This was a very lucky find for Jamie W and me. We decided to spend our last hours in NYC in DUMBO since we hadn't been in several years. I already assumed dining options in the tourist-infested area would be notoriously pricey unless we decided to gorge on pizza. However, we decided to be healthy and ventured a few blocks east to check out this intimate spot in Vinegar Hill. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Compared to DUMBO, this is a quiet residential enclave with a sophisticated European vibe. Perfect for us, and the cafe itself was not overflowing with customers.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were seated immediately, and the decidedly French menu had us at hello with both appetizing breakfast and lunch options available. We both needed the $5.25 Cafe Creme Lattes (Photo 9), and they were just the balm we needed. Jamie was particularly impressive and ordered the $12 Housemade Granola, a hearty bowlful of goodness with a potpourri of fresh berries, chunks of melon, and chopped apple and pear over a mix of fresh yogurt, almond milk, and honey, and a bed of crunchy granola (Photo 8). It was a genuinely satisfying rendition of this breakfast standby. On my end, I went for the $21 Hearts of Palm Salad (Photo 10). That was a lovely melange of sliced hearts of palm, endive, avocado, orange slices, chili flakes, Moroccan olives, cilantro, and lemon dressing. I was happy I went for the fried egg on top because the textural contrast brought it to the next level. There were other temptations like the Orange Blossom Waffle and Roasted Chicken on Baguette, but those will need to be eaten on the next visit. FOOD - 5 stars...fresh takes on signature dishes that tantalize the taste buds [[HIGHLIGHT]]AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...a bit crowded but cheery and atmospheric[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] SERVICE - 5 stars...cordial and very attentive TOTAL - 5 stars...we're definitely coming back...and hey, there's an outpost cafe in Tokyo, too RELATED - Exploring Brooklyn? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/1wfoE2K3jJ read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Well... it's certainly beautiful! The location is great and the interior design is cozy and chic.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was passable and I can forgive it for being boring, but the service was questionable. I'm not sure what the policy on workplace bullying is but I saw and heard two of the waitresses trash talking the third waitress, even pointing at a table and telling her to clean it up like Cinderella. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was very bizarre and made the atmosphere unpleasant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Very unlikable place. read more

Cafe Gitane - Moroccan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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A huge part of what hurt this rating is the fact that the barista would not take his fingers out of his mouth. For the entire time we were eating, he was constantly biting at his fingernails and also coughed into his hands before making a customer's coffee. He didn't wash his hands at all before doing so. Otherwise, the service was fine but maybe a bit overpriced. read more

Cafe Gitane - Organic Chicken Satay, Roasted Organic Chicken on Baguette - Moroccan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

When you step out of dumbo and into Vinegar Hill, you feel like you've stepped out of NYC. You'll hear birds chirping as you step along the cobble stone. If you need a cute lunch spot with a lovely Parisian type vibe, you'll love this cafe. This place is so cute. So chill. So relaxing. The cocktails are delish. The ambiance is darling. The staff is lovely. The food is tasty. Everything is win for me and I would always recommend. I will be returning. And I recommend ordering kit royals all around and sharing plates. The food may seem daunting but I promise you everything is incredibly good :) read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]3.5 for food, 4 stars for ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]A decent spot for lunch, I liked it more for the vibes than the food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a cute little cafe with big windows and lots of light.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We both got sandwiches that came with a salad, I got the breakfast sandwich with egg and she got the kimolos with eggplant olives feta etc. I enjoyed my sandwich, but felt like it was missing a little something to boost the flavor (something more acidic or spicy?). She also enjoyed her sandwich, and they were both pretty filling. A little pricy for $16 each before tax and tip. read more

Cafe Gitane - Breakfast Sandwich - Moroccan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Absolutely charming cafe/restaurant in Vinegar Hill that has couscous ($16) to die for. Infused with spices like turmeric and cumin interspersed with eggplant and other veggies. It came topped with hummus and a garnish of pesto. For ambiance, you have glimpses of the water on the left and cobblestone street scenery all around. Daughter got the baked pasta ($16) which she promptly inhaled. Amazing personable service and mellow atmosphere. Would definitely return - if anything come for the pseudo French vibes. read more

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Ordered two small sides. Took 40 minutes to come out. Tasted like cardboard. And crazy overpriced. Coffee was alright, [[HIGHLIGHT]]as well as the staff and interior, both very nice[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] but that's about it. Pic is one of the items ordered for takeout lol. read more

Cafe Gitane - Moroccan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Lovely little gem in Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn. Their focaccia bread with cheese and their special aioli (might not be listed the menu, but it usually comes with the salads) is seriously AMAZING. Chef in the back really knows his stuff. read more

Outdoor Saturday dinner for two. There was no wait and each party was spread out in a safe distance. I ordered the Moroccan couscous with merguez sausage, which was delicious and my friend got the baked pasta, and left nothing behind. The Bordeaux was also a great complement to dinner. Service was friendly and good! A little out of my way but if I find myself back again, I would want to try their brunch. Hoping this business survives the pandemic as it seems like a lovely neighborhood gem. read more

Cafe Gitane - Moroccan couscous + merguez sausage - Moroccan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This place is very interesting... I fell in love with the interior and the overall vibes this place gives and everyone is either eating inside on a windy morning or sitting on the chairs outside when it's a warm sunny afternoon. I kept passing by this place and everyone always comes here and super excited to try this place as it gives an escape from the corporate feel that dumbo gives! Disclaimer: they serve la colombe and personally not a big fan of this company so I just did not order coffee. Instead had the Moroccan tea which was literally amazing and the highlight of my experience. I tried the baked eggs with tomato and my party had the salmon with "pomegranate glaze" At first, this meal we had wasn't as satisfying as My standards for eggs are pretty high (jacks wife Freda for example is great) and I've never had baked eggs in my life and even though I asked for soft I guess it will never actually be real soft because it's been baked in an oven. I actually just rather get normal eggs with tomato instead. My party did not like the salmon at all since it was so bland and did not have any flavor and in particular not "pomegranate glazed" if anyone was wondering what it was about on the menu. I think the waitress/host got excited when I said baked and she said "baked pasta?" Because I think that's actually a good item on the menu. The baked eggs said "baguette" on the menu and I was hoping for a large piece of bread but I only got three thin little mediocre baguette slices. I really wish they put 3 little slices of bread instead of baguette on the menu so it could prep me for whatever I am about to receive. Every single table had the Moroccan Cous cous on it and a whole Korean family came in and ordered it for the entire table- French people were inside with plates of cous cous and at this point I felt bizarre I did not order this cous cous that everyone had. I had to come back. I came back and had some wine this time and the wine was a little funky- not gonna lie but we were promised "somewhat sparkling" rose but the rose was not sparkling at all. The Boudreaux was a pretty crazy tasting wine but was not bad and my cab sauv was ok. Maybe I should've stick to the Stella Artois or a melon martini (maybe next time because I watch them squeeze it fresh) I have tried the Moroccan cous cous and it was super good and I would recommend it since the flavors were amazing and this is the first time I actually like egg plant. I never order an eggplant dish but man this one tasted really good and I had no idea the eggplant was even there. The smoked trout salad was also much more satisfying as the flavors were a lot better than the salmon we received the last time. On final note, I don't know why I have such an obsession with this place. Is it the blue espresso machine? Is it because of vinegar hill? I don't know but I can't seem to stop trying their items. The staff was very nice and let me use the laptop here and even tried to look for outlets. The food isn't amazing besides for the cous cous so I don't really know what rating to really give it because I have had a unsatisfactory experience here with their other stuff. Maybe I'll go for the baked pasta and put an extra star. I would just say please just check it out yourself to figure out what to give it. It seems like there are some really amazing gems on the menu and some a complete waste of money. read more

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All I can really say is wow. This experience honestly changed me. The spicy meatballs were mouthwatering with the hearty meat sauce, but the couscous blew me away! My friends warned me about how good it was and it exceeded expectations. I'm not even sure what was in it, but I can say that the flavors and textures that each element brought to the dish were everything I wanted for lunch. The beautiful green olive oil underneath was super high quality and had to be scooped up with every bite. The little toasts were the perfect soakers for it. Careful with the harissa because that ish is shpiiiiicy, and a little goes a long way. I can't wait to visit New York again because of Cafe Gitane. read more

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4 stars for the charming room and wait staff 3 stars for food overall 0 stars for the ceviche I've been here for brunch three times. Each time it was a hot day and I wanted a light meal, not anything with meat or eggs. - On the first two occasions I ordered avocado toast. Like I said, I wasn't looking for anything complicated. It was fresh and flavorful. Did the job. - On the third time (and definitely the last time for me), the situation was basically the same. Hot day, looking for something light on the stomach. I was literally about to order the avocado toast again when I noticed ceviche on the menu. It was tuna. Never my first choice due to being so overfished. But I really wasn't in the mood for Avocado Toast again. I was imagining ceviche with a light miso wasabi dressing served over a bed of seasoned sushi rice and watercress (that's how I would have made an Asian inspired ceviche - just saying...). I looked closer at the item description and it mentioned cold celophane noodles. I thought that could work - I wasn't being picky. - The food comes out. There's four of us. Friends 1 & 2, "It was okay". Friend 3 ordered the meatballs. They're served in a clay tagine, I guess for presentation and effect. The waitress removed the lid in dramatic fashion. Inside were three or four meatballs comically small for the size of the tagine. At this point I'm feeling a little embarrassed for recommending this place. - My ceviche is served. At first I thought they got the order wrong. I though it was soup. I barely had a few bites before setting it aside. It was in fact the worst dish I've ever ordered. Anywhere. But if you want the recipe: 1. Grab one clump of cold cellophane noodles and throw into a bowl. 2. Grab one handful of ceviche chunks (any unsustainable fish variety will do); throw them in the bowl. 3. Pour half a bottle of Kikkoman high sodium soy sauce over everything. 4. Serve to your worst enemy. (After all, Revenge is a dish best served...) read more

The first time I went here before the pandemic, the girl who brought me along with her to try this place - we were just getting started. Needless to say, covid hit not only NY - but the world, and returning here after, was a little slice of the "old world." Though this cafe/restaurant is far from me, it is a short jaunt for the girl I went with. Remember we shared the morroccan couscous with hummus and organic chicken, and the veggie burger. Both were five star, go for the food. There's also a record player when you walk in to the left. With a fantastic collection of albums. read more

Cafe Gitane - Dope interior, I want these globes in my den. - Moroccan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Cute spot off the beaten of the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridge tourists.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Easy to walk to but kinda dead end area, with a few scattered shops and restaurants ( no where to go next).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We chose Gitane because the cute vibes and nice menu selection although quite limited. Service was great and sweet. read more

Cafe Gitane - Place mats and retro cutlery. - Moroccan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Lovely patio on a quiet street just 2 blocks from m my home. It's clean, safe with plenty of space for outdoor seating. Nice staff, very polite. This French Moroccan inspired little restaurant reminds me my culinary experiences and happy vacation times in Essaouira or Marrakesh. Try the original couscous with merguez with their mint tea. The no guilt chocolate berry cake is just perfect. read more

Cafe Gitane - Couscous with merguez - Moroccan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Food was great but service was bad. Sat down and after nearly seven minutes I had to call a waitress over for water and to order. A carafe of water was just dropped on table and not even poured. Appetizer and meal came out at the same time. The waitress never checked in. For time of the check, the waitress never even showed me check and just swiped card. Very gen Z / lack of understanding of what service means. All other tables were lacking water and had to ask for items- very little attention to detail. read more

The worst brunch imaginable (food wise). One star for the a sweet spot. We had baked eggs with merguez. Dear lord, but they came out cooked to death. No cream to speak of, tomatoes caramelized out of existence, yolk harder than if they were hard boiled. A few measly slices of stale French bread that just made the experience that much more parched. I asked for an iced black tea and out came mint tea with lemon. Yuck. I've been going to agitate in the city since I was a kid. This was embarrassing. read more

neighbor hood gem , delicious food and great service. read more

Cafe Gitane - cafe Gitane - Moroccan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Relatively good food, reasonably priced, and very comfortable place. I really liked the very European decoration. We had the spicy meatballs in tomato sauce (very good) with white rice (tasteless) and the hummus and tzatziki with pita (not very good, barely any hummus and lots of spicy tzatziki on top, so it was very disappointing). I would recommend if you want a nice place to hang out with friends, but I would not recommend for foodies read more

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The outdoor seating is so cute, placed on a historic street in Brooklyn. The service was great, the food was amazing. Definitely will be back and recommend for a quaint feel. read more

Cafe Gitane - Breakfast Sandwich on baguette - Moroccan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I used to come here in before times and loved this spot (great for dates), but I walked by today and popped in for a tea-to-go and, although it was a lovely mint tea, and maybe they upped their prices after the pandemic (or thought I was a tourist?) but $7 seems extreme for a small tea to go, even for nyc. read more

I am conflicted about giving them a good review - I want them to get more business, but I also want to keep this gem all to myself! :-) They are in Vinegar Hill near DUMBO, which is a micro-neighnorhood comprised of about 2 (quaint) streets. They are on a sunny corner with indoor and outdoor dining. The food and coffee is stellar. The last time I went about 2 months ago, I actually had to check out who the barista was because the coffee was so good. (And I'm very picky about my coffee.) The food and ingredients are very fresh and flavorful - like they got the ingredients at the farmer's market. My friend even remarked about how great the food was. (I just got an avocado toast with an egg, but it wasn't your "average" avocado toast - each ingredient was so tasty. I highly recommend this place. It's next door to Vinegar Hill House, which I went to once when they first opened, probably 10 years ago. I was not impressed. However, I should probably give them another try. P.S. While there the diner next to us, an elegant, older gentleman started chatting with us. Come to find out, he is a famous designer from Europe. We had a lovely conversation to top off a delicious meal in a beautiful and quaint setting with excellent service! read more

Love this place, coffee, food and people are amazing! I cut my finger on the iPad though while paying for my coffee you guys should replace it haha. read more

What an awesome little spot! Nice outdoor seating for Covid, delicious cappuccino, friendly staff, breakfast sandwich was amazing!

Love this place. Only complaint is they don't serve brewed coffee. Cafe G, please please please buy a percolator--I will be in there every day! read more

Food is pretty good in person. I particularly like the merguez and the waffles. However the delivery was the worst experience ever. Half the order was wrong or missing key ingredients. They don't even have a phone to call them so I had to chat with caviar which was a frustrating process that took forever and still resulted in a wrong reorder. And then they refused to correct it a second time. And for some reason, the watermelon juice was undrinkable. I threw it in the garbage. Actually after reading this, I'm downgrading from 3 stars to 2. Juice shouldn't taste bad, delivery or eat-in. read more

Great food in Vinegar Hill! There aren't many options in the neighborhood so i was excited they opened in the area. Today i sneaked in for lunch. Had baked eggs and trout salad and they were delicious. read more

I just moved to Vinegar Hill and Cafe Gitane is steps away from me. Today I went in and ordered an Iced Americano - it was so good that it deserves its own review! Also enjoyed the complimentary paw print Belgian chocolate - delicious touch! Will be back to try more! Thanks Cafe Gitane! read more

Based on reviews I had higher expectations for this spot and the food was just straight up bad to the point I could not finish it. It was composed of a bunch of random ingredients that did not go together.. hummus, grits?, and I don't even know what else but it made me really nauseous. Never going back. read more

Wow, Cafe Gitane was really fabulous. Such an amazing addition to the neighborhood. Menu items are so fresh and yummy. The staff was awesome. Cafe Gitane....Love it. read more

When Vinegar Hill House was closed for lunch, we ended up here without any expectations. Upon entering, we were pleasantly surprised by a very cool vibe with a classic, cozy ambience. We were told that this was the very place where the avocado toast was born, and so we were quick to order it. Probably was the best avocado toast we had! Great food and drinks with vinyl records playing in the background. I would become a regular if I lived in the area. read more

Honestly I'm really sad and disappointed I had to write this review. The food is mediocre- I didn't really finish my dish neither did my friend- maybe that's because they forgot the hearts of palm in the heart of palm salad.... How do you forget the main ingredient? But mainly because it's just torture to eat here with the mosquitos- if you want to get absolutely destroyed and demolished by mosquitos then eat here I guess? You could get citronella lamps or do something!! read more

Very sweet corner cafe. Espresso and variants for coffee. Tea. Good breakfast. We shared (1) baked eggs and salmon and (2) an orange blossom waffle. Both were quite tasty. Service was warm, if not particularly quick. "Warm vibe/good food" is how I'd sum it up. read more

Great breakfast and lunch options; I've had the baked egg sandwich with sausage and the veggie burger both of which were excellent. They also have a great selection of teas, with the Du Hammam being quite refreshing. A bit of a walk from the nearest subway, but well worth it read more

Great food and a wonderful atmosphere inside and outside. The servers are really friendly and i appreciated the modern Moroccan vibes and menu. Always fresh, well staffed solid establishment. read more

What a gem! Stopped in for lunch on a Tuesday, was working nearby. My friends had salmon that was cooked perfectly--that's not even an amazing enough word for how delectable it was--and I had the chicken satay with a complex peanut sauce that was the best I've ever had! read more

Amazing flavors in a bistro atmosphere with no attitude. You feel like your in Europe and not Vinegar Hill. We had the smoked trout salad with lentils (perfectly cooked), goat cheese, avocado. Also the eggplant with a calomata olive tapenade, and pesto and goat cheese. A nice selection of teas and coffee as well. Happy to have discovered this out post! read more

A charming gem of a restaurant with delicious food and lovely view of the area. I had hummus and couscous dish which their home made spicy sauce. Perfectly paired with a summer book and a peaceful setting. Will be back for more! read more

Oh. My. God. Delicious breakfast in a super cool spot. The neighborhood has been waiting for another (VHH fits the mold) chill, interesting and great place, and now we've got it! I'm already looking forward to going back... read more

Five-star in every aspect: cooking, people, atmosphere, menu choices. Puts 90% of the restaurants in the city and 100% of the restaurants in Dumbo/Vinegar Hill in the shade. read more