yet, my eyes are ON-​THE-​BREAD) O_​o
I pick up the phone and ask to talk to the manager. I describe what happened and she explains that it is a bread soup (!? …so no chickpeas then, I guess… we have bread instead) then she cheerfully concludes by «enjoy!» though it is a doubtful proposition indeed.
I steady myself and try a spoon. I can only describe the sensation as horrible: the broccoli is completely raw, the flavor of burnt onion overwhelms, but most of all the sleek, slimy texture of soaked bread crust is too disgusting for words (no they didn’t even bother to break it up, in case you wondered — it just floated on there as if the soup has been served to some sloppy eater before.)
My first instinct was just to throw it out and forget all about it, but that meant having to spend on something else to eat, and my budget it very slim. So I had to brace myself for a conversation with the owner.
I walked in there and ask her politely if we can step aside to talk. Then also very politely (even sheepishly) I said that I hate to do this, but I must return the soup. She pretty aggressively asked what is wrong with it. As I start to explain she cuts me off to be talking herself. So I just go ahead and tell her it is pretty much inedible, which it really was. She goes «let’s take this outside!» and proceeds to «escort» me from the premises as if I did something terrible (as far as I know everyone has a right to ask for a refund if they can not use what they bought)
Get this — she proceeds to YELL at me (I kid you not) to force me to listen to her lecture about some region in Italy and the things they cook there… (I have been to Italy 3 times, lived there for months, traveled through many regions and neither me nor my Italian-​born boyfriend have ever heard of anything remotely as atrocious as the «soup» /​aka green-​and-​gray bread mush/​, but that is beside the point.)
She wants to insist her disgusting soup is good! Moreover she YELLS at me when I say I don’t have time to listen to any of her stories, I have to get back to work.
She gave me the money back eventually (after much more «conversation»), but she still couldn’t contain herself and concluded by saying «Please don’t come back!!» in the most indignant manner.
Wait, you mean I am gonna miss out on all that fun? The suspense of not knowing whether the food is just bland and overpriced or truly inedible this time? The joy of being ignored, then barely tolerated, and the occasional meltdown, with the uproar of defenses and triumph of denial over logic, culture and common sense?
Yeah, I think I’ll be just fine. Nice knowing yall! not…

This place is perfect. A lovely, airy room filled with simple, fresh food. They made the box lunches for my wedding. Faye and Jonathan are thoughtful and care about the neighborhood, their customers and the quality of their product. My favorite lunch/​bruch spot in the neighborhood.(I even love that they are closed on Sunday so they can have time together as a family.)

I’m not going to lie, I’ve lived down the road from this place for over a year, and walk by twice a day, but hadn’t stopped in until this morning… and shame on me. It’s a nice little café with all the fixing you could ask for, and very friendly staff. I snagged a large coffee (intelligentsia beans), which put whatever I had earlier from my Mr. Coffee to same (Gevalia I think). Having looked up this place in the past, I remembered seeing the chocolate chip cookies a highlight, so I also picked up one of those (should have made it… a baker’s dozen) and a «Chia Pet» — seemingly a ball of oats, peanut butter, chia seeds, and possibly other delicious treats. The cookie warrants the highlight — honestly eating the other half of it right now and its still tastes like it just cooled out of the oven. The chia pet is a nice treat that makes you feel less guilty about eating the cookie — and tastes pretty great itself. Needless to say, I’ll stop in a bit more frequently now.

This place was very good! The ingredients were fresh and the options healthy. The menu confused me for a second but once they explained that any of the items could be a salad OR a sandwich I was hooked! I ordered the chicken and avocado salad. My sister got the butternut squash sandwich– both were amazing and affordable. Both meals plus a chocolate chip cookie to share= $ 20! I will definitely be back!

A fantastic local café in Long Island City that displays local artists work, with friendly staff and a beautiful setup. An absolute gem in the neighborhood!

51^st Bakery & Café is simply the best. What else can I say? There really is no superlative that can do justice to how great this place is. Since moving to Long Island City a little over two years ago, 51^st Bakery & Café has quickly become my go to breakfast and lunch spot when I’m working from home.
Faye and Jonathan are absolute delights and in addition to being wonderful people, they know their stuff when it comes to food! The freshness and preparation of everything here is impeccable; whether you’re getting some pastries, a sandwich, or a salad, you can make sure that you won’t be disappointed!
The spot itself is spacious and inviting, and the staff is super helpful and friendly. They always know their regulars by name and have fresh coffee and orange juice ready in the morning, and the pastries are always delicious. You can’t go wrong with a scone, a cookie, or one of their awesome thumbprint cookies. For lunch, all of their menu items are available as a salad or sandwich. If you’re looking for lighter fare, their roast chicken is unlike any roast chicken you’ve ever had: a perfect balance of flavor and tenderness. Their butternut squash is also quite tasty. If you’re looking for something a little more filling, go with the delicious pork and slaw or the aromatic meat loaf. And if you want anything special that isn’t on the menu or if you’re looking for baked goods for a special occasion, they won’t hesitate to help you the best they can.
This place is a gem in the Long Island City area, and definitely worth a visit even from Manhattanites due to its proximity to the 7 stop. I’ll be a lifelong patron of 51^st Bakery & Café.
TLDR:
+ Amazing people
+ Amazing food
+ Inviting space
— Not open Sundays :(

I highly recommend this place if you’re in Long Island City for breakfast. It has a real cool hip vibe with very friendly staff and crave worthy food. The coffee was deep, dark, and complex. A great pick me up to start the day. The ham frittata on French Baguette was so satisfying with the bread being crunchy yet light and airy combined with the eggs, ham, and cheese. Can’t wait to return again in the future.

I came here for breakfast
I would like to like this place more, but I honestly didn’t think that the food I had was worth more than three starts.
I had the fritata with cheese and the chocolate croissant. Sure, the ingredients were all good, but my sandwich was looking pretty sad :((((
It had nothing on it but the egg and the cheese, no tomato, no dressing. I felt they could have done a better job.
The coffee was OK, and we also had watermelon juice, also OK.
I think this place has potential, needs a bit more effort though

My neighborhood spot right here. The staff are very friendly and the place is simple and clean. The food are delicious and so are the drinks! I can stay here for hours.

I simply love this café. There is not one hint of commerciality and you can tell they genuinely care about the quality and nutrition of their food. It feels like a European café and the everything tastes like mom made it. Wholesome, uncomplicated, fresh. I still think their chocolate chip cookies are divine as is all their baked goods. I tried their meatloaf sandwich today and just felt so good eating it. Perfect for a chilly day or if you’re feeling a bit blue. It’s like edible comfort.

Love this place! The owner is extremely welcoming, as well as his staff. Its one of the few breakfast spots near our area, so it’s very convenient to the locals. The scones and carrot cake are my fav!
I don’t drink coffee… so can’t comment on that! Their hot chocolate is decent. I would suggest the hot chocolate at Cannelle on 47^th ave, it’s creamy and delicious!
Oh yes, a big plus, they open at 7am! (Closed Sundays).
Enjoy!
®

I like cheese!
This place had very good cheese. I came for a special dinner for a friend’s birthday and everything was super delicious. We started with a salad that had pecans, berries and a light dressing. It was very good. The afore-​mentioned cheese looked like a giant piece of cake and it was amazing.
Entrees included pork and chicken, both well prepared, tender and moist. I really liked the flavor of the pork. Sides included asparagus and polenta (I think that’s what it was).
There was even dessert. The cheesecake was the creamiest I’ve had in awhile.
Service was friendly and efficient. This was a really excellent dinner and if I lived nearby, this would be a staple I’m sure.

It is definitely a local spot. This bakery is a baby friendly spot. Though the space is not large, if you come during off peak hours there is plenty of seats.
I had the chicken salad sandwich and it was decent. The spot offers baked goods and coffee but no non-​diary substitutes for milk. The owner was very friendly and definitely knew all the veterans of his café on a first name basis.
Next time, I will give the pastries a try.

This is only my 2^nd visit, but I know I’ll be back! I’ve been subbing at a school nearby and this is the best lunch option for sure. The owner even remembered me and that I am a teacher! Extra brownie points for her. Her brownies look delicious, too — maybe I’ll get one of those next time! As I sat, I noticed that about half the customers were greeted by name — shows they have quite a few regulars, and the owners and staff make a point to get to know them.
I’ve had the merguez and broccoli sandwich, the spinach frittata sandwich, and both a hot and iced latte. Everything has been wonderful. The lattes have been a tiny bit strong for me, but I’m a wuss when it comes to espresso, really. They might be perfect for your own tastes :)
I also grabbed a chocolate chip cookie — how could I forget — and it was really good. Fairly priced too, which doesn’t always happen. These cookies are the size they are supposed to be – not the size of my head (and therefore $ 4). The assortment of croissants, muffins, and lemon squares look beautiful as well. They tend to be displayed in the trays they were baked in, adding to how good they look. It reminds you they were freshly baked in-​house. I may have to buy 5 – 10 blueberry muffins next time as well.
If you’re in the area, definitely stop in. Their lunch menu is great, and they have a good assortment of wines and beer. You will leave happy for sure.

Real coffee. Finally a challenge to the BS Sweetleaf empire.
Amazing soft and chewy cookie. Excellent expresso.

Simple is sometimes better, simply put. This shop uses great ingredients in tasty combos. Tried a merguez sandwich on crusty baguette. Raspberry thumbprints and lemon bar were so good I almost cried. And GREAT cappuccino!

This place is unbelievable! The sandwiches are delicious and fresh, and all of the baked goods are just perfection. This is one of my go-​to places for lunch during the workday, and so far I have never had anything there that I would give anything less than 5 stars. Their andouille sausage/​mozzarella/​broccoli sandwich is my personal favorite, but even basics like chicken salad are also superb here.
The space is very light and modern, and great for a quick lunch or an afternoon of work. Everyone who works here is very friendly, and willing to answer questions if you have anything to ask about. Definitely a staple of my LIC experience!

I was worried when this place first opened up, because Jonathan & Faye literally seemed to be doing it all (running the place, brewing coffee, making food, handling checks, etc.) and I was worried it wouldn’t last. Happy to say, they seem to be doing great — and even have (incredibly friendly & helpful) staff to back them up.
The coffee is great (Intelligenstia), baked goods are to die for, and I’m addicted to the breakfast sandwiches (especially the fritatta & ham, and the sopressata & fried egg). If Faye recommends a baked good — get it. Just do it.
I haven’t done dinner yet, but lunch is also awesome. I’ve had a variety of soup/​sandwich combinations; everything is delicious and it’s clear that they put thought into the menu.
Basically: food/​coffee is fantastic. Jonathan & Faye are super nice (and remember everyone’s name!). And it just feels «good» to me to have a place in the neighborhood where you feel good about supporting the owners.

Hands down this is my favorite café in LIC. The space is simple, clean, warm and always welcoming. The owners and staff are always friendly and helpful and the coffee is good. They use Intelligentsia which I always prefer over the ever so popular Stumptown that’s flooded the five boroughs.
Rotating art adorns the walls keeping the space light, bright and fresh. Great space to contemplate deep thoughts, your next meal, or catch up with a friend. And don’t forget the croissants. Yum-​mee! Go ahead… treat yourself.

I love this simple, unpretentious little place. For some reason, I feel like I’m sipping coffee in Scandinavia — it’s probably the minimalist interior with white tables, light woods and gray painted Windsor chairs. The dark, bold coffee isn’t cheap, but the price seems appropriate for the rich flavor. I want to come back for the healthy salads at lunchtime, but who am I kidding — now that I’ve tried the incredible chocolate chip cookies, I know I’m going to indulge every time I walk through the door.
This is clearly a labor of love for the owners … and I’m loving them right back.