Probably the only desent places by city college (a non bottega style deli) where you can get a quick fix for coffee, sandwiches, pastries, and etc. It is ran by a korean couple who take their time to recognize every person that walks into the door (Susan, the owner, memorizes every single customers name!!). They have a variety of sandwiches on the menu that are unique from ur typical deli sandwiches. The price is really affordable for the quality and the taste. I only wish that the menu can be updated because I've been going here for years now and I have probably tried every single sandwich items. Also, avoid lunch times, it gets crazy busy there. Order by phone to avoid the line.

This place is beyond amazing! Everything is reasonably priced, and the staff are attentive and incredibly friendly. Most important, though, the spicy beef sandwich is, honestly, one of the best things that I have ever eaten in my life!

I love Cafe One! I've been coming here for 5+ years and just love their coffee/food. The staff are always friendly and professional. Such a cute neighborhood spot!

Love Cafe One! They have the best hot chocolate! The staff is always very friendly and the store is kept clean and organized. They have such great variety of healthy food options!

Great place! Packed with customers. Coffee was good. We had a pulled pork sandwich which was huge and came with a free bag of chips for only 6.95. Will definitely visit again.

Always packed with customers. Good to call ahead to order if you are in a hurry. Good food. I usually go for veg options (humus salad, eggplant sandwitch, black been burgers etc).Small place but much liked around ccny.

Was a regular at this spot for 5 years while I was getting my degree at CCNY. Very friendly staff. Awesome spot for cheap and decent sandwiches. Make sure to try breakfast egg sandwiches and omelettes!

I love Cafe One! It’s open and the owners make the best Caffe Americano that I’ve every had! I also love their frequent customer card which provides you with a free coffee (any size, any kind) once you hit the amount! #food #NYC

Love this place. A great spot for a quick veggie or deli sandwich and coffee to-go, and a staple for CCNY students/faculty/staff. The staff are super friendly and professional.

Incredible cafe. I come here three times a week. The staff is welcoming and their sandwiches are delicious. They have good snacks too (Ritter Sport dark chocolate ftw). Makes me want to stay at CCNY lol! I probably sound like an advertisement lmao but I highly recommend coming here sometime

This is our go-to cafe! Amazing sandwiches, and lots of other options if you're not feeling like sandwiches, including great baked goods. Also has the lowest prices of any cafe in Manhattan.

We were visiting and staying in a home around the corner, and stopped into this spot all three mornings we were here. Lovely, friendly people, good coffee, delicious bagels and macaroons. If I lived here this would be my morning breakfast stop for sure!

A1 customer service. You always get served with a smile, a joke, a peppy greeting. A visit can actually brighten your mood. Food is a bit expensive but for the service, I don't mind. They really make an effort to learn names. I am greeted by name even when placing orders over the phone!

Beautiful place with a great choice of beers and drinks. It is getting more and more expensive (one small coffee is around $5) but it's the perfect spot to work, chill, and join some crafts/game club.

Cafe One is the best! This is my go-to place in the area. I love their coffee, pastries, and sandwiches! The staff are so friendly and attentive too!

A great place serving City College and the Hamilton heights area great coffee, great sandwiches, the owners and staff are some of the friendliest, most courteous employees you will meet.

Lots of food and Cafe options, affordable. WiFi! For $9, I got an avocado BLT, free chips, and a small Cafe Au Lait. I just hope they have recycling for the plastic containers.

Great spot for a nice and fast breakfast. Good coffee, a vast section of tea, great menu (featuring one of the best Carrot Cakes I have tried in a long time). The staff is very friendly and the service is very efficient! They are still maintaining social distancing and masks are required to enter and to place your order. Obviously you can take your mask off once you are eating in the outside seating area.

Cafe one offers a great menu variety. Their black bean burgers are so so good. It is a great place to sit down and enjoy a coffee and a bite, of course, when it is not peak hour. During lunch hours the lines can be out the door. I advise going outside of that time. Their dessert selection is varied and tasty, I used to treat myself to their macaroons and fruit tarts. The owners are great, super nice, personable talking to Susan made me feel good even if it was small talk. A gem in the neighborhood.

First time ordering from this cafe. I bought the chicken pesto panini with a side salad and wow, it was delicious! The panini was grilled to perfection and so crisp. I really enjoyed it, and for that price includes a salad which you cannot go wrong! Also the cashier was very attentive and friendly. Next time I’m trying their drinks. Highly recommend!

This is one of the best-kept secrets in NYC. I lived behind here for over a year and used to stop by often. I came back here to visit and do some work. The place is always clean, beautiful, and excellent customer service. The people that come in are kind and the food is great. A lot of healthy teas and drinks from all types of cultures, great sandwiches, everything is fresh and very detailed. You can't ask for a better place to relax, eat, and more.

i stopped by this spot earlier in the week and absolutely loved the service and my food!! it was so fresh and delicious, super affordable too☺️

. Pros: (+) Susan, the owner is great and so personable (+) Staff is friendly and pleasant (+) Vegetarian, vegan options (+) To-go food options and tasty desserts (+) Catering and delivery (+) Show cases art from talented local artists (+) Member points card Cons: (-) Space is an issue during peak hours. The round tables are awkwardly in the way and hard to get around with the people standing waiting for their order. They need to replace the round tables with more space saving furniture.

I lived in Harlem for 2 yrs from 2016-2018. This place was the best then and is the best now. My husband and I went last week and the food, coffee, and staff is still the best ever.

They Served the best carrot cake ever! and I know about carrot cakes ;)The people there treat you super great and if you are a regular,like me, they take their time to know your name so next time you come you feel like one of the family and not a guest. Love their chicken pesto!

Crowded but for the right reason. If you want to have a reasonably priced delicious lunch or a wholesome snack and can wait for 10-15 minutes to get your food, this place is for you. It's literally a signature cup of coffee of CCNY students since they managed to nail the price to taste ratio. It is not the cheapest, but definitely worth it.

You know.. for a place that has a line literally coming out the door, they’re pretty quick with their services. Very nice & friendly people. Food is pretty good too. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something good on the go. Prices are also decent as well. Wish the place was bigger but other than that, great spot for college students to get their daily dose of caffeine and sweets!

Best service in New York they genuinely care about people! I've been coming since spring, this place has become part of my daily routine. Because they treat you like family and I've never once seen them off. They work fast and efficiently with warmth and grace, and they do it every time! I truly look forward to Cafe One everyday

My favorite cafe in the the area, they have some of the best chai tea lattes I have ever had! They also have insanely good prices on fresh OJ. The cheapest I have seen in the city so far. Staff always remembers you, place is always clean, and the vibe is friendly. They even feature local artists on the walls. Great place!

I literally get treated like family. They know and remember my name and my usual order. The food is delicious and fresh. So worth what your paying. It is a cozy little family owned spot. Can get busy but on a slow day it’s nice to sit there and relax. When in a rush they definelty help by taking phone orders. Just amazing I love this place and have been going for years.

Absolutely delicious iced latte and almond croissant! Wifi and outlet available in store.

By far the best place by campus. People are so loving and actually care about their customers. Everything is fresh and healthy! I have never had one bad experience from there. I feel like they are family, they even get to know their customers personally!!

Love the place, love the food, love the people. Definitely a place to check out and go to. As a college student, it's perfect to grab some grub in between study sessions or class. It can get pretty full at times because it is a popular spot but the service moves rather fast and furious he energy is great.

Fast and fresh breakfast and tea! Normally I get a bagel with cream cheese and a cup of tea before early morning class. Good price and good people are working here. Almost always busy, need to have some enough time to stay on the line.

I go there multiple times during my school week to get coffee. Never had a bad experience. They are friendly and the coffee is priced reasonably. They also open on time!

Food & Beverages are Very Good. Susan is the Best. Very Pleasant and Personable. Remembers practically everyone and their order. 🤯

The Beagle excellent. The macaron is amazing. Owner was very helpful for someone from another country.

Really great local shop with fresh food and relatively low prices. Wonderful for the students in the area to get quality food and drinks without breaking their bank. The staff is really kind and warm!

Excelent service, nice breakfast with a croissant, sausage, eggs and cheese and with all yhe lovely donuts on show, I couldn't resist to get one. Nice WiFi connection also.

If you need a place to go for a good sandwich this is it. I had to wait a bit, but good things come to those who wait because the food is delicious. I was pleasantly greeted and treated.

Soooo good!!!! Everything bagel with bacon egg and cheese. I also got a vanilla latte with almond milk amongst other things for my family. They were friendly, quick, and it’s delicious!

Stopped in on a whim one day to check it out and was delighted by their chocolate mousse cake. Is it subtle? No. This is not a French concoction that will set you back $15. This is a Friday night, it's been a long week, you're eating your feelings indulgence. Rich, creamy, satisfying. Way better than a pint of ice cream. I used to occasionally head over to Westside Market for a slice of their Chocolate Outrage cake but I'll be coming here instead from now on.

Very good coffee and pastries. Huge selection of macarons. Food is always delicious and fresh but take away is best. Seating is supee limited and they are always busy

Combination of flavors and unique and incomparable colors you have to visit this place. Amazing customer service

+1

This is a small cafe with a huge personality! There is kindness and warmth radiating from every corner. What puts it all together is the genuinely amazing drinks and foods that are offered here. It’s mostly affordable, and def has made my experience as a college student a little bit better :)

So great! Very Good Sandwiches and bakery. Tasty Coffee! Greatings from Germany

The people are nice and friendly, also makes really good coffee

Love this place! Always busy but thats only natural. Their beverages and food are great. Best customer service, they go an extra mile my remembering your name.

Go grab that pulled pork sandwich. It's delicious. Besides that, it's Sue's and her husband's hospitality that would make your experience a much more pleasant one ☺️

Neighborhood coffee spot. Most affordable and delicious coffee in the area tbh. Such a steal. Staff are so sweet and always greet you with a smile.

athena

One of the best cafes in Harlem & close to City College. My person critque is that it is too small for seatings and ironically it seems like the people waiting for their food dont know where to stand. Maybe it’s a non-nyc native thing where some folks think you can just stand anywhere and somehow not be a nuisance. that aside, Cafe One has the best matcha latte I have ever tried in Harlem. Adding their strawberry flavoring to the Latte makes it all the Better. I always get size medium though they have it in Large. You can choose from it being Iced or Hot. For Sandwiches I recommend the Turkey + Swiss Pastrami. You wont regret.

Dahyah Casiano

I Absolutely love this cafe. The food is delicious, the coffee great and the service is on point. If your looking for quality food at an affordable price, don't hesitate, this place is great.

علي مبارز

This place is awesome! The coffee tastes great, and they make some really cool drinks. The vibe is chill and cozy, and the staff is super friendly. Perfect spot to hang out, study, or just grab a good cup of coffee.

Kianna Davis

Great coffee shop with great prices! I love their specialty lattes and they have tons of fresh pastries and lots of options on their menu for food

Alyssa G

Best Pumpkin Chai I have ever had. Staff is so nice. I love Susan. I go every day. Matcha with lavender… trust.

Billy Johnson

Jocelyn was very patient with us early on a hot Sunday morning when we didn’t know what we wanted or how things worked. Coffee and Pain au Chocolat were excellent and very reasonably priced.

Sarwat Yunus

I’ve gone through their entire drinks menu over the 10+ years I’ve gone here, and literally everything tastes fantastic. I’ve never gotten a single bad drink from them, ever. They also have a great variety of food within different price ranges—but if you can try only one thing from here, get the black bean burger.

M S

This spot is perfect for a cup of perfectly brewed coffee. You can pick up your sweet treats, sandwiches, beverages and everything is fresh! The servers wear friendly smiles and this cafe attracts a wide range of down-to-earth people including families with small kids. Neat little spot. You can sit inside or outside, and there is plenty of parking too. Give Cafe One a try if you are ever in the neighborhood—good eats!

+1

Joy Ade

Love this place! Went to City College and I used to always come here with my friends and get the black bean burger or their pre-maid salads. This was between the years of 2013 and 2016. I just came back recently in 2024, and their black bean burger still taste amazing!! I get my burger on a wrap. I would recommend getting the black bean burger. 👌🏿

Joel Peralta

Everyone comes here for a reason. The staff are so friendly, definitely a highlight to my mornings, or afternoons depending on my mood. I usually get a matcha or chai, equally good. I prefer spice for my chai but when I want something sweeter I go for vanilla. Whatever I get, the barista does it amazingly. Theres plenty of good food there too. I put up a pic of a bacon egg and cheese on a bagel. They also have a good chicken sandwich, the spicy chicken, that I recommend. I recently tried the chicken Chipotle. I’m not a fan of tomato but it definitely did its job in the chicken Chipotle. The juices and the lighter tomato balanced out the stronger and meaty chipotle chicken, so I recommend leaving in the tomato this one time. There’s usually a bit of wait time but it’s so worth it, if you’re in a crunch def call ahead

John Zeglen

Fun spot. Had breakfast to go with my daughter and wife. The food was great and freshly made, the service was prompt. We noted that police and college students were the main customers and it was busy in a good way. We had variations of egg bagels - all reasonably priced and delicious. Highly recommend!

Lauren

This is such a great neighborhood cafe! The coffee and breakfast options are excellent, but their paninis and pastries are even better! There are three tables inside and high top seating at the window. There are also seats outside. We loved the macarons! Buy 5 and get the 6th free for $12 and they were great! All the staff were friendly and service was quick.

M Dell

Was looking for a lunch place, the line was almost out the door, very friendly, food, reasonably priced, got a turkey Panini that came with a salad for $9.50, pretty good for Manhattan. Cherry danish was pretty good too, coffee was average. Best thing about the place is you can get a variety of food, price is right, and the vibe is good. Not a fancy place, best if you want to grab lunch to go.

+8

Kelly Rivera

omg prob my fav spot after my house & the bookstore, i absolutely love getting food here, it’s next to uni so it’s like literally perfect, they have amazing breakfast options, super healthy also and v affordable, only $4 ish for a sausage egg & cheese! my fav lunch items is the greek avocado on a spinach wrap and the mozz panini w salad and sometimes w jalapeño chips (rlly spicy)!but the BEST thing is prob the mozz & peppers and the iced vanilla chai w oat, their iced coffee is also good bc it’s only $4 and comes with an espresso shot so it’s like perfect when studying, also the muffins are daily baked (my fav is the double choc muffin w butter) and when it’s cold it’s perfect to study but it gets like rlly busy! 🎧☕️

+3

OneBite Food

Cafe One is a great place for breakfast and lunch. We've seen many students lined up there from City College and they know where the good food is at near their school so we went too. The line can be long but it's a great cafe. We love how they support the students by placing their artwork on the walls. As for the food, we enjoyed their everything bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. It was delicious, the bagel tasted fresh and the cream cheese was creamy. They put a lot of everything seasoning which is good because some places skimp on everything seasoning. Glad they make it worth it. We also ordered their Black Bean Burger for lunch. This was a great vegetarian option for a burger. It tasted good with the seasoning on it as well. The bun was soft and the lettuce and tomato were a great fresh combo with the black beans.

Melissa Anderson

This was my first visit to Café One and it will definitely not be my last. I can around 11 AM on a Saturday morning and it was not too busy, but the traffic started to pick up as I waited on my food. I ordered an Egg, Cheese, and Bacon sandwich on a 7 Grain Bagel, Grab-n- Go fresh squeezed orange juice, and a Gluten-free Apple Cheddar Scone. I was able to just pick up my orange juice which was in prepackaged plastic cups with lids. A couple of minutes later, my scone came out warm as requested. About 5 minutes later my sandwich came out. It was warm and cut in half like I like it and it was amazing. They have a variety of coffee and healthy options but I didn't get any. I'm sure they were equally amazing. This will definitely be one of my stops every time I am in NYC.

Khan M_

Went there for the first time today at 2:00 pm and it was packed!!!! Line out the door. No standing space. But the workers are very good at keeping things moving! Polite and nice. Great food for a decent price. I ordered a black bean burger and tuna spinach wrap. 2 free chips come with it. Total was $12.96.

Lev Starikov

Hands down the best coffee anywhere near city college. Also they have amazing sandwiches, definitely a top lunch spot in the neighborhood. The staff are super friendly. This place is a great family owned cafe with tons of regulars. I recommend the hazelnut coffee and the BLT, the best place for a BLT!!!

While having a conversation with the current owner, it was expressed that their premise is to bring healthy gourmet treats uptown, and that is exactly what Cafe One does. From gourmet pastries, to at least 4 choices of Hale and Hearty soups on a daily, to personal sized quiches, paninis, beverages that range from Pelligrino choices to Maine Root Spicy Ginger Brew Soda, along with made to order smoothies--you cannot go wrong by making this place a nutritious knoshing spot!

Cafe One is a cozy shop. Susan the owner is the absolute best, she remembers the names of everyone and your favorite order. The staff is very friendly and the shop is always nice and clean.

It’s in the pricey side, but that can be excused since it is located in Manhattan and it’s your local bakery. It tastes delicious and is convenient when coming out for lunch from CCNY. Glad a friend introduced me to this place, because now I haven’t stopped… 😂

A BIT PRICEY. But its very nice overall. Their menu selection is good from deluxe to veggie options. The ice coffee is beautiful. The old Asian lady is so nice to me, i love her <3 The employees are very friendly. A lot of CCNY peers go here because the food is quality. I gotta have another Ice coffee when i get back . . . The space is very small and they should focus on expanding along with amping up their air conditioning system on such hot days like these.

Good neighborhood café (especially in a sea of neighborhood bodegas) with decent sandwiches and coffee. The one zonk against this place is that they are INCREDIBLY slow during peak hours. At minimum, at least 5-7 minutes of waiting in line just to order and then another 10-15+ minutes to receive your order. Definitely don't go here if you're in a hurry / looking for quick service.

the food here is not bad. just pricey since it’s by university and all. however, the wait time is horrible. They move quite slow. i’ve been here for 25 minutes for a regular chicken wrap. ..

The sandwiches here are amazing and the staff are always polite. It's a great spot to stop by for City College students and locals alike. The only thing I would say is that their iced coffee is a little subpar compared to their hot coffee. Also don't expect to find seating easily. It can get very crowded here and even when you do find a seat, the noise won't mean a relaxing time here.

Food is surprisingly good. The coffee is a little overpriced and the lines are very long during lunch but probably some of the best around the neighborhood, they make a lot of specialty cups. In general, pretty expensive but very convenient location and good quality products. I recommend.

Great place to grab something to bite. They have panini and other sandwiches, soups and even sushi. Good selection of desert, such as cupcakes and cakes, macaroons, muffins, donuts and others. Their prices are pretty reasonable, and the food overall is good for the money. The main issue about this place is that is near city college and many students go there, creating long line of customers, especially around lunch time.

My go to morning coffee is here. Reasonable customer service. Owners are for the community, serving decent food. They cut my sandwich BEFORE it’s wrapped!

This place has good coffee, and the owner, Katlyn, is so friendly. The only thing is that this place would need a fix someday! The food and variety/ quality are lovely, too. Do not think twice. They have gotten much quicker with their orders as opposed to previous years💯💯

I really loved the buttery sweet thick Blondie. The turkey club and black bean burger is delicious.

Amanda

Had a pretty good lunch here recently. I ordered on seamless and picked it up and it looks like the prices are higher to order through that than in store. They were really busy and it took 30! mins for my food to be ready which I was pretty annoyed by. The inside is small and they have some outdoor seating. I ordered the Italian wrap and it was good. I’ve had it from here before and this time wasn’t as good, honestly. I also tried the spicy beef sandwich with sauce on the side. It was good but entirely fell apart so it was hard to eat. Overall, I’d say the food was good but the wait was way too long for me. It looked like a lot of people were getting coffee and special drinks so maybe I’ll try one instead next time.

+2

Being a European I wanted to give a review from a European perspective haha. Coffee is not too bad. They know what they are doing, although the sizes here in the states are crazy. Order a small. The staff is friendly and give their time for you. The food isn't anything to write home about though. The egg and sausage on a croissant is not tasty and you could just as well go to McDonald's. I had a French omelette without taste.

FIRST STOP ! When my wife booked our Airbnb brownstone apartment in Upper Manhattan, NY for our recent 2 week vacation we could see on Google Maps there were a few cafes pretty close by...handy for breakfast. On our first morning at our new digs we headed out around 7.45am to grab cappuccinos and maybe something to eat....we had 2 places in mind and this one being virtually next door to our apartment was the first. HELLO ! Too many people smoking all sorts of stuff outside the entrance, too cramped inside, cappuccinos served in paper cups, no plated breakfast dishes. NOT OUR SCENE !

23 minute wait for a bacon egg and cheese on a slow day. A consistent issue that they have had for years is that orders will get lost or ignored. Great food. Terrible wait each time even when ordering ahead with apps

Luna Martínez

I had a very disappointing bagel on a cold Saturday morning. While I appreciated seeing some vegan cream cheese spreads, their avocado was far from fresh (most of it was brown and mushy) and it almost made me gag. People eating sandwiches seemed pleased, and it was pretty packed in the late morning/ early afternoon, so it might have been an anomaly.

They prioritize regulars. If you're not familiar, your order will be pushed back. At least that's what happened to me. When you tell them you've been waiting, they'll tell you your item takes time to cook, even if it was the same sandwich as the other. On another occasion: I paid by apple pay, no problems. When we came back, my friend was told they don't accept apple pay. Lol so I went in. That's when we are told there's a $5 minimum. They could have just said that. On the coffee: regular La Colombe. Bacon & Egg on a bagel: just ok. The deli across the street puts more bacon for 50cents less. Greek sandwhich: a bit pricier compared to others. Hopefully I get a better experience in the future.

I ordered an egg bagel & a oatmilk caramel latte. The bagel was definitely store bought - tough & rubbery. Kudos - They did pile on the egg whites and avocado - hence, the 2 stars. The latte is good. It tastes like vanilla was added, but overall acceptable. In conclusion, they’re too expensive to be serving cheap rubbery bagels. I can get a fresh, homemade bagel for less.

Unethical owners, they keep the new employees tips. They love the cops, giving them free coffee everyday. They called the cops on a starving black man asking for money outside.😬 Don't go here.

Cafe One is gettin’ cheap for $6 sandwich! Guess u only get one slice of ham on the weekends…folded over!🤷🏻‍♂️ Was more like a grilled bread with a hint of ham and cheese sandwich! Ouch!

While working as a receptionist, the cafe notified me that they were sending someone to return a coffee machine. Instead of going to the main entrance and proceeded to yell at me even though they did not tell me where they were going for pick up. Poor service, rude and entitled owners and staff.