Manon Cafe

Good Espresso and the BEST chocolates!

This hidden gem is one of my favorite coffee places in Fidi. You get a free piece of their amazing chocolate with every coffee and it’s never crowded. Way better than Starbucks and no attitude ever.

Upon arriving by subway into the Financial District where we were headed to see the ⁹⁄₁₁ Memorial, we stumbled onto this little café where my hubby and I shared a blueberry muffin with some hot chocolate. I think I ordered some tea, but I ended up drinking his hot chocolate. My tea was ridiculously hot… and it never seemed to cool off… at least in time for us to enter the memorial site. At that point, I didn’t want to be bothered holding a hot cup of tea anyway. But I digress. The blueberry muffin was loaded with blueberries, perfectly moist and not overly sweet. It was terrific, and while we were hungry when we set out to eat it, we ended up battling over the crumbs… it was very large, but we devoured it quickly all the same. The hot chocolate was quite good. I’d be interested to try other things there, and from what I could see, they all looked and sounded quite delectable.

Not so impressed by the Russell Stover-​y choco samplings… but this coffee was mad good! It’s tough times finding a decent cup in the area, and now I have a go to.

Ambience: ²⁄₅ — nondescript. Doesn’t seem like they’re going for anything here. Takes away from the idea that it’s a belgian coffee shop.
Drink: ⁴⁄₅ — possibly the hottest coffee I’ve ever had, which is much appreciated. Again, not much to say on this front.
Food: ³⁄₅ — the free chocolate with each coffee is hard to argue with. And the chocolates are delicious. But it doesn’t quite make up for the uninteresting foods they otherwise present. The yoghurt muffin was dry.
Cost: ⁴⁄₅ — not $$$ by any stretch. Pretty middle of the road cost-​wise.

My coworker had given me a Leonidas praline after coming back from one of his coffee runs to Manon Café. At the time, I figured he just picked up some belgian chocolates and was simply sharing one with me. On a chilly morning I decided to give the place a try instead of my usual Starbucks run across the street.
I was warmly welcomed once I stepped into the store. I ordered a medium hot coffee with skim milk. As I was paying, I was offered a piece of chocolate (as well as the OPTION of picking the flavor).
«SAY WHAT?» I hadn’t even had a sip of coffee yet, but hearing the word «chocolate» at 8:30am is enough to fully wake me up.
UMMM, OF COURSE I’LL TAKE A COMPLIMENTARY PRALINE. What else am I going to eat for breakfast? This healthy Chobani yogurt curdling in my purse? Never, not when I have the option of a belgian chocolate to pair with my morning coffee.

Cute coffee shop nestled away in the Financial District. We came here for two black coffees and they were quickly served up and piping hot.
The staff was friendly, and I was surprised to see that they offer a free piece of (good!) chocolate with every hot beverage purchase. It was great that they asked you what type you preferred (milk or dark) and sent you on your way.
The atmosphere was very nice and spacious, but we chose to enjoy our coffees in the park/​plaza across the street.
No complaints about the coffee, it was exactly what I needed in the morning – strong, dark, and tasty!

It is a clean and relaxing atmosphere coffee shop. Great coffee and Hot chocolate. Weirdly enough they don’t offer WiFi, I really wanted to sit down and write the review there… :)

A place to relax and enjoy a cup of delicious hot chocolate drink.

this place is great. it’s conveniently located right by the r train. i ordered a 3.75 medium (3 sizes available) cappuccino and you get a complimentary chocolate (from leonidas). there are a few tables downstairs but if you can’t find seating, you’ll find plenty of seating upstairs.
the people that work here are really friendly. it seems that the people that work here get to know their customers (at least two customers in line were talking to the baristas by their first names).

So much seating! A ridiculous amount, really. Never crowded, always pretty quiet — this would be a great place to get work done, if they had any plugs or wireless. Unfortunately they only have one plug in the whole place — strange — and no internet access.
However, the coffee, pastries, and chocolates here are so good that I can’t complain. Pro-​tip — when you get offered a chocolate with your coffee, choose white or dark chocolate rather than milk. The milk chocolate is just a simple square of chocolate, while the white and dark are usually the «fancier» Leonidas chocolates — pralines, cream-​filled, etc.
If you’re hungry, they have some truly unique and delicious pastries — chocolate pineapple muffin? Yes please!

Hot chocolate is remarkably good
Thisnis our go-​to place for hot chocolate in the winter… its smooth, strong milk chocolate taste, and sweet but not too sweet. You also get a free leonidas chocolate piece with a drink, which helps compensate for the high prices.
The leonidas chocolates are good but not great. If getting a gift box, jacques torres is the best, followed by max brenner, and then leonidas. But if you pick out your own chocolates fhere, the value is pretty good.
The interior is also bright and wellkept, and a good place to meet a friend and chat in the daytime. I have not tried the coffee

Very cute place, has a surprisingly large amount of seating. Definitely great for a quick break or for a pastry. The baristas are very friendly and you get a free piece of chocolate when you buy a coffee.

Hot chocolate.
That is all.

I first found Manon Café coming from NYSE event. I ordered a great cup of coffee, a bagel and a pastry. I still remember that first time, it sticks.
Now I am back in the neighborhood, and I can’t complain. I’m still on cleanse, so I can’t comment on the coffee (if it is still as good), but I bumped into actor Eric Bogosian right outside on Wednesday (I think he and his friends were just coming out) which gives me hope that the coffee is still good.
I can say that their tea– which is what I am «stuck» drinking is pretty good, somewhat standard fare, but not bad selections.
The décor is still pretty much the same — warm (ish), but clean and simple lines — which always seems to help me clear my head.
It’s no Financier (where I got beat out yesterday evening for the very last two macaroons), but its still nice.

Very delicious hot chocolate, Love it… pretty similar than th
They sell Belgium Chocolate called LEONIDAS. I found Leonidas @ Brussel — Belgium around the square. I stop by @ Leonidas Store, because I saw a lot of costumer. The chocolate is very good, better that Godiva chocolate. The Godiva store in Belgium have less visitor than Leonidas — for real

They give you a free piece of their delicious Belgian chocolate when you buy a cup of coffee here. That’s enough reason for me to make my way over here when I am in the mood to treat myself. Also, sometimes my boyfriend feels like bringing me an afternoon treat and he stops here and gets me a latte. This always makes me smile. The staff here is really friendly too. Whenever I go here, I end up staying longer than anticipated because I’m having a conversation with the counter staff. I don’t stop here if I’m in a rush to get to a job. I come here for pure enjoyment of some great tasting gourmet coffee and great service.
They have a wonderful selection of Leonidas Belgian Chocolates. You can mix and match and put together your own bag of goodies or simply buy one of their pre-​packaged selections. Either way, you will be in heaven despite those extra five pounds you may gain from eating them. This is a nice change from the usual Godiva and I’d prefer them any day. Manon is a lovely little café and any time you are in the mood to treat yourself and you are in the Downtown Manhattan area (they also have a location at 120 Broadway), go here. One of their coffees will be sure to brighten up any work day. Guaranteed.

Great coffee and chocolates. I really like the complementary chocolate with coffee. The best coffee shop in the area and I go almost every day!
I give the Belgium chocolates to clients and business associates and they make a great impression.

Nice little coffee place with plenty of space. I am not much of a coffee drinker but cocaine is way to expensive. So I needed a wake up shot at about 3pm the other day. Place was very clean, pleasant music and the décor was very nice.
I had a medium cappuchino with a double shot and a walnut brownie. The cappuchino had a nice amount of froth and was quite satisfying. The brownie was like a mini brick of heaven. Think I over indulged.
Plus they gave me a free piece of chocolate, now that’s a plus.

Hot Chocolate. Hot Chocolate! Hot Chocolate!!!
I don’t even really like hot chocolate.
My grandma used to shave and melt real chocolate and make it with milk fresh from the cow,(yes, they lived on a farm) and it was the only hot chocolate I drank or ever really liked.
Til now. I had Manon’s version for the first time a few weeks ago when the survivors @ my job (there was a massive layoff that day) decided we needed the treat. Survivors guilt and fear of the pink slip you understand. Desperate times… chocolate needed. Though I would have preferred a dessert .Or so I thought.
Reluctantly, I agreed. (again, not a fan of hot chocolate)
Damn.
I had a total vertigo, spiraling thru time, twilight episode moment at the first sip and remembered my gamma and her awesome hot chocolate and I am hooked.
No, seriously.
It’s like crack.
I think about it ALL THE TIME.
We have it on friday afternoons, still as a treat. It’s my happy thought as soon as I open my eyes… yay…manon hot chocolate day, fiiiiine, then I guess I’ll go to work.
Hey…today’s friday, the countdown begins…