Local bakery and cafe serving good options for breakfast and lunch. Baristas and staff are nice and friendly. The egg frittata sandwich will not disappoint although the highlight of the menu are the baked goods. Best homemade coffee cake I've ever had!

Been going for years. Delicious coffee and amazing food. Great sourdough avocado toast with poached eggs is fantastic. The pastries are great - amazing scones!

Delightful food and friendly service. They make everything fresh and from scratch and use the best olive oil and nice salt - it makes all the difference. Also try the bread pudding- made with croissants! My favorite new LIC spot!

The best place for coffee, pastries, and fresh meals in Long Island City! Holy Trinity achieved! First and foremost, the coffee at Café 51st is excellent, and their espresso drinks, even those with special requests, are made perfectly. Additionally, their baked goods are my favorite in the neighborhood. From the traditional croissants and breads to the rotating selection of other unique treats like their strawberry bread, cheesecakes, and crumbles—all are wonderfully balanced and delicious. Their café is also an absolute standout. They have wonderful salads, sandwiches, daily grain bowls, and soups—always with fresh ingredients. It is the type of place where a tomato actually tastes like a tomato and not some tasteless version of the vegetable that is a functional garnish. You know a place makes tasty food when you look forward to a salad every day! Finally, their support to the LIC community during this pandemic has been above and beyond expectations. They are feeding half the neighborhood, and their staff is still always friendly. I am now going there every other day for a coffee and some fresh, healthy takeaway meals. Lily, a barista, is still so nice and positive! Despite having to come into work during a pandemic and deal with overly chatty, people-deprived individuals like me all day, she is still upbeat and helpful. Positive interactions like this, however brief, make a big difference during these isolating times!

Yumm best almost croissant in the neighbourhood -- would rather keep it a secret and continue to vie for a piece of an almost croissant frequently with other fans, but my addiction needs help and I need people to help me lessen the load of their croissants in my belly for my general physical well-being. They use partner's coffee and the drip coffee is super good too.

Best sandwiches in the neighborhood. Freshly made pastries and cakes (instead of outsourced and shipped over). Delicious cup of matcha latte, coffee, chai, hot cocoa, whatever floats your boat. Super friendly vibe. This neighborhood institution is a daily stop for me.

Best Sandwiches, soups, Best Scones and chocolate chip cookies (periodt)! Love their coffee and the people there are so friendly. I’m obsessed with this place. I eat here every week!

Forget about going low carb/ low sugar for one morning. If their raspberry muffins are anything to go by, the baked goods are first-rate. Excellent and v kind service too, not to mention super coffee.

I only leave reviews when places are great. This place qualifies. Fantastic coffee, the baked goods are all amazing and the lunch options are also delicious and healthy. Can't recommend enough.

Yum Yum ! I love their sweets , coffee cake is came from heaven, service is EXCELLENT. Coffee is good as well. Atmosphere is cozy and warm. Im always buying coffee cake and brownies from this bakery , i cant stop..... haha. I highly recommend this place!

Stopped by this place for the first time in a while. I had a best Matcha latte in the world! Their baked goods are bombs. Staff is super nice. Can’t ask for more!

Great spot with wonderful garden seating in back.

Stopped here after my run. Airy and spacious cafe offers baked goods and savory sandwiches, vegan and not. Nice relaxing atmosphere, sit inside or in the backyard.

One of my favorite go to cafes in LIC. Their sandwiches and salads are amazing and freshly made when you order. Their pastries and coffee are awesome as well.

Pretty cute and cozy café. The baked goods (scones, baguettes, etc) are really nice. Coffee is pretty solid also if you're looking for something quick like a drip coffee (I believe they use Williamsburg's Devoción roasts). Hit it up if you're in the area.

Awesome chai and great homemade baked goods (lemon squares!). Intelligentsia espresso, and a great salad and sandwich menu. Tables, benches, and a couch. They play jazz music :). Two outlets, one under the bench to the right when you walk in, another on the back wall by the AC unit.

Damn good coffee. Excellent breakfast sandwiches! This neighborhood bakery and cafe is staffed by super friendly low key folk offering great service.

Lovely relaxed vibe, well-made drinks and delicious food! And they have an outdoor garden as well!

This is one of the best cafes in the area! Serving incredible house made pastries, fresh and tasty sandwiches and salads, and of course great coffee. The staff is always so friendly and get you your order in a flash. I love sitting on their lovely back patio with a scone or some avocado toast. You gotta check this local gem!

Their bread is soo good! Love their avocado toast and ricotta toast!

I love this place! I'm convinced that Andre makes the best matcha lattes with oat milk in NYC! It is so creamy and has just the right amount of sweetness without being overwhelming. Andre offers great customer service. He is a breath of fresh air--always giving a warm hello and offering a kind word. He plays good music at the cafe too! Other staff members like Jason are super delightful too. I frequent this place whenever I'm in the neighborhood visiting my partner.

Honestly, one of my favorite spots in the neighborhood, especially for a weekend lunch/brunch. The dishes are always delicious with high quality ingredients. The staff are great and there’s even a nice little backyard area.

The staff and store is very welcoming. Great place for a pick-me-up, quick bites, or if you want to hang out for a little while. Today, I tried the banana bread and it’s everything I ever want a classic slice to be—not too sweet, not dry, and chock full of banana goodness. It’s the first time I ate one that was cut from a sheet pan. Will be back for more!

Love, love, love! Very good bakery and cafe that uses high quality ingredients to make their delicious breakfasts, lunches, baked goods and cakes. Great Coffee. This is a good place to order cakes for special occasions. My favorite is the roasted butternut squash and aged cheddar sandwich plus any of their freshly made soups. The only minor drawback is that they don't have highchairs though this hasn't stopped local parents from bringing their kids and feeding them in the stroller.

Incredible coffee! Chicken club sandwich & 51st egg sandwich were fire too.

My favorite place in LIC to come for Matcha and GF sandwiches! yum

Quite possibly the best chocolate chip cookie of my life. My friend that lives in the neighborhood grabbed lunch from here on Saturday and surprised me with a chocolate chip cookie for dessert. It’s soft and chewy and not overly sweet. I made her take me there the next day for breakfast so I could buy more cookies to take home. If you’re in the area - this place is a gem. Everything I had was great. The cookie was on another level.

Best chocolate chip cookies I've ever had! No where else in the neighborhood compares. Also, great other food options and good coffee. I always get the ham and cheese frittata on a baguette. So good! Fresh bread, soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, quality ingredients, sharp cheese, thick cut ham. Don't pass this place without grabbing a little something!

Quick service, decent price, good food. Recommend the Avocado toast, add an egg. Thank you!

I love this place so so much! I go pretty often in the mornings to get coffee and pastries. Their pastries are to die for. You can’t go wrong with absolutely anything there. My favorites are the banana bread and coffee cake. I’ve preordered their cheesecakes twice for bdays and people always ask me where I purchased it from. You can tell that the owners only use the finest quality ingredients in their food. Never in the fours years that I’ve frequented this cafe have I ever left unhappy.

We come mostly for lunchtime, the occasional breakfast. Everything is very good and the service is a great as well!

Delicious coffee, quick, very kind, awesome service, beautiful space!

Friendly bistro with exceptionally good coffee and delicious homemade baked goods. We had blueberry and pear muffins and coffee cake, espresso, cortado and drip and everything was perfect.

We ordered the 51st egg sandwich and the Ricotta fruit toast. Both tasted absolutely amazing with fresh ingredients. The staff were very nice too. A great cozy cafe for your next New York visit!

OMG, this watermelon salad is like, seriously sooooooo good! I've never, like, ever had a salad this awesome before. It's just, like, totally amazing!🍉🥗🤩

Excellent find along Vernon Blvd in LIC. Had ice coffee and delicious chocolate chip cookie. Looking around see very fresh looking salads and sandwiches being served and enjoyed by patrons. Great variety of muffins, cakes & croissants. All moderately priced. Wish there were more places like this.

In addition to various types of pastries and drinks, this lovely cafe also sells wine, coffee beans, and local artists’ works like cups, masks, etc. The New Yorker magazines laid out across the store. Plenty of space both indoor and outdoor. Try it out if you’re in the neighborhood - you’ll be pleasantly surprised!!

Food was beautiful and delicious! Service was a bit overwhelmed when I was there, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. Seems like kids like this place too!

This cafe located3 minutes from the Vernon Blvd-Jackson Av. station on the 7th line from Grand Central. It is cold and light rain today. The glass walls facing the cafe are clouded by the warmth of the people, making them feel like they are at home.

I understand why ppl say it’s a little bit pricy but I really like their croissant. (I got a plain one and made myself a sandwich at home.) I also got their meatloaf sandwich which is more than I expected, although it was more like a burger petty instead of the meatloaf.

Cute very busy place. Sandwiches and pastries all very good (bread for avo toast was a bit too toasted for my liking). They are accommodating.

Supriya Dabholkar

Omg I just have one thing to say. I’m pregnant and came here for the first time today. I got a chocolate chip cookie thinking oh nice sweet treat. The cookie was so good I’ve had 4 total today. This is the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve had in my entire life and I can’t wait to stop by this weekend to pick up a ton to keep at home! Never had anything this good, thank you for making the best cookie ever!!!

Paul

Best bakery of this style in the area. The mushroom sandwich is a big winner and don't even get me started on the cheese and garlic scone. Nice seating in the back too. Keep it up!

Sojourner

Great people great food great coffee! My favorite local bakery with the best breakfast sandwiches. If I could I would buy here everyday

Greg Welsh

Overall best coffee shop in the neighborhood. Very friendly staff. Coffee is good. All the baked good are delicious. All the food taste really fresh. It is definitely on the more expensive side, but doesn't feel like you're getting food made last night.

Hyunser Park

They have a clean space with bathroom and many tables. I ordered a large chia latte with oat milk and it was very good! I would love to come more often.

NM

We LOVE this neighborhood gem!! Coffees are delicious. Food is always tasty and the staff always goes above and beyond. I have gotten to know many of them and can honestly say they are the best!! Always friendly , helpful, genuine and kind!! No matter how many coffee shops open in LIC we will keep coming back to our favorite :)

Carolyn

Great cafe for getting a bit of work done, with some vegetarian options and large menu of drinks! I love how spacious it is in comparison to most cafes in nyc. My one complaint is that I wish the baked goods were more sheltered / protected, instead of out in the open so it’s a bit more sanitary, but I know most cafes don’t do this.

Heather Harder

Underrated coffee shop in the neighborhood. Quality coffee, good food. And the back patio is a hidden gem. Breakfast burrito is pretty good, and the avocado toast. Nice people.

Shi Xia

Two of the best vegetarian salads I’ve had. Well balanced and fresh ingredients, great presentation, very friendly staff.

Paola Quispe

The empanadas here are amazing, my favorites are the beef ones 🫶🏻🤤 you have to try them!! The good in general is very high quality. The service is also great, the baristas are always nice and very helpful.

Christal Acosido

Such a great spot near Gantry Park! I love coming to this bakery for a quick bite. They have a great selection of sandwiches and pastries and the coffee always hits the spot. There’s plenty of seating available inside and outside.

Sang (NYC VET)

The coffee tastes amazing!!! I was apartment hunting and got tired, so I couldn't find my regular go to shops near by, I went in. and OMG, the coffee was perfect. The staff was very nice!! When I was there, they had some sort of cleaning inside or something so the all the tables and chairs were here and there, but if I come back this area, I will definitely come back

Melinda Tang

This place is a gem in the neighborhood! Food is always freshly prepared with wholesome ingredients, simple and delicious. Staff team is so friendly and helpful. I love their crab cake salad, and the latte is always my favorite. Would absolutely recommend!

Sharon

Lots of hot food options. Variety of pastry options. Latte I had was great. Staff are kind and efficient. Very stroller-friendly - space is big enough for parents to come in with them. During my visit multiple parents had kids or babies in strollers with them. Others were reading peacefully at a table. Great place to grab a drink/snack and relax. Overall cute spot and would recommend!

Jon Martin

The cookies here must have been baked with black magic because they are insane. Best I’ve ever had! Amazing drinks too (iced chaga latte is a must). Really cool vibe and nice staff. Definitely a great place to work and hang out!

Came for the pastries ... I was in the mood after an early start ... and had blueberry muffin and chocolate croissant. Solid, good ... but not spectacular. If in the area I would go back, but I would not go out of my way.

Strong coffee, free wifi. Did not have outlets readily available to charge a laptop but the staff was willing to let me charge my phone behind the counter. Did not try the food. Quite atmosphere. Very close to the 7 train and the waterfront.

Good coffee, breakfast sandwich was filling, and full of flavor. Notes were light and deep. Deeper than the Titanic rn. Has a bit of a kick. Thumbprint cookie was the best thumbprint cookie I've ever had. Srsly. A little disappointed they didn't have the sour cream coffee cake. Will go again to try that.

The ambience of this place is great to chill and talk, and the service is very friendly. Somehow they make you feel good. The coffee takes a bit too long to get served and often tastes like it was burned, but the food items are very good.

I only wish this place was open later! Staff is usually very friendly (I've only had one bad interaction ever) and food is very good. I just wish their hours were better...last time I checked they were only open until 5 most days :( I 100% recommend the Chive/Brie/Apple sandwich with chicken. Honestly, their drink menu is not that varied, but their iced tea is awesome.

I pass this place often when I park a block away and then walk to the 7 train on Vernon. I've stopped in a couple of times for a quick espresso & croissant. Today I felt like having a warm chocolate croissant & cocoa. Cocoa was great. Not too hot, not too sweet and with the right amount of steamed milk. Sadly, the oven was being used for "something savory" and I was told they couldn't warm up the croissant. (Not even place it on top of the oven for a minute). The croissant was still good but I felt that the indifference for finding a way to satisfy the request was unmerited. I'll still enjoy the espresso & cocoa when I stop by but I'm reluctant to ask for anything else. e2spg #buythecow #LetsGuide #Reco100 #RecoveringKnowItAll

I’ve had the chance to visit this cafe a few times since moving to the neighborhood. It’s one of those tucked away spots that you wouldn’t necessarily come across if you didn’t live on the street. Regardless, each time I go I’m always appreciative of the kind staff and the space itself! The interior is spacious with plenty of tables for patrons to sit at. They also have a quaint outdoor space that’s practical for the spring and summer. This spot is good to go with a small group or for a coffee date if you can snag a spot in the outdoor area. They’ve got a wide selection of specialty coffee beverages plus a beer and wine selection too. They make sandwiches and have a variety of pastries too. You should also check out the cool Japanese shop next door!

Service is friendly, coffee is average. We’ve also gotten their too good to go bag. Kudos to them for participating in the program! The pastries are great the day of and they give a LOT. The scones don’t age well overnight though, so can be unfortunate when you get a bag of scones unless you have a lot of people to share them with.

Nice place good food, the tuna salad is fresh, and tasty. ($8.71)

Changed Owners. It was always a great cafe Hope it stays the same quality?? Home made pastries. Big selection. Home roasted chickens for there sandwich’s just the best. But The music blasting here on a resent Saturday morning sucks.

Alina P

The coffee is really good, The staff are very friendly and welcoming the food smell sticks to your clothes quite a lot You’ll definitely notice it after you leave.😅

Aliya Tang

There’s WiFi, but I wouldn’t recommend this place for working. It seems more like a restaurant cafe style place. The ventilation was very poor. The service was good though and the carrot cake was absolutely delicious.

Alia Salomon

this place has the best coffee in the neighborhood, you can’t go wrong ordering from here. they also have a lot of hot food items and fresh baked goods. they have outdoor seating in the front, and the back (gorgeous backyard), and the indoor seating is pleasant and spacious. the food itself is a little bland especially for the price point ($15~ per meal), but the baked goods are delicious!

2 reasons why you get 3 stars only: 1- closed on Sunday's? Really? That's the only time people are actually out and about in this neighborhood, missing an opportunity 2- get an identity, furniture and decor, or lack there of, is all over the place Otherwise food is great!

Came in for a coffee and to read a book. I had a drip that was more water than coffee. Good vibe, wish the coffee was better.

Great coffee, ambience and baked goods, but pretty disappointed on the service. Very unusual, since this is generally a very chill and friendly place, but we definitely felt we were not welcome there this time

51st Bakery & Cafe is a nice spot right off of the Vernon Jackson stop on the 7 train. I went for breakfast with a friend and got a frittata on a baguette with ham and cheese and a coffee. Everything was totally average, but I could see how the place had a hip-ish vibe so it does well it that area. The heating vent under where we were sitting was broken, and the door to the bathroom had grime marks all over it. It's convenient and a nice spot to meet, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

Nice clean place with a great ambience to chat or do work. Ordered the tuna sandwich — woman behind the counter was confused so I switched to tuna salad to make things easier. Tuna salad was dry and flavorless. Asked for dressing and got olive oil. Stick to the sandwiches and pastries.

Fabulous food but need to work on their operations. Phone never works. Online order system has wrong menu. Would order a lot more if they improved. Delicious chicken salad sandwich and beef chili! Clean healthy yet delicious options at this spot. The Coffee was also great!

I wanted to try another coffee shop around LIC and so I decided to give this place a shot. I ordered a large iced matcha latte. I asked if it normally comes sweetened, in which they said no, so I asked for some honey. When they handed me the drink, the matcha on top of the milk looked darker than usual. After mixing it together and taking a couple sips, it felt very very grainy. I tried my best to finish the drink, but I couldn’t. Maybe it’s just me, but I wish it had a smoother texture. If I visit again, I’ll probably just get a latte instead. Not the matcha.

Poor quality beans made into an even worse latte by a barista who was focusing more on his singing than on not overheating the milk. Disappointing.

Payed almost 20$ for a sandwich that was flavorless. I had to wait a good amount of time for it as well and the waitress who took my order wasn’t very welcoming. The space is well curated and a good size, however the prices do not match the quality of food you are receiving, overall not worth it.

This shop adds about 1/3 water to the iced latte before adding milk. It’s perfect for those who prefer a milder taste with a hint of melted ice.

People are kind, but did not like the chicken salad sandwich at all. Chicken was too hard. They should try the chicken salad sandwiches of Tatte...

Howard

A little disappointing. The coffee (Devocion) was excellent, but the croissant was lacklustre and generally it was overpriced. Close to $15 for the coffee and ham & cheese croissant is steep even for New York. It also took far to long for the food to arrive despite there being a dedicated kitchen and only a handful of other customers.

+2

Ordered a matcha…tasted like green water haha not even green milk. Had a lot of space though and looks like a good place to work!!

I used to get coffee everyday, coffee was the best, not anymore. Coffee quality went down, prices went up and new owner changed the vibe. No thanks.

I was looking forward to trying this cafe given all the positive reviews, but was very disappointed by the service. The server dropped my food on the floor and didn't even apologize!? She also talked to me and to other customers in a very condescending tone. Also, my friend got food from the store next door and wanted to get a coffee here and sit with me to eat our food at this cafe, but the server said it wasn't allowed, even if he bought a coffee here and was sitting with me who bought food from here (btw the cafe had plenty empty tables at the time and it was raining outside)... Won't go back again unless they add a little respect to their service.

This place is so weird. They put up a big sign in front of the store promoting their Chagga drink, but when I went inside asking for it, they don’t have it. Like what in the hell?! And the store also is not nicely maintained. The cashier also looks high or something. They also put the tip options to “25%, 30%, and 35%”. Like seriously?! Will not visit again.

Walked into a place with loud EDM music. Got a coffee cake that was dry and crumbly. The outlet doesn’t work. This is the first and last time. Looks good from outside, disappointing inside.

Seems to be the recurrent theme: really bad service in the oddest way so far I've been meaning to go to this cafe for a long time since it looked very cozy and nice from outside, but I never had the chance until recently. I think the interior design and the available space is nice, and even though I did not try their coffee or any of the pastries, they looked good. However, I do not think I will be going back unless they get people who know how to do their jobs properly: I ordered an iced tea, and the cashier asked me to hand the lemonade to them. I could not believe the question at first and said "What?" thinking I must have misheard it or something, but the cashier and the server next to her asked ME, the customer, the second customer inside the whole cafe ordering their drinks, to hand them, the employees, the lemonade from the fridge next to me so that they could prepare MY drink. I said "you want ME to hand you the lemonade?!" they said "yeah". Appalled by this very odd request, I just picked it up and handed it to them because I was literally dumbfounded. I think this is not even entitlement; I do not know how to describe this. For the record, there seemed to be two more servers who were not really doing anything (there was only one other customer sitting and minding their business anyway). When I was getting the lids for the drinks I ordered, I needed to ask the servers something, so I turned around to see all of them sitting at the backside of the cafe eating, dancing, and talking. I was walking towards them trying to have an eye contact with at least one of them so that I could ask my question, but they were not even really looking at my direction until I was almost next to them; they were just mainly dancing to the blasting music. And I still left a $2 tip for $9 drinks because they were at least kind of friendly, but I have never had such bad service before where I had to give the servers the main ingredient to prepare my order that I paid for.

I ordered an Italian sandwich, I ordered it myself and tapped the card with my own hands. But they assumed it wasn't for me just because I was with a friend who's a regular. They removed the tomatoes without confirming, making me feel discriminated against, especially as a POC, while my friend, who is Caucasian, didn't face the same issue. I'm a frequent customer too, so it's disappointing. I hope they improve their service and treat everyone fairly by paying attention to customers' orders.

The man who is standing in front of the counter. He was rude from the start. I ordered two hot Americanos and one iced Americano, but he messed up the order and had to make it again.

Odair A

I recently visited Bakery 51, and while the coffee itself was pretty good, I have to be honest: the place left a lot to be desired in terms of cleanliness. It was noticeably dirty everywhere, and that really detracted from the overall experience. Cleanliness is definitely non-negotiable for me, so unfortunately, I'm giving them just one star.