Located on one fo the sleepiest corners along Ditmars, Layers Bakeshop has made a name for itself…read morefor being one of the only late night dessert options in Astoria. Folks who are looking to satisfy their sweet tooth can score a cupcake, pastries and all of the above until midnight every night. While they utilize the natural lighting during the daytime, the evening is drowned out by this florescent lighting that makes me less interested in dining in. There is plenty of seating but just as awkward as the lighting is also the lukewarm service. It was like a late trip to the office, where the lighting was still on and not-so-theolled colleagues there to greet us. Thankfully their dessert selection is always on point. Their endless variety of cupcakes range from red velvet to biscoff and their custom cakes are impressive as well. True to their name, the "layered" sundaes are a perfect "dessert in a cup" option. Nutella and lotus are popular ones but the galaxy is the one to get. I've been told the brownies and donuts are also good, but I will reserve that for my next (late night) visit.

A friend ordered assorted cupcakes for delivery for a holiday get together, and in the spirit of…read morethe season we cut up each cupcake and shared so we each got to try several different flavors. There were 12 different cupcakes, almost the entire cupcake assortment. Visually they are mostly similar though maybe not the most aesthetically appealing with a single swirl of frosting and some messy zigzags or cookie crumbs on top. They definitely tasted better than they looked. Inside the cake crumb was moist and the frosting on top was fluffy and super smooth. Even as someone who's not a huge fan of frosting, the texture was so creamy and light that I ate most of it! Added comments for the ones I tried: - salted caramel : could taste the salted caramel clearly in the frosting, less in the cake - key lime : lime/citrus flavor wasn't very strong on this - red velvet : heard this was pretty standard - ferrero rocher : super rich and tasty - milk chocolate : also good, not sure if I clearly tasted milk chocolate here as compared to the other chocolate flavors - oreo cookie : both frosting and cake together was a little too sweet for me overall, though chocolate cake was good - swiss dark chocolate - more of a dark cocoa flavor and not as sweet - belgian malt chocolate - carrot cake - chocolate cream cheese - lotus bischoff - rafaello These were a hit and everyone at the party enjoyed them. At $3.50 per cupcake this wasn't too bad for single serving desserts, compared to some other places today, for the overall quality I'd order these myself next time! No issues with delivery either, it took about 45 minutes for cupcakes to arrive (the delivery location was about 20 minutes away driving from the host's home).

This was my second visit after about six months. I ordered a beef burek and a dessert cake…read more When I checked out, I noticed the price didn't match the menu on the wall. The beef burek was listed as $8, but I was charged $10. Linda mentioned that the prices had recently increased but the menu hadn't been updated yet. I completely understand that prices change, but it didn't feel great to only realize the difference at checkout. It would be really helpful to let customers know before they order. I'd recommend checking the price with them in advance, just to avoid any confusion. I also noticed that the filling in the burek was quite small this time. The pastry itself was still big and puffy, but the amount of filling inside felt much less than before. Another small thing is that there were no name or price tags for the sweets. It would be really helpful for customers if those were clearly labeled. You can read my previous review for comparison, as it was only a few months ago. I really hope this feedback is helpful.

Such a cute place in the heart of Astoria. Servers are friendly and ambiance is really cute with…read moreseating available.

Wow, this place actually stands out. Traditional Yemeni coffee and desserts, with a slightly…read moreAmericanized twist to everything. This is something that's rarely done in NYC. From the taste, you can tell the ingredients were sourced for quality and purpose. Does not taste like typical chain coffee at all. Way more depth here. The seating area is well put together. The whole store's ambiance makes the space feel uplifting. Nice spot to sit, talk, or get some work done. I'm glad I was introduced to Qahwah!

4/5 L Adeni chai $7- good, strong tea, not too sweet…read more 3/5 truffle royal cake $8 - rich chocolate but a bit too sweet, looks like it was made awhile ago

Pastries. NOTHING SPECIAL. The SPANAKOPITA that I ordered was served COLD despite my request to…read morehave it heated. Furthermore, the MINI-BOUGATSA was disappointingly SMALL, failing to match my impression that it was sold by volume, not by the piece. CAUTION.

To most onlookers, To Laiko doesn't look like much, considering it's a tiny shop located just off…read moreof the Astoria Blvd N/W stop on the sleepy 23rd Ave. Folks who aren't looking for it are sure to miss it, with the exception of the older Greek guys sitting outside. To Laiko represents the kinds of Greek-owned businesses that are disappearing by the minute in Astoria. It just so happens that this one sells Greek pastries and coffee. While the outside awning notes "The Little Coffee Shop", to my understanding "To Laiko" means "The people's" in Greek. I'm not sure how long they've been around, but they've been a fixture for as long as I've stepped foot in the borough (#1). This has certainly been a place that has been for the people (#2), which is always a great sign. They're among the only folks to my knowledge that sell authentic bougatsa, a breakfast phyllo rich specialty pastry that skews sweet and is enjoyed best with tea and/or coffee. They also have an excellent selection of spanakopita, which is Greece's most famous pastry containing feta and spinach. (#3) The kasseri cheese pie is also not to be missed, along with koulouri (sesame circular bread rolls), savory pastries, and the occasional loukamade (aka Greek donut). Prices aren't back breaking, but they've crept up over the years. While I think they accept credit card, it's always best to go with cash here to avoid any upcharges. Service from Angela is sweet and cordial and I prefer getting a drink with several pies on the go since seating is minimal. My hope is that this review helps others find them, since this is a place not to be missed. I'll certainly make this a pit stop during my next return back to Queens. __________ (#1) So, 20 years at least. (#2) Of mostly Greek patrons. (#3) Yes, spinach pie.

Why 4 stars? Because these were a delicious way to finish my trip…read more --- --- --- After an afternoon of crazy amounts of eating, I needed to finish with some coffee and something sweet. Gold N Honey was the winner of my last stop destination and the final recommended visit of Jando S. I'd never had Loukoumades before, but they are essentially large donut holes. There are many different types of toppings you can add, most of which are quite appealing, but I went with the Gold N Cream, which had chocolate, bavarian cream and biscotti. Upon my first bite, I assumed I would only be able to eat a few of my box because of the aforementioned crazy eating before coming here. But as I kept going, I realized, somehow, these little delights were nowhere near as heavy and filling as they looked. And by the end of it, I suffered zero stomach-based consequences from my actions. This can only mean that loukoumades are extremely healthy and amazing for you. They're practically grilled chicken! The cold brew was fine - it got the job done and saved me from an epic food coma. And I got to try a new dessert, so everyone won on this day.

My Favorite spot Is just a block away from home…read more The perfect strong coffee Service A +++ And the most relevant Is the schedule opening 6am Monday trough Friday And 7 am Weekends

Idk what possessed me to order 2 cake slices. I had such a hard time finishing. I'm all caked out…read morefor the week. 3.5/5 Black sesame basque cheesecake $7- the 1st few bites are great, but the black sesame flavor gets too strong after that 3/5 Ice chiffon cake $7- decent however, I expected the cake itself to be softer & more moist, but it's a bit on the drier side, not sure if the milk powder dusting on top attributes to it 4/5 Vanilla matcha latte- $7.25- I've had their plain matcha before which is good quality matcha, somewhat bitter like it should be w/o tasting like dirt, you add sugar or flavored syrup, last time I didn't add anything which I regretted, since I do like a bit of sweetener, this time I added vanilla syrup which is barely sweet, wish I'd requested a bit more syrup 5/5 Service- employee is very friendly & informative, make sure to ask which desserts are gelatin free if you eat halal or kosher

I've had my eye on this place for years - should have come here sooner…read more Black sesame basque cheesecake: my favorite of the 4 I tried. This is actually cheesecake rather than the lighter Japanese version, with a strong black sesame flavor. Hojicha creme brulee: this came as part of a promotion, and the taste is strong. They do brulee the top on the spot and my sugar top got a little too burnt. Oolong tea cheesecake: still good, would get this again still. Lighter flavor but the floral flavor does come out at the end of a bite. Coconut milk jelly: the lightest of the flavor but still sweet and flavorful enough to come through. There's a dusting of graham crackers and strawberry jelly to complement. We also got a hot matcha jasmine latte but it was actually cold. It seems like it normally comes iced and perhaps they have no way of warming up the jasmine part. There's a points program and tons of promotions that rotate. There have also been different desserts that rotate so I'll have to keep coming back to try more. They have a lunch special too where you can get a drink or dessert for less cost.

Martha's is my go to after a nice Dinner. I'm a regular customer who is ADA. The staff are wonder…read moremaking to sit me where I can get to the Restroom. In addition, they have sitting in the covered exterior where there is also access to the Restroom. I'm pretty much addicted to their Cafe au latte and the Berry Napoleon!! So delicious!! There Banana and chocolate chip Bread pudding is also a definite winner! I highly recommend going during early evening hours. You have a better chance at scoring a table and not waiting for a table. Just saying. It's crazy after 10:00pm! But so much fun!! I'm a people watcher and some of the outfits, make up and attitudes are so great!! They come from all over. Martha's Rocks!!

Charming little dessert spot with a cozy vibe…read more So many sweet temptations all around, it was hard to choose a dessert to try. I ended up getting a slice of Tiramisu and one slice of lemon meringue. Both were excellent, but the tiramisu was wonderful. You could definitely taste the coffee in it, and it was rich and decadent. They also offer coffee drinks, but given the recent brutal NYC winter cold, I wanted a hot chocolate instead, which was exactly the warm and comforting drink I needed. I would say around 4 stars.

I've been to Spot in other places, but it's my first time in this location. I came here late and…read moreit wasn't too bad. There was seating available - but given that the past few days has been so cold, not sure whether it'll be much busier on warmer days. I saw that they had the ube-rri, as a seasonal item so I got it. I felt like I got a good amount of Ube flavors so I liked it! I also got the mango passion fruit soda. You're meant to mix it, but I found it hard to mix - but still enjoyed it once mixed!

I originally came in for the Golden Toast, but it was sold out, so I went with the Cookie Camp…read moreinstead. For nearly $18 (tip included ), I got a palm-sized cookie skillet with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cookie itself was mostly raw inside and way too salty. Service wasn't great either--I asked for water twice and never got it. On top of that, another party was seated at the booth next to me, but instead of using the chairs on their side, they squeezed into the booth, leaving me practically shoulder-to-shoulder with a stranger. It made for an uncomfortable experience. Overall, for the price and experience, I wouldn't return