This is a cute little cafe a few blocks off in from Riverside Park on the UWS. It's pretty small but there are a couple two seater tables. By 1:30pm on a Saturday the display case of pastries was almost empty which I guess speaks to how yummy they are! I got the medium sized matcha and would probably recommend sizing down - it was so full of milk and then after adding the matcha in, they poured in more milk. I did appreciate that the matcha was hand-whisked in a bowl rather than poured from a premixed concentrate or syrup. The medium started at $6 and then they upcharge $1 for milk alternatives (oat, almond, soy, coconut) and also an additional 50 cents for ice. I never understand when cafes charge for ice?? The two baristas behind the counter were friendly and chatty while making the drinks. read more

Blu Cafe - Iced matcha latte - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

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Not very good espresso, beans tasted a little burnt. The large iced americano is $5.75 and it's only 2 shots. Not sure what the point of getting a large is, when it's just more water. read more

Blu Cafe - Iced americano - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

Excellent. Better than Starbucks in every way. Love the baked goods as well I wish it was bigger and had bands play there.

Service was not ideal-- I ordered one iced americano and one croissant, and I probably waited over 20 minutes for my order while several customers that ordered after me all left with their drinks. Even after I kindly reminded the staff that my order was missing, the staff didn't really respond-- they just talked amongst themselves and belatedly handed me my order. Not too sure if I'll be coming back. read more

Blu Cafe - Iced americano, croissant - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

A very sweet place! Great in every aspect! Truly reminds me of Europe Coffee is great, same as baked goods. I highly recommend it. read more

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Good quality coffee, they're off the busy streets so they're able to provide fast service. They have amazing pastries & vibrant atmosphere

A quiet cafe tucked in the corner renders decent coffee and a variety of selection of pastries. We stumbled upon this place and found it very nice. The service is also great. read more

Blu Cafe - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

A nice cafe with lots of natural lighting near Riverside Park. I came here on a Friday morning around 10:45am, and managed to get the last available seat. It was pretty busy the entire time I was there, but it was never too noisy. I got a latte and a mochi donut, and though neither really stood out they were pretty good. I had a good time enjoying my drink and snacks, and getting some writing done here. I think this would be a great place to hang out or get some work done! And you can drop by the park right after. read more

Blu Cafe - Latte, cookies and cream mochi donut - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

Such a good coffee shop to study in. The food is good, coffee is good too, service is great, and there are so many outlets and seating available. read more

Blu Cafe - Croissant - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

Burnt coffee and unfriendly service. Only place nearby so they don't try hard. Balthazar pastries are fine but skip the overpriced bad coffee. read more

Outstanding espresso and nice baristas. What more could you ask for? Go! You'll be glad you did read more

Blu Cafe - the sun setting over a body of water - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

The most unprofessional staff I've ever seen. The two baristas were literally screaming at each other having a theological debate it was beyond uncomfortable read more

Came here twice, once for coffee to go and the second for coffee and a pear tart. Great service and delicious coffee. They serve Seattle-roasted coffee. The tart was exceptionally put together as when I saw it in the bakery case it looks average, but they dressed it up with whip cream and sauce, making it look like an amazing high quality dessert. And, it certainly tasted that way! It's also very conveniently located by the riverside so offers a lot of light and nice views. It's attached to the real estate office next door. read more

Blu Cafe - Pear tart - eat in style. - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

Ya'll. Not a good place to work. It's a shame because they have great outlet placement so I'll give it two stars. When I asked for the wifi password the barista says she'll print it out (why they need to do that idk - I'm sure it's a common question) and proceeds to glance at me about three times in the (at times empty) coffee shop over a span of 15 minutes without giving me the wifi or saying anything. I've just moved to the area and don't have my home wifi set up yet and was just trying to find a place to work for the day. So frustrating read more

The Wednesday crew is outstanding! The espresso single shot is superior to all other nearby coffee shops serving acidic Colombian beans. Finally, fresh pastries like the everything croissant or the elephant ears. Yummy! read more

Very disappointing. We ordered one medium americano, a latte, and a cappuccino. I forgot to mentioned we asked for the flavors and she said the only had hazelnut, when you walk towards the end you can see they had multiple flavors. Cappuccino was given in a small size instead of medium. I mentioned I should've gotten a medium cappuccino instead while she was on her phone texting. She poured it into a new cup and added more milk. Latte and cappuccino barely had coffee, very very milky. Also, they only had a few pastries left. I'm giving it two starts because the place looks nice and it's pet friendly. read more

Walked in 10 minutes before closing. Super thirsty having just finished a 15 mile run! An unfriendly cashier said "hi we're closed" giiiiirl. The door was open and no, they weren't yet closed. Can't even buy an essentia water? Would not recommend nor would I go back to give my business. read more

Perfect cafe for intellectual thinking and computer work :{) You can escape to Riverside Park across the street for a lovely little break. 10/10 recommend‍ read more

Blu Cafe - Such studious students - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

Worst cafe in New York!!! Terrible experience, lazy staff and they give you hot sandwiches on foil not in a plate or wrapped in a napkin. I could not dislike more my experience there. I am not ever coming back. read more

My iced latte was really good, but snacks all seem to be pre-made from elsewhere and didn't look too appetizing. The staff wasfriendly and outdoor area was spacious. Overall a pleasant visit (: read more

Many years ago when I was growing up in Brooklyn, we'd look for the best bagels (and pizza) in our neighborhood. There has been an infinite number of bagels since themn, and it was my misfortune to buy a bagel at Blu Cafe. It wasn't really a bagel. It was a roll masquerading as a bagel. The top was browned but there was no crunch. The wonderful flavor of a well-made bagel was absent. I had two bites and tossed the rest. The Cafe is in the center of some of best bagel places in the country. I won't be returning as I'm suspicious of everything else they sell given they think it's acceptable to offer their customers an awful item like this one. read more

Met a friend and we wanted a local spot for coffee and a dessert to share. Thought of this place, which I'd passed once or twice when I lived near it. It was hard to find seating; we wound up, with our umbrellas and bags, at an uncomfortable counter. The two-tops were all occupied by individual people and their computers. It's not a big Starbucks-type of location, it's a lovely little local place, so that was annoying. It was mid-afternoon, not a super busy time, but 4 people took up 8 seats, essentially. I guess that's what happens in coffee shops, but people - it's really inconsiderate! Maybe 2 computer-occupied people could work at the same table? Okay, not the fault of the venue, enough rant! Anyway, we shared a chocolate croissant that was limp and soggy - had probably been sitting out there for hours, maybe all day. If I ever get back there, I'll stick with coffee! My decaf iced was good, and they had all kinds of milk, plus soy milk, if you wanted. My friend had cappuccino, she thought it was okay, too. read more

This cafe is absolutely amazing. The workers are all so kind to us, and the food is amazing. Defiantly reccomend a croissant with mozzarella!! read more

Blu Cafe - the beautiful tables - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

Plenty of covered outdoor seating near the park with (spotty, but working) WiFi. Got a soy milk latte and croissant. The latte was exactly what I wanted - typical and nothing special, but hit the spot. The croissant was surprisingly very well done (nicely buttery, slightly doughy, and flakey all around). Only reason this is 4 stars is because the WiFi was not great, but if you have a large group or a couple friends, this is a perfect spot to catch up and hang out! read more

Blu Cafe - Outdoor seating IRL. I wish the WiFi here was better because then I'd work here more often! - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

In the time of COVID, this spot is small enough to get in and out. If we weren't in a pandemic, this spot would have been perfect to chill; coffee and a croissant in hand. Outside there is covered outdoor seating with small tables and two chairs each. There are also TV's. Not exactly sure if it's for this spot or not but this will be a nice hang out joint when it's warmer... or at least not as cold. The coffee was good. I had a cafe mocha which already comes with a double shot of espresso and I bought a beet juice. Service was good. Clearly I'm not a regular but dude was patient when I stood at the front looking at the menu. Definitely a spot I'll visit again when I need a quick pick me up and I'm parked by Riverside. read more

It's a cute spot across from Riverside Park South, and their coffee was good. Highly recommend!

Best oat milk cappuccinos. A Sunday treat that I had to have again on monday. Love their oatmeal cookie (so does my pup) If I wasn't vegan i'd be getting involved with their homemade shakshuka. I just have a feeling it's authentic af read more

One of the best and the strongest coffees I've had in New York so far. The service was extremely quick and efficient, staff was super warm as well! There are outside tables, which is tough to find during covid so it was nice to do some outside work on my laptop. Definitely definitely recommend as a quick stop or work stop. read more

Very far away, I almost hit the river before getting to the coffee shop so I would assume it to be a local spot only. Having said that, I loved the chill vibe once entering into the place. Latte was smooth and carried a light toasted flavor. Definitely sit down and enjoy the sip as they have tables with huge windows. Don't forget the check-in 10% off offer! read more

Blu Cafe - Skinny latte with ... - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

I've never seen the game of chicken played before in a cafe but there's a first time for everything!! So imagine this: there's two guys working on a Saturday morning (neither of whom want to be here), one guy at the cashier and one guy barista. Really, I should blame myself for waiting 10 minutes before asking "where's our order?". So naive of me. The two guys looked at each other and a played of "oh I thought you were making it." 3 minutes later, we get two sandwiches, both microwaved, cheese still cold, and sausage over cooked. Needless to say, I was the only loser in their game of cafe chicken. read more

I was initially inclined to dislike this place, since it's not "authentic" but an adjunct of a real estate office. But honest, the coffee is great and reasonably priced, the WiFi reliable, the outdoor shed elegantly done with TVs no less, and best of all is the incredibly friendly staff the joint is able to recruit. This past winter they installed seats inside so now it works great all year. So I quickly got over my attitude! read more

Have had one too many really poor drinks from this place at this point to give it a good rating. Today was the last straw, a basically undrinkable chai latte...that was 5 bucks for the small size. It's a shame there's no other coffee shop on the boulevard, but I'll honestly walk 10 minutes more to get a better (or, at least, drinkable) cup. I'd avoid and go a bit further, or buy a nespresso machine for the house, if you're in need of a coffee and live in the area. read more

Stopped in for a coffee on a cold winter afternoon. Small cup of Joe cost $2.99. There are 4 tables and also barstool seating. There aren't many options if you are on Riverside and want something warm. read more

Nice little neighborhood gem of a coffee place. Very convenient for residents. In the warmer months, could be a nice diversion with a great river view without leaving the river. In the colder months, could be a safe haven from the freeze with a great view. Good place to chill. read more

This cafe is best for its location near Riverside! I went in the summer so everything was perfect. I got matcha latte and it's also superb. Would definitely go back for other caffeine menu :) read more

Who charges an extra dollar on a $5.50 latte to make it iced? Sorry but that is absurd. The latte itself was ok but not worth the $1 upcharge on ice + $1 upcharge on almond milk read more

Whenever I'm in NYC I stay with my friend who lives a couple of blocks away. Can't believe its taken me this long to discover this place. It has a modern clean look and lots of light. The service was good and my muffin was delicious. Next time I'm in town I'm going to bring my laptop, enjoy some lunch and stay awhile longer. Sure its off the beaten path but I think that's exactly why its the perfect location. Will definitely be back. read more

Blu Cafe - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

Went in around 4:00 p:m for a sandwich. 2 guys in there teens or early 20s working behind the register. Both look high out of their minds and would not help me. I asked them to make something for me they would lie and say it's sold out knowing they are just being too lazy. read more

Blu Cafe you are most certainly outstanding, I had an incredible experience here today. The menu is extensive, I was overwhelmed with the choices. These guys got a spectacular menu as well. Team are very helpful and service is really swift. Probability of going back to Blu Cafe: 100%. read more

I wanna like this place because it's close and convenient but it sucks. The baristas are always high teenage boys who can't make coffee for their life. Even after instructing them both step by step they couldn't make what I asked for. You would honestly think your being punked. I wouldn't waste your money or time. They are seriously incapable of making coffee correctly. High prices as well for a shot of coffee. read more