My boyfriend and I live in Watertown and love brunch, and have been eyeing this place for a bit of time. From what I could gather from their Yelp photos, Vicki Lee's is a catering company in addition to having their bring and mortar. The decor is very cute and girly. Almost looks like a baby or bridal shower should be taking place there. We both had the crab cakes eggs benedict. I'd consider these one of the more flavourful eggs bene I've had in Boston. Hollandaise sauce was perfect and the side of roasted potatoes were cooked appropriately and tasty as well. The only thing about that this place that took us by surprise was the overall cost of our meal. For 2 orders of crab cake bene, 2 capuccinos, and a specialty drink to go, it cost us nearly $50. But despite this, the food was definitely good enough to warrant a repeat visit during dinner. I'd also like to go again to try their pastries. They have giant cookies and lots of cakes.
(4)
Joseph K.
We decided to get a wedding cake from here. I got some great response to my emails and we set up a tasting. The tasting was very helpful. We were given some coffee and slices of 7 different cakes to try and decide on flavor. Then we were given a big binder of pictures of previous cakes to choose a decoration and style from. I'm not really into this kind of wedding stuff, but this was painfree and enjoyable. Vicki delivered our cake and it came out really nice. It was much bigger than we needed and after everyone had some, there was plenty left. There was some really nice fruit to decorate it and add some nice flavor. I can't say I would buy another wedding cake from here as I hope to never get married again, but this was a great cake.
(5)
Leslie R.
Not only is the food incredible here but the staff is amazing as well!! My father is disabled and has a difficult time eating. They cut up his food into bite size pieces and were so kind to us. Even though my Dad spilled food all over the floor, the host (perhaps the owner) told me not to worry about it and that we are welcome back any time. I couldn't believe it. I'm not used to this kind of loving service mixed with delicious food. Thank you to everyone at Vicki Lee's for creating such a unique and beautiful place.
(5)
Silvia V.
I've been living in Belmont for almost 5 years and today was the first time I set foot at Vicky Lee's. I was in Cushing Square with my sister in law, it was lunch time, we looked around and Vicky Lee's made sense. Plus my sister in law remembered Vicky's restaurant in Needham years ago, so we checked it out. The restaurant is very bright and there are lots of food options. There were two blackboards with all kinds of lunch items in addition to the regular menu. We ended up ordering Veggie Paninis and coffee. The sandwiches were very good and came with a side of string beans w/shallots and feta. The coffee was okay. The service at the restaurant seemed a little off. First of all, there were lots of older patrons occupying most tables, but the food kept coming out strangely. The last two people seated were served first. Waitstaff didn't notice people waving at them, I don't know, it seemed a bit strange. Our service was fine, I just kept observing other people. Anyway, now that I finally dined at Vicky Lee's, I'll keep it on my list of lunch spots in town, the food was really good.
(4)
Esther J.
Referred by a friend as a must go. I was disappointed by their immensely slow service the first time to say the least. However after receiving an extremely considerate Yelp response from my initial review from the manager, tried it once again and brought my parents. The floor employees were a lot more attentive, fast, and accomodating. I even saw someone from the back helping out. The food was great by the way. Had kale salad, sweet potatoe soup, and roast beef sandwich. The portions seemed bigger as well. Kudos to the improvements, service, and food. I was especially impressed by their management's willingness to take a sour review and turn things around with a very humble, positive attitude.
(4)
Joseph M.
Doesn't get much better than Vicki Lee's. The savory tarts that the bakery puts out are incredible in flavor and always pair nicely with a hot cup of coffee. Service is always very helpful and are always willing to assist. The Italian lemon meringue cake along with the savory/sweet raspberry puff pastries are some of my favorites. The pastry display window always full with a beautiful medley and assortment of pastries. The caramel/chocolate bark is a must try!!
(5)
Lauren M.
The best! Firstly: my family has been using Vicki Lee's for catering small parties for the last 20 years. The service is always professional and friendly. The food is divine. Always fresh and inventive. We like her food so much we had her cater my wedding this past April. Everything went so smoothly! Vicki helped with everything to make sure the event went perfectly. All of our guests kept commenting that it was the best wedding food they'd ever had- tasted like being at a restaurant rather than a catered event. The cafe in Belmont is a far drive from where I love but I seek it out whenever I can because it's just THAT good!! Tip: save room for dessert!!!
(5)
Manny H.
Great cappuccino. A bit on the pricey side but worth the visit once in a while.
(4)
Jen A.
Sensational! I love the breakfast sandwich with parsley eggs and ham. The cheese Danish was worth every calorie!
(5)
Jeremy K.
I really wanted to like this place a lot. I really did however my experience there yesterday was quite underwhelming. The wife and I made our way there for a last-minute meal and arrived around 1:30PM for what we were hoping could be a late brunch/lunch type of meal. We parked across the street in the public lot and walked in, to a bustling place. Every single table, a dozen or so, was busy with people and their counter service had a few patrons there as well. We were told that we'd have to wait about ten minutes and we were eventually seated. The place is quirky and uniquely decorated and has all kinds of little knick-knacks for sale on the shelves, near the entrance, as well. I can't quite describe the decor but it somehow kind of works I guess? It's bright, it's open and most definitely unique. We were seated by the window and after glancing at the menu were able to place our orders with our waitress. I decided to try and order some quiche Loraine but they were apparently out, leaving with an option to try their roasted tomato quiche ($8.50) - so I ordered that and it came with a side of greens. The wife got some crab cakes benedict ($14) and about ten minutes later, our food arrived. My first thoughts were that I got screwed on the portion size here. My piece of quiche was miniature. Tiny. Liliputian. Microscopic. It was a nano-slice of quiche. Seriously folks, I'll upload a picture, you'll see your yourselves. The Frenchman in me shrugged it off, as it tasted decent but three bites later, my stomach wasn't exactly satisfied. The greens were fresh, tasty and well dressed. The wife enjoyed our crab cakes benedict but none of our food was stellar or amazing in any way. I dropped about $28 for those two plates and found the value to be pretty horrendous considering that I left there hungry and unimpressed. Service was confused but attentive at times, and it was painful to try to read the special's board from across the room. Not sure what the deal is here, it could be a great place, but the lack of good value completely turned me off. If you're going to charge those prices, I'd better damn well be the best brunch menu items we've had, or pretty damn close. Nope. It wasn't.
(2)
Jeff M.
If you can get pass the crowds you'll find solid pastry and OK coffee at Vicki Lee's.
(3)
Holly K.
If service was better I would have given them five stars. The service was just awkward, not awful just awkward. My co-workers and I came here for lunch and we were not disappointed. We tried out the fresh squeezed lemonade and the raspberry lime rickey. Both were great, although I wish the lemonade was a touch sweeter. For lunch between the three of us we got the roasted tomato quiche, tarragon chicken salad sandwich, and the chicken piccata sandwich. I got the chicken piccata sandwich and was really impressed. The lemon aioli was delicious and the chicken was moist! I told everyone before we even sat down to save room for dessert because they looked awesome! The chocolate symphony cake was amazing, the strawberry dacquoise was also quite good but, that cake just really stole the show.
(4)
C N.
I love Vicki Lee's. If it's a bit of a trek out to Belmont for you, it's well worth the effort. I've loved everything I've had there: various pastries, brunch, espresso drinks, and lunch. The cappuccino and eggs Benedict at brunch on Sundays is one of my favorite meals. I've had a few of the cookies, nothing super special there, I'd say spend a little more and get a special piece of cake. Better cookies can be found elsewhere. The quality is very high, and the portions are reasonable, but not on the large size. If you're a big eater, you might want to get a cinnamon roll AND your breakfast plate. They kind of have weird meal hours, so check before you go. I hope to try one of their seasonal special dinner parties in the future, they post the menu in advance and they always look delicious.
(5)
Little B.
Their very consistent in their food quality and freshness. They have a wonderful hand made drinks, lime Ricky,cappuccino, and an amazing orange juice that has a mixture of multiple types of oranges. Their food is always good, great presentation and complex. From the beef to their in house made turkey club. Their deserts are very good without using an overpowering amount of sugar.
(4)
Bryan H.
Tried their house roast beef sandwich for lunch and wasn't impressed. Very tough meat, and fairly tasteless. Service was good, though.
(2)
Anthony S.
Stopped in for a cup of coffee and ended up staying for breakfast. I had 'the savory' breakfast sandwich (scrambled eggs with fontina cheese and bacon on a house made biscuit) with a side of fruit salad. I'll admit the food is slightly overpriced but quite delicious. The staff is friendly and accommodating and the restaurant itself is very clean and welcoming. I'll be back to try the pastries.
(4)
Jackie K.
Ambiance is my favorite part of this place. The place feels bright, airy and the staff is friendly and good. Both times I have come have been at off hours so I did not have to wait and they let us stay there for awhile. Coffee is great. Food/Brunch was only okay. Tofu is a great option to have but a little bland. Not memorable food but its a cute spot and I don't know many places like this so I would come back.
(4)
Florina K.
I really like this place!! I like the atmosphere, the food, and the presentation of the food. The meringues are also very good! The service could be better though... There was no host, we thought it was seat yourself and got scolded by the owner... They did give us a free cookie for being a first timer though:) Will be back again!
(4)
Ashlee C.
Beautiful, refreshing space with amazing creative food. One of husband & I favorite places to visit on the weekends.
(5)
Bella R.
super super love this little restaurant. I live right in belmont and its just five minutes walk. I love the environment the bakery the brunch and coffee as well are super delicious! Strong recommend!
(5)
Tony B.
Outstanding food and service - we enjoy lunch there about once per week and have always appreciated the healthy choices. On the not so healthy side - VLs Tiramisu is world class when she makes it..... don't pass it up.
(5)
David L.
Full disclosure - We've only been to Vicki Lee's for Sunday brunch, and for us 3.5 stars is a more appropriate rating. Vicki Lee's is located in Cushing Sq., the "blue collar" neighborhood of Belmont, so the patrons are a fascinating mix of haves and have nots, with a noticeable skew towards retirees/social security beneficiaries and bored soccer moms gossiping over life's most important questions like, "Which designer-label handbag should I buy next?" or "Which private school shall I send our three year old Alistair and five year old Muffy to?" (Your husbands and ex-husbands collectively sigh and begrudgingly say, "You're welcome"). That said, on Sunday's there's usually a 10 to 15 minute wait for a table, since this cozy place is packed with the locals. The following menu items we've sampled were all very good: VLB house breakfast, Belgian waffles, pancakes, frittata. I had the French toast once, which bore a striking resemblance to Snooki and J-Wow: over-burnt and tasteless. The nice folks that work here are warm and attentive, though table service tends to be slower-paced.
(3)
matt p.
There is nothing better than coming in on a weekend morning, and ordering up: - Fresh Squeezed OJ - A Creamy Latte - Belgian Waffles with berries, whipped cream, and syrup. The Belgian Waffles area fantastic. A light and aromatic batter that crisps beautifully on the irons, sweet berries, fresh whipped cream, and a light maple syrup. A fork full combining the three above, and you're in heaven. LOVE this place, and lived around the corner for 2 years until this past fall... will miss it in between the occasions that we visit from out in the suburbs.
(5)
Randy P.
Top notch brunch spot. So happy we stumbled across it on a Sunday drive. Well-prepared cappuccino. Beautiful pastries. The highlight was a shredded kale salad, lightly dressed with a citrus honey vinaigrette, and tossed with apricots and pomegranate seeds. It is a small, classy place so it is no bargain, but the best places never are. Staff was fabulous. We can't wait to return (and hopefully some gluten-free pastries next time).
(5)
Denise C.
3.5 Stars Vicki Lee's is a cafe decorated in a contemporary fashion including the bathroom in case you were wondering. Big windows on a corner location allows a lot of great sunlight. I've never ventured into Belmont much but Cushing Square is a cute little main drag of of the area. I came on a Saturday around 11am with no wait but I think we got there just before the rush. The service was decent. Not super attentive but they didn't leave us hanging for long. They also didn't rush us because we certainly hung out a bit longer after finishing our meal to talk. I got the cappuccino which was great and the frittata which was not so great. It was something I could have made at home. Also a side of bacon that I cleaned off. My dining partner got the eggs benedict with smoked salmon and that looked really good. Vicki Lee's got a nice ambiance with a walk up bakery. I didn't get anything from the bakery but the desserts looked good with large cookies starting at $2.50.
(3)
C B.
People who work here tend to be rude. I went in for last time and will not go back. Overpriced and overrated for sure!
(1)
J L.
Everyone knows "I brake for Bakeries" I adore this little oasis in the middle of Cushing Square! Vicki is such a LOVE, she is one of those rare owners that takes immense pride in her shop, her product, and truly cares about the satisfaction of her customers. Everything is fresh and home-made here. She is accessible and is actively involved, always stepping out onto the floor greeting customers and making sure they're happy! To those whining about the prices, I say , you really need to understand what things actually cost to produce. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for in terms of quality of ingredients. My favorite cookie is the Anzac (These iconic biscuits were originally made to send to the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) serving in Gallipoli. My favorite sandwich here is the "Aram" love these roll up slices!
(5)
Mallory W.
I go here 3-4 times per week. AMAZING food every single time. I work across the street and I can't get enough. Large Ice Tea with Lemon is my go - to drink. My Favorite Meals: Turkey Melt Steak Sandwich Any of their Salads but especially the Beet Salad and CRAB CAKES Yum! Staff is awesome and super friendly. Highly recommend!
(5)
Barbara D.
the food here is good. but the service and set up makes getting your food too much a hassle.I tried to avoid this by calling in an order, but then had to wait 20 minutes while the one woman in line appeared ot be placing an order for a catered event. My food came cold. Not a good experience.
(2)
Christine J.
what a cute little cafe!!! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this while waiting for the dogs to be groomed @ Pampered Pooch in Belmont. soooo cute and chic. fresh flowers on the tables, white tables, cute decorations everywhere. clean and polished. amazing brunch and coffee and pastries. not the cheapest but def worth it. i loved it, have to go back ASAP!
(5)
jeff h.
(Review for baked goods. Although the food seems overpriced as well) Are you kidding me with 4 and 5 star reviews? Over-priced and over-rated. $3.50 for a tiny cupcake? Go to Ohlin's across the street for cupcakes and baked goods. Food selection seemed small, and very over-priced as well. This is Belmont, not Newbury Street.
(2)
Jerry J.
Good enough for a regular bakery, but I'm waiting to see something better for the price. If she wants to charge five bucks for a cookie and a glass of milk, it should be exceptional. The chipboard motif has got to go! I never saw such horror in interior design.
(2)
Kathy P.
The brunch at Vicki Lee's is terrific! We enjoyed challah french toast with fresh fruit, fresh whipped cream and tasty Vermont maple syrup. I'm not even a maple syrup fan and really enjoyed it. The owner made a point to be certain that the table was clean before we were seated. Even though there were some people waiting for a table, they didn't rush us at all. I plan to return. If it wasn't so pricey, I would have given it five stars.
(4)
Ben L.
I hit the busy point in my day right around 2-4 and I don't like to take my lunch too early so I swing out of my office around 4:15 to grab a bite to eat and I've decided to finally give Vicki Lee's a try after finding out that they have more than just cakes and they're supposedly still open even though it's got an abandoned look after about 2. So I waltz in and immediately get confused, I have no idea where the food menu is or what they're properly offering to eat. There are a couple of item lists and stuff around that I can't quite figure out so I go up to one of the counter people to get some help. It takes some prodding but I figure out that they switch between different menus during the day and I've apparently arrived at the time when they are just serving dishes for take-away. I still have to push a bit more to get details on when lunch is properly served because asking "if I was going to come back on another day and I wanted lunch, when would I come and how would I figure out what you have" isn't clear enough. I did get a little bit of a pork dish to take back to my office but the price by no means justified what I had gotten. This place is a mess and they need to get their shit together. I approve of their decision to be an upscale but causal place but that also means that your product and service should match what the customer is paying, at least make it clear when you can order your different meals and dishes.
(1)
Barbara A.
Really enjoyed their brunch - had the French toast, they use the french bread with a hint of orange (?) and the fruit with it. Have also had the savory biscuit egg sandwich which was also good. Lost points because the charged me for extra water (not more tea leaves) for my pot of tea. For what they charge for brunch, hot water should gratis. Otherwise worth the trip.
(3)
Tom B.
So I went here this weekend expecting a delicious brunch however I never got past the entrance way. We stood by the sign that told us "wait here to be seated" for five minutes and no one ever came over to us. Employees walked past us a few times but no one even acknowledged our presence. I have heard good things about this place, so maybe we will go back and give them another chance.
(2)
Leli N.
This is a great place to have lunch or "meet up with the girls" at least from how I've viewed the place. Their menu isn't massive, but they do have a tasty selection of food to choose. My favorites are either the Cubano sandwich or the Steak sandwich with blue cheese aioli/sauce. I know the blue cheese may sound a little scarey and for me, I'm not a big blue cheese fan either, but it's actually pretty mild and not pungent. Instead, they serve it warm, which when you bite into it, it surprisingly compliments the steak very well. I've taken a few friends here and they have always enjoyed the food. I have yet to try the brunch here, but hopefully I will soon. They also have some other prepared special dishes, but they do tend to be a little pricey, as well as their baked goods. They do look very good though and I'm sure a lot of time went into making them. I'd probably splurge one of these days for a special occassion or bday to try their desserts/pastries. They did have some samples of their strawberry shortcake the last time I was there and it was REALLY good...so maybe I'll try that next time.
(4)
Sara M.
I have driven past this place on my way to work every day but never noticed it. The only reason we discovered it was because we had to go to the UPS store. We walked in and were seated at a two-top near the window. It seemed very European inside and I loved the interior. Our server was an absent-minded and slow-moving person, who took 10 minutes to finally come to our table. I had a raspberry lime rickey and Husby ordered a cappuccino. Both were very good but I loved that my drink started off sweet on the tongue and moved its way to a crisp tartness. The Cubano wasn't that flavorful, although it did have a bit of spice to it. I only had a tiny bite but I found the roast pork to be dry. My arugula and pear salad with toasted walnuts was big and lovely. The licorice flavour of the greens complemented nicely with the warm, nutty, but slight sharpness of the walnuts. The shaved pecorino romano gave it a salty depth and it would have been perfect if the pear was a bit riper/sweeter. The dressing was barely there in the best way; it didn't saturate and wilt the greens but caressed them gently. I couldn't finish half of it and we took it home. It was still good the next day! I thought it would have been soggy but the greens were still quite fresh. The prices were a bit higher than I expected for the area but not ridiculous. We will definitely be back and I will be ordering a fruit tart!
(4)
Jane A.
Vicki Lee's is my favorite breakfast/lunch spot. Best Food in Belmont! I love to sit at the mini "bar" and eat quick between my shifts. I love the daily specials and also the grab and go options. Here are some great choices at Vicki's: Roast Beef Sandwich, Crab Cakes, Pickled Vegetables that come with every meal (I need to know their pickling secret!), Cobb Salad, Brie and Tomato Melt and The Cubano Sandwich! everything here is SOOO GOOD. The Staff makes the experience! Priscilla is my favorite- she is so sweet and helpful every single time I am in there. Everyone is so friendly and nice also pretty quick service. If you are in Belmont check out Vicki Lee's !
(5)
J M.
Breakfast and lunch here many, many times. Always excellent. Atmosphere reminds me a bit of a few places I frequented in West LA (SaMo, Venice) in the 90s. A nice escape from the Trapelo drag. When I leave I'm often (incongruously) in the mood for a walk down to the Pacific's sand and tide.
(4)
soylinduh O.
This is a fantastic little cafe in Belmont right on Trapelo Street. Every time you go in there it smells like something is baking in the back. Knowing that the pastries are exquisite I ordered a cake for a friends wedding from here. I'm not a huge lover of chocolate cakes but the one we settled on was a chocolate genoise ganache cake which for the amount of chocolate it had was extremely light and tasty! They even have brunch and lunch specials so if you work in the area I would highly recommend checking it out!
(5)
Dianne L.
I knew this place was going to be amazing when they opened and they kept blowing me away ever since. I do like to go here for a delicious pastry and a specialty coffee. The other choice is Starbucks that has a few day old pastrys, scones and cinnamon rolls. This place has fresh homemade cookies, cakes and scones that complement the coffee that I believe to be even BETTER than Starbucks.
(4)
Caitlin C.
My boyfriend and I went to Vicki Lee's for lunch today. I tried the meatloaf sandwich which was a special and it was DELICIOUS. Perfect lunch portion with mixed greens on the side. He had a turkey reuben which he enjoyed as well. We split a piece of cake for dessert (medium rare cake) and the waitress had said that it'd take 5-10 minutes to heat up in the oven, since it's like a molten lava cake. We waited about 10-15 minutes and the cake came out lukewarm. It tasted great, but it wasn't melty or warm at all. When the waitress returned and asked how it was, I was truthful (against my boyfriend's wishes!) and she asked if we wanted to take a cookie on the road. I said no thanks, I just wanted to let her know that the cake wasn't as warm as it should've been, but she brought us a chocolate chip cookie anyway. The cookie was absolutely fantastic - just the right amount of chewy and tasted like my mom's homemade Toll House cookies. Fantastic service and wonderful food.
(5)
Jeff O.
Bright, modern decor. Casual vibe. Friendly staff. Limited, but quality selection for breakfast. Everybody was impressed with their food. I had an absolutely delicious quiche, however the portion was laughably small. The side of greens completely dwarfed the little guy. For the price, I expect more. Let's not pretend where we are, this is Cushing Square, not the South End. But as the saying goes, quality over quantity...and VL's certainly lives up to that. I would recommend.
(3)
Harout V.
The food here is EXCELLENT. Everything i hate here tastes so fresh and delicious. The bakery is amazing as well. Very much recommended !
(5)
L L.
Really pricey, hence the four instead of five stars, but the best food! The counter staff need training. I've been in a few times in the last few weeks, and I don't think the counter staff has a handle on talking to people or putting fancy pastries into a box. I don't know what they are good at, but trying to get my cake slices not mashed into each other was a real chore, the other night. Even with the strawberry on the chocolate and the mocha collided with the lemon, my guests were gushing over the flavor. Best thing about them: ask for semi-sweet, they often have something not too sickly, American, overly sugared cakes. Taste being such a great thing about them, I can't understand why they have chipboard decor. A little weird, but it's a bakery, not a design store.
(4)
Kathleen M.
Vicky Lee is still 5 stars for me as a bakery. My family thinks that the cakes are the best. Everyone is always happy, even the little kids, which surprises me because it is unusual. I eat there quite a bit. I like the salads and the coffee. I really like the cherry shortbread cookies. They have the only biscuits I have ever seen in a north of DC restaurant. Said biscuits are light and fluffy. It is 4 stars because I don't like to have to wait to be seated by the wait staff. But I usually sit at the food bar so I don't have to wait.
(5)
Benjamin A.
Possibly the best scones (they call 'em "biscuits" but they're really scones) in the Boston area for $3 each. Great breakfast selection, and each dish comes with a real, fresh fruit salad (not just apples & seedless grapes). They only have table service on weekends but the menu is available every day. Great place to take a friend for brunch!
(4)
Lisa M.
I agree with all the reviewers who said VL's is way overpriced for its portions (and even its quality). VL's will continue to get away with these prices until someone opens up something similar in Arlington or Watertown. I would go back to VL's in spite of the prices, because it's the only place nearby that has the whole "cute cafe where you can get pastries and fancy coffee drinks" thing going. This has been my main beef with Arlington since we moved here!! My husband ordered the breakfast sandwich. It looked okay to me. He thought it was "too much" but he doesn't like heavy food, and a breakfast sandwich isn't meant to be light in my book. I can't recall how much it was but BF sandwiches should never be more than $5. I believe this may have been $8 or $9 - very disappointing. I ordered a slice of tomato quiche, I thought it was bland, way too small (it was CRAZY small), and served lukewarm. The greens it came with were quite good though. I really think it was $12+ ... outrageous! I ordered their fancy iced/blended coffee drink, someone else mentions it below - pretty good, would order again. I probably wouldn't return for breakfast because the portions and quality were so out of synch with the price. I believe our breakfast (the above 3 items and a regular coffee) totaled $30 - and was worth about $15-20. If you're looking to indulge in a brunch date, Cafe Luna has amazing full plates such as chocolate-banana waffles, berries and cream waffles, lobster eggs benedict, etc., for less than what you pay here. If I go back it will be to get coffee and a pastry with a girlfriend. And that will be because again, I haven't yet found a cute girly-type fancier pastry/coffee/dessert place around here. Would love any suggestions...
(2)
Lynette S.
yum!! beautiful, tasty food. I tried a couple of cookies, a cake and a torte(samples as well as what i ordered). the portions are nice as well. high end offerings, and worth it :) casual, modern atmosphere. (Like a gourmet deli/bakery vs restaurant). They have table service but it is not a tradition restaurant in terms of a date or dinner. but, if you don't mind im sure it is lovely for those occasions.
(5)
Cheryl L.
See the blackboard for soups - always changing and always good. Try the Pea Soup with Ham. The Bagel was great - smoked salmon( soft as butter, hmm good ) , cream cheese, tomato, red onion and capers. Many wonderful sandwiches to choose from. Chocolate chip cookies always a favorite and of course expresso joined in.
(4)
Noor J.
Vicki Lee did the cakes for our wedding and they were deeee-li-cious! And yes, I did say cakes, plural. When we went in to taste her cakes, we just couldn't decide which flavor we liked best. Since we love dessert, we decided on a cake buffet instead of a traditional wedding cake. Vicki Lee delivered six cakes to our wedding venue and worked with our florist to decorate them all beautifully with flowers. Our guests raved about dessert!
(5)
D. R.
Great brunch, although they will not cook eggs the way you like them (they only give you scrambled). They have great takeout and amazing cupcakes! Also, John the manager is terrific - always so helpful and nice!
(4)
dan m.
Food was great and wholesome. I went for brunch and had the Belgian waffle. It came heaped with a variety of fresh fruit, delicious. Coffee was nice and fresh, service was fast. Little pricy for breakfast but above par food compared to a traditional breakfast place. On another occasion I ordered a cake for a party and it was good, better than a grocery store bakery cake but not quite as good as a fancy bake shop cake. The cake was definitely on par for the price, I liked it.
(4)
Laura W.
I went to Vicky Lee's for the first time today after working around the corner for almost 2 year. Boy, was I smitten! The interior reminded me of cafes of London, the atmosphere mellow and relaxing, and the food was delicious! Plenty of choices for lunch with some great specials. Vicky Lee herself stopped by our table to deliver our food sans soup spoon, which wasn't a big deal to me, but she took it seriously and gave us a couple free cookies! She also told me I was pretty. Not only did I have a fantastic lunch, but I left with a little bounce in my step!
(5)
Steve Q.
Great food for breakfast or lunch.
(4)
Stephanie G.
I went here for brunch today with my mom, and we were impressed by the feel of the place - perfect for a ladies brunch, I would say. It's cheery and there are sweets everywhere! Alright, good so far! We waited quite a while to be seated, and there were a lot of people behind us too. The line persisted throughout our meal, so I would say get here early. Now, I was probably the youngest person there save for a four year old with *her* mom, and I think that reflects the way this caters to a sort of wealthy Belmont crowd that doesn't actually want to eat all that much food (ahh, the weight loss crowd). The servings were small and a little pricey. My mom got a quiche which was a tiny little piece with some salad, and my sandwich was alright size, but the fruit salad was sadly lacking. Two blueberries and some melon slices? :( The food was honestly good though, and we also had the fresh lime rickey and the raspberry lime rickey, and they were delightful (like a ladies luncheon!). So, if you're going out with your girlfriends and you want to feel cute but not eat too much, but still spend enough money that it feels like a real meal, I would recommend this place for that occasion.
(3)
Al A.
Excellent food. Awesome pastries. Friendly workers. Wonderful design and atmosphere. Service was a bit overwhelmed during lunch. Expensive because the quality is of such a high calibre (much better than most places in the Boston area). Belmont isn't the best location.
(4)
Theo K.
Good food. Cakes are de'lish. Breakfast on Sunday's are excellent, although the service is always poor. Either you wait forever, or they forget something. And I wish it was only once in a while this happens. It's happens more often (like 3 out 5 times) then not. Basically, I won't eat breakfast here anymore. However, i do come back for cakes and the iced dolce is amazing. I'd love to give this place 5 stars, but the service is killing it for me. And it's a bit on the pricey side of things.
(3)
T T.
Overpriced, out of touch (as in staff is distant). Nothing to write home about.
(2)
Jess A.
I am not a sandwich person but I'm all about Vicki's breakfast sandwiches! Everything here is incredible :D Heard only great things about this place.
(5)
Daniel M.
Do check with your banker before coming in here because the wonderful baked goods on the other side of the counter have to be some of the most expensive in the Greater Boston area. But....wow, are they worth it. Have had cakes from here on several occasions and pastries more often than that. Although the pastry selection isn't extensive everything is extremely tasty and always fresh - easily ranking with the best served in any bakeries within Route 128 and certainly rivaling any of New England's finer restaurants or hotels. Recommendations: Any of the cakes. For a really really special occasion they are exceptional...tasty, super-flavorful, and a lot lighter than one would think. Cookies are not cheap but are worth every bite, especially the very rich chocolate ones. And, my favorites, the lemon squares...at $2.75 they're pricey but worth every penny. Service behind the counter was, like the products from the kitchen, exceptional. The staff there could work anywhere. Strangely enough I've only been here for the baked goods. I plan to lunch or brunch at Vicki Lee's tables at some point in the near future. A fifth star may be in the offing...certainly I don't think there's any way they would drop to three. Excellent on a regular basis for those who've got the money, exceptional for those who want a special treat. Impressive.
(4)
Ankelina S.
What can I say about this place except "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Roses" its a girly girls place to have lunch. I love the sunny windows and the clean and airy decor and though I think the menu is a bit overpriced its a fabulous place to go for a girls' lunch and conversation. I took my 70 year old mother there for her birthday last year and she loved it. If I'm having a stressful day and can afford the time, I treat myself to a breather there and call it a "restorative" lunch!
(5)
Donna D.
Happy Birthday to ME! I had to buy TWO birthday cakes here because I couldn't decide on just one. Its OK though, Vicki Lee's cakes are light and delicious! Artful, tasty and a major hit. I'll post a pic soon, if I ever find the cam. I could have ordered something custom but I couldn't wait. What they had looked too good to pass up. We ordered the Lemon Love - light, citrusy and leaving you craving more with their Smoooooth lemony frosting and beautiful flowers. Also, the Chocolate Supremacy? or Chocolate Surprise ... I forget the name but it was a hit for those chocolate lovers amongst us. This one was a wee bit heavier ... maybe a lot more rich than the lemon love but worth every extra minute of workout after!! Chocolatey truffle-like cake with mouse and chocolate ganache. And the chocolate flowers were absolutely beautiful, and fought over, but the birthday girl (that's me) did get the middle treat. I was shocked to see the prices. For the quality, you can't beat this place! I got both cakes for under $60. I've been hooked on Vicki Lee's since I went with a friend to a barbeque at her home and never forget the AMAZING meal she served. VERY IMPRESSIVE!!! This woman, and her creations, can contribute to decades long memories. DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE to share the joy! You'll be glad you did!
(5)
Donald W.
So a few times a week I stop by Vicky Lee's after lunch to pick up a cookie and iced tea. The cookies are very good. They have that crunch on the edges, but are soft-ish on the center. This should be an FDA standard on all cookies in the US. I may have to bring this up at a future Obama-McCain debate. Here are my ratings of the cookies I've tried: 1. ANZAC: When you look at it, you almost think you're ordering something that may be healthy. Then you bite into it and you can taste the sugar and butter and YUMMMM is the only thing you can think of. 2. Amaretto: Just started getting this one and I am sorry I didn't discover this earlier. Bursting with almond flavor and a nice gooey-ish middle. 3. Toll House Cookie (with or without nuts): Pretty good version of a classic. Can be hit or miss with the texture but generally good. 4. Chocolate Street Cookie: Chocoholics will like this one. Strong but not overpowering chocolate flavor with a hint of cinnamon. Consistently gooey on the inside. They also serve MEM teas which you see a lot of locally now. The iced tea has a nice, clean floral taste but is a bit priced at $3+. I never sit down at a table, but I find their staff nice and friendly. Parking is pretty good around the Common and Trapelo intersection as I don't have to circle or turn around too often for a space.
(4)
jess h.
Huge fan of Vicki Lee's brunch and breakfast. I just wish they had more vegetarian options on the savory end of things... I ended up ordering a breakfast sandwich without the ham, which makes me feel sort of silly when it's called a ham breakfast sandwich. But I can live with that if it means having a delicious brunch that comes with a side of your choice out of their tempting display case. Call me crazy, but I would rather go here and pay a little more to have a normal-sized portion than have too much food on my plate and feel overstuffed as a result. I think we paid less than $30 including a tip for two breakfasts, a coffee, a latte, and a couple cookies to go. Best lemon squares I have ever eaten.
(4)
Mikhail Z.
A coffee break at this place was the worst experience in my life! I went there around noon with my 2 year old son, my friend and his 3 year old daughter. Once we sitted and waiter came to our table, she said that we have to have lunch here or leave and come later! I've never heard anything like that!!! Why don't they remove all the pastry around noon if they don't want customers to have it??? We had to explain for few minutes that we are not hungry yet, that we just came to have coffee and some pastry. Every part of waiter's body tried to show us that she didn't like it (probably not our order, but just potential tips), but took our order. But that's not the end of the story. The most interesting thing actually happened later when our kids started playing with each other. Essentially, they just walked around our table - they didn't run around cafe and were rather quiet. But our waiter didn't like it (though, she might just wanted to have other customers at our table who will have lunch). She came to our table every minute and told us put our kids in babystrollers. Then, even manager of Vicky Lee started to count potential profit:-) She also came to our table and explicitly asked to never come to this place again just to have coffee and pastry! Ridiculous! Can you imagine that??? We had to finish our coffee quickly and leave that idiotic place ASAP!
(1)
Clare M.
I love Vicky Lee's. The cakes are absolutely beautiful and always delicious (not too sweet). For a special occasion, totally worth the splurge.
(5)
Deepa C.
How have I not reviewed this yet? I was so excited when this opened. Waverly Square needed a dose of girly, and this bakery was perfect. We had Starbucks and hardware stores and some takeout places and some second hand stores and random dive supply shops, but no where to really have a nice cup of coffee in a sunny room with a plethora of desserts. When it opened last summer, i changed my jogging route and undid my run with a cupcake, cookie or just a latte (they carry good coffee). Josh and I popped in for lunch after running some errands on Saturday and he had a nice sandwich (the Cubano - a four) and I had some soup. Excellent service, great atmosphere and decent prices. This is a good place to pick up a cake for a party, or just some desserts for Sunday afternoon. If you are in the neighborhood, it is worth checking out.
(4)
Kerri O.
I had a totally delicious Apple Pecan Biscuit and an Iced Coffee, yesterday. This place is expensive, though. Kind of lacking in the choices department, too. My biggest beef is totally not their fault, though. They replaced Cafe Cakes, which WAS the best bakery I've ever been to. Anywhere. Ever. Cafe Cakes was run by 2 adorable Japanese girls who made everything from scratch, and they made the most flaky heavenly croissants. If you got one of their ham and cheese croissants, you died and went to heaven. I miss them. This isn't Vicki's fault, I know. Addendum: Thanks to Cha-Cha I found out Cafe Cakes is now in Watertown. Yippee!
(3)
Fiona M.
OK. The food is, without a doubt, delicious. It's all freshly made in house. The cakes (especially the Roulade); Heavenly. The Tuna & Fontina sandwich; amazing. The lemon blueberry biscuits; to die for. The soups; magnificent. The aesthetics; sublime. The prices; crazy expensive! I mean, i know it's in BELMONT & all, but not all of us have $30 to blow on lunch for one! The cookies are great, but I will not spend the $2. I would love to be able to purchase a dozen of their cookies for when I have guests over, but $24 for 12 cookies? YIKES. I'll stick w/ Pepperidge Farms Thrift store.... oh, my poor guests. The servers are great, but it always feels like they're under the gun. Maybe a few more waitstaff would be helpful. Hey, if you want good food & the current economic recession hasn't affected your wallet, go to Vicki Lee's. I'll see you there after The Stimulus money is doled out!
(3)
jen h.
I had breakfast there and loved it. Its rather pricey but well worth a sunday brunch. Coffee was also pretty good. I also ordered a cake there for my engagement party...the flavor was excellent and so was the presentation, but if Im paying a good price for a cake, I want it to be moist and it as a scoche dry
(3)
Naomi U.
We finally have a true bakery in Belmont!! yeah!!! The stuff looks great and the owner is dynamic and friendly. Unfortunately, this place is at once an excellent French bakery and a caterers showcase. So the glorious bakery smell I had hoped for is masked by the omnipresent smell of roasting meats.
(3)
J M.
Just stopped in for the first time for lunch. Had the chicken Saltimbocca and a wonderful green bean salad. I want to lick my plate... Can't wait to go back.
(4)
Vanilla P.
This place rocks visually. It's minimalistic with the colors being funky gifts and yummy pastries, and you instantly feel like you've walked into a metropolitan cafe in Berlin or Prague. The restroom is kind of fun to locate (I'll give you a hint: It has a little man and woman logo printed in light orange on the particle board. It's also the only part of the particle board with a handle). The first thing my husband said was, "I usually hate the look of particle board, but this isn't country at all." We ordered french toast w/ fresh creme and berries, quiche with mixed green salad, and the homemade potatoes with caramelized onions. The french toast was outstanding, and it really tasted fresh and light. The quiche was very bland, and the little salad that came with was good, but I felt $8 was too much to pay for the dish. The potatoes were so tasty with the crunchy edges and caramelized onions -- That's all it takes for me to be won over. Oh, the waitstaff was awesome and very personable. We will go again. Tip: On Sundays, the brunch (which is what we went for) isn't crowded til after 11 AM, when Mass and whatnot are released from the surrounding churches. Then you have to wait for a billion years, or until the second coming, whatever's first. Sometimes it pays to be a heathen.
(4)
Helen C.
Stopped at Vicky Lee's to pick up a quick lunch. Had a steak and grilled veggie panini which was truly exquisite. The fruit torte for dessert is simply spectacular. I will be definitely returning to sample more yummy food!
(5)
jacob s.
A real discovery. My wife and I have been coming here regularly for two years. Great atmosphere -- clean and uncluttered, and modern -- and great service. And the food is also great. Sophisticated but unpretentious. Highly recommend.
(5)
Jennifer S.
I had a lovely lunch here the other day with a friend. It was a particularly beautiful day and I wanted to go somewhere bright and full of the day's sunshine. Vikki Lee's was the right place. We sat by the window and were warmed by the sun. I'd only ever been to Vicki Lee's for bakery items - I recently discovered their delicious pain aux raisins (!) - so I'm glad to have finally had a chance to sample their savory fare. This was a birthday lunch for my friend and she was delighted with the atmosphere and her crab cakes. I chose the chicken piccata on warm baguette with lemon aioli and was quite pleased myself. I think I was most impressed with the crisp, fresh spring green salads that accompanied our meals. I definitely felt transported out of a cold winter day with those flavors. After reading other reviews, I was prepared for small quantities and higher prices, but the quality of the food (and service that day) was well worth it. The portion sizes were fine and what I would expect from a bakery/cafe for lunch. Just one note: be prepared that the cafe gets quite busy at the lunch hour (and I was there on a Monday). Try to go before or after the rush, otherwise you may have to wait and endure a bit more of a frenetic atmosphere. I, for one, look forward to going back.
(4)
Michael Z.
High quality food and pastries. Great for Sunday Brunch. I have tried many things, and will definitely go. Salads are not mentioned but the cobb salad is really good. Everything is fresh.
(5)
C. B. W.
One thing I remember about this bakery is, its darn expensive. I feel like this bakery wants to be known as sophisticated and classy so they do that by raising their prices but the quality of their desserts aren't really high. I feel like they spent more money in their packaging and making the store look so nice that they had to increase their price to compensate for it. My child goes to school around the corner so one day I decided to take her there. I didn't have time to make snacks for her that day so I took her out to Vicky Lee's. My daughter wanted the cupcake and I ordered the eclairs. The eclairs was great, but the cupcakes were just ordinary, The texture of the cake itself was something that came from a boxed mix, We ordered 2 hot chocolates in addition and the total of our bill was near $20. I was quite shocked, but oh well lesson learned. Next time, I just made sure I had time to make her snacks. Also, there are bakeries around and/or Russo's or Whole Foods that could help me with that, if I needed it.
(3)
Tiffany R.
Good Lord, Vicky Lee's. I've given you 3 separate chances, each months apart because the previous was so bad. Each time though you disappoint me. Why do you do this, fancy Belmont brunch place? I really am routing for you to be good! Here's the thing, Vicky Lee's -- some of your food is pretty good. Like the french toast. But, what was it, $11 for 3 small pieces and some fruit? Come on now. While we're talking prices let's talk about your $9 Belgian Waffles that are about the size of a small cookie. You get two of those? For $9? And the bacon. I loves me some bacon. Especially good bacon, which you have. But when it costs $3.75 for 3 pieces and comes out cold it is neither good nor worth it. I can buy a whole package of good bacon for $5 and cook it up myself. Ooooh boy, don't get me started on that overpriced salmon benedict my fiancee was unfortunate enough to order. One bite turned me off to the dish for eternity. Salmon shouldn't have a fishy taste. Yuck! I know Starbucks is across the street so maybe you feel the need to compete with their "small batch/Clover" method. Here's a tip, though. Making a cup of coffee by sticking the cup under the drip immediately after turning the machine on makes for a overly strong, not so tasty cup. Your waitstaff are definitely friendly. Upbeat and cheery, just slow. I could lounge in your beautifully decorated cafe for a long time waiting for the staff to get to me, if only I wasn't still hungry from my little plate of food and hating on myself for spending $15 on it. Let's summarize, Vicky Lee's. You got that 1 star because your good food isn't good enough or actually enough to eat to be priced so high. Unfortunately for me your aesthetics and cheery waitstaff do not make up for that. Call me when you price for the right sized portion.
(1)
Lois L.
Vicky Lee's serves wonderful freshly made bakery items and lunches (sandwiches, quiches and salads). The wait staff is very nice and the space is great with sunny windows and shelves of cool gift ware items. I am only giving 3 stars because they consistently run out of items, the portions are small and the prices are outrageous. Last Sunday they had individual fruit tarts for $6, regular size cupcakes for $3.75 and 2 inch oatmeal berry cookies for $2. While I love the food it is just not worth these prices.
(3)
M. Deloris D.
There are tasty things at Vickie Lee's but for a price. The place flaunts a bistro atmosphere but not bistro speed service. The decor is an interesting idea, the lacquered blond plywood with white and yellow accents definitely makes for a bright space but for the price of the the products you'd think they could afford comfortable seating and add free wi fi for paying customers. It gets three stars mostly for the quality of its products.
(3)
Sharon S.
I love this place. The scones are the best I have ever had (and that includes those I had in UK). I don't understand why anyone would stop at the Starbucks across the street for anything!
(5)
Michael c.
Nice to have a decent food option in Cushing Square, but anyone can make good food. The service is SLOW, the eating area is hot and uncomfortable, and the prices are outrageous for the portions you get. Nearly 20 bucks for two small turkey club sandwiches is ridiculous!
(2)
Timothy B.
My wife and I ate here yesterday with our 15-month old. It's a great casual place especially considering the fact that there isn't really anything else around in the area. It has a stylish decor and an interesting menu. I had the Belgian waffles, which were delicious. My wife had the Eggs Benedict, which came with some really addicitve home fries. The only down side was that it was extremely hot (I noticed someone else said the same thing in their review). It was in the mid 80's yesterday, but somehow it was even warmer inside. We also took home some dessert. Also, I couldn't find a high chair, so our baby had to sit in her stroller the whole time. A chocolate cookie (called Chocolate Street) that was full of nuts and very gooey on the inside. We also had a piece of lemon and raspberry layer cake that was a bit dry and looked better than it tasted. I would definitely recommend Vicky Lee's and I'd come back again!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Upscale Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Lisa L.
My boyfriend and I live in Watertown and love brunch, and have been eyeing this place for a bit of time. From what I could gather from their Yelp photos, Vicki Lee's is a catering company in addition to having their bring and mortar. The decor is very cute and girly. Almost looks like a baby or bridal shower should be taking place there. We both had the crab cakes eggs benedict. I'd consider these one of the more flavourful eggs bene I've had in Boston. Hollandaise sauce was perfect and the side of roasted potatoes were cooked appropriately and tasty as well. The only thing about that this place that took us by surprise was the overall cost of our meal. For 2 orders of crab cake bene, 2 capuccinos, and a specialty drink to go, it cost us nearly $50. But despite this, the food was definitely good enough to warrant a repeat visit during dinner. I'd also like to go again to try their pastries. They have giant cookies and lots of cakes.
(4)Joseph K.
We decided to get a wedding cake from here. I got some great response to my emails and we set up a tasting. The tasting was very helpful. We were given some coffee and slices of 7 different cakes to try and decide on flavor. Then we were given a big binder of pictures of previous cakes to choose a decoration and style from. I'm not really into this kind of wedding stuff, but this was painfree and enjoyable. Vicki delivered our cake and it came out really nice. It was much bigger than we needed and after everyone had some, there was plenty left. There was some really nice fruit to decorate it and add some nice flavor. I can't say I would buy another wedding cake from here as I hope to never get married again, but this was a great cake.
(5)Leslie R.
Not only is the food incredible here but the staff is amazing as well!! My father is disabled and has a difficult time eating. They cut up his food into bite size pieces and were so kind to us. Even though my Dad spilled food all over the floor, the host (perhaps the owner) told me not to worry about it and that we are welcome back any time. I couldn't believe it. I'm not used to this kind of loving service mixed with delicious food. Thank you to everyone at Vicki Lee's for creating such a unique and beautiful place.
(5)Silvia V.
I've been living in Belmont for almost 5 years and today was the first time I set foot at Vicky Lee's. I was in Cushing Square with my sister in law, it was lunch time, we looked around and Vicky Lee's made sense. Plus my sister in law remembered Vicky's restaurant in Needham years ago, so we checked it out. The restaurant is very bright and there are lots of food options. There were two blackboards with all kinds of lunch items in addition to the regular menu. We ended up ordering Veggie Paninis and coffee. The sandwiches were very good and came with a side of string beans w/shallots and feta. The coffee was okay. The service at the restaurant seemed a little off. First of all, there were lots of older patrons occupying most tables, but the food kept coming out strangely. The last two people seated were served first. Waitstaff didn't notice people waving at them, I don't know, it seemed a bit strange. Our service was fine, I just kept observing other people. Anyway, now that I finally dined at Vicky Lee's, I'll keep it on my list of lunch spots in town, the food was really good.
(4)Esther J.
Referred by a friend as a must go. I was disappointed by their immensely slow service the first time to say the least. However after receiving an extremely considerate Yelp response from my initial review from the manager, tried it once again and brought my parents. The floor employees were a lot more attentive, fast, and accomodating. I even saw someone from the back helping out. The food was great by the way. Had kale salad, sweet potatoe soup, and roast beef sandwich. The portions seemed bigger as well. Kudos to the improvements, service, and food. I was especially impressed by their management's willingness to take a sour review and turn things around with a very humble, positive attitude.
(4)Joseph M.
Doesn't get much better than Vicki Lee's. The savory tarts that the bakery puts out are incredible in flavor and always pair nicely with a hot cup of coffee. Service is always very helpful and are always willing to assist. The Italian lemon meringue cake along with the savory/sweet raspberry puff pastries are some of my favorites. The pastry display window always full with a beautiful medley and assortment of pastries. The caramel/chocolate bark is a must try!!
(5)Lauren M.
The best! Firstly: my family has been using Vicki Lee's for catering small parties for the last 20 years. The service is always professional and friendly. The food is divine. Always fresh and inventive. We like her food so much we had her cater my wedding this past April. Everything went so smoothly! Vicki helped with everything to make sure the event went perfectly. All of our guests kept commenting that it was the best wedding food they'd ever had- tasted like being at a restaurant rather than a catered event. The cafe in Belmont is a far drive from where I love but I seek it out whenever I can because it's just THAT good!! Tip: save room for dessert!!!
(5)Manny H.
Great cappuccino. A bit on the pricey side but worth the visit once in a while.
(4)Jen A.
Sensational! I love the breakfast sandwich with parsley eggs and ham. The cheese Danish was worth every calorie!
(5)Jeremy K.
I really wanted to like this place a lot. I really did however my experience there yesterday was quite underwhelming. The wife and I made our way there for a last-minute meal and arrived around 1:30PM for what we were hoping could be a late brunch/lunch type of meal. We parked across the street in the public lot and walked in, to a bustling place. Every single table, a dozen or so, was busy with people and their counter service had a few patrons there as well. We were told that we'd have to wait about ten minutes and we were eventually seated. The place is quirky and uniquely decorated and has all kinds of little knick-knacks for sale on the shelves, near the entrance, as well. I can't quite describe the decor but it somehow kind of works I guess? It's bright, it's open and most definitely unique. We were seated by the window and after glancing at the menu were able to place our orders with our waitress. I decided to try and order some quiche Loraine but they were apparently out, leaving with an option to try their roasted tomato quiche ($8.50) - so I ordered that and it came with a side of greens. The wife got some crab cakes benedict ($14) and about ten minutes later, our food arrived. My first thoughts were that I got screwed on the portion size here. My piece of quiche was miniature. Tiny. Liliputian. Microscopic. It was a nano-slice of quiche. Seriously folks, I'll upload a picture, you'll see your yourselves. The Frenchman in me shrugged it off, as it tasted decent but three bites later, my stomach wasn't exactly satisfied. The greens were fresh, tasty and well dressed. The wife enjoyed our crab cakes benedict but none of our food was stellar or amazing in any way. I dropped about $28 for those two plates and found the value to be pretty horrendous considering that I left there hungry and unimpressed. Service was confused but attentive at times, and it was painful to try to read the special's board from across the room. Not sure what the deal is here, it could be a great place, but the lack of good value completely turned me off. If you're going to charge those prices, I'd better damn well be the best brunch menu items we've had, or pretty damn close. Nope. It wasn't.
(2)Jeff M.
If you can get pass the crowds you'll find solid pastry and OK coffee at Vicki Lee's.
(3)Holly K.
If service was better I would have given them five stars. The service was just awkward, not awful just awkward. My co-workers and I came here for lunch and we were not disappointed. We tried out the fresh squeezed lemonade and the raspberry lime rickey. Both were great, although I wish the lemonade was a touch sweeter. For lunch between the three of us we got the roasted tomato quiche, tarragon chicken salad sandwich, and the chicken piccata sandwich. I got the chicken piccata sandwich and was really impressed. The lemon aioli was delicious and the chicken was moist! I told everyone before we even sat down to save room for dessert because they looked awesome! The chocolate symphony cake was amazing, the strawberry dacquoise was also quite good but, that cake just really stole the show.
(4)C N.
I love Vicki Lee's. If it's a bit of a trek out to Belmont for you, it's well worth the effort. I've loved everything I've had there: various pastries, brunch, espresso drinks, and lunch. The cappuccino and eggs Benedict at brunch on Sundays is one of my favorite meals. I've had a few of the cookies, nothing super special there, I'd say spend a little more and get a special piece of cake. Better cookies can be found elsewhere. The quality is very high, and the portions are reasonable, but not on the large size. If you're a big eater, you might want to get a cinnamon roll AND your breakfast plate. They kind of have weird meal hours, so check before you go. I hope to try one of their seasonal special dinner parties in the future, they post the menu in advance and they always look delicious.
(5)Little B.
Their very consistent in their food quality and freshness. They have a wonderful hand made drinks, lime Ricky,cappuccino, and an amazing orange juice that has a mixture of multiple types of oranges. Their food is always good, great presentation and complex. From the beef to their in house made turkey club. Their deserts are very good without using an overpowering amount of sugar.
(4)Bryan H.
Tried their house roast beef sandwich for lunch and wasn't impressed. Very tough meat, and fairly tasteless. Service was good, though.
(2)Anthony S.
Stopped in for a cup of coffee and ended up staying for breakfast. I had 'the savory' breakfast sandwich (scrambled eggs with fontina cheese and bacon on a house made biscuit) with a side of fruit salad. I'll admit the food is slightly overpriced but quite delicious. The staff is friendly and accommodating and the restaurant itself is very clean and welcoming. I'll be back to try the pastries.
(4)Jackie K.
Ambiance is my favorite part of this place. The place feels bright, airy and the staff is friendly and good. Both times I have come have been at off hours so I did not have to wait and they let us stay there for awhile. Coffee is great. Food/Brunch was only okay. Tofu is a great option to have but a little bland. Not memorable food but its a cute spot and I don't know many places like this so I would come back.
(4)Florina K.
I really like this place!! I like the atmosphere, the food, and the presentation of the food. The meringues are also very good! The service could be better though... There was no host, we thought it was seat yourself and got scolded by the owner... They did give us a free cookie for being a first timer though:) Will be back again!
(4)Ashlee C.
Beautiful, refreshing space with amazing creative food. One of husband & I favorite places to visit on the weekends.
(5)Bella R.
super super love this little restaurant. I live right in belmont and its just five minutes walk. I love the environment the bakery the brunch and coffee as well are super delicious! Strong recommend!
(5)Tony B.
Outstanding food and service - we enjoy lunch there about once per week and have always appreciated the healthy choices. On the not so healthy side - VLs Tiramisu is world class when she makes it..... don't pass it up.
(5)David L.
Full disclosure - We've only been to Vicki Lee's for Sunday brunch, and for us 3.5 stars is a more appropriate rating. Vicki Lee's is located in Cushing Sq., the "blue collar" neighborhood of Belmont, so the patrons are a fascinating mix of haves and have nots, with a noticeable skew towards retirees/social security beneficiaries and bored soccer moms gossiping over life's most important questions like, "Which designer-label handbag should I buy next?" or "Which private school shall I send our three year old Alistair and five year old Muffy to?" (Your husbands and ex-husbands collectively sigh and begrudgingly say, "You're welcome"). That said, on Sunday's there's usually a 10 to 15 minute wait for a table, since this cozy place is packed with the locals. The following menu items we've sampled were all very good: VLB house breakfast, Belgian waffles, pancakes, frittata. I had the French toast once, which bore a striking resemblance to Snooki and J-Wow: over-burnt and tasteless. The nice folks that work here are warm and attentive, though table service tends to be slower-paced.
(3)matt p.
There is nothing better than coming in on a weekend morning, and ordering up: - Fresh Squeezed OJ - A Creamy Latte - Belgian Waffles with berries, whipped cream, and syrup. The Belgian Waffles area fantastic. A light and aromatic batter that crisps beautifully on the irons, sweet berries, fresh whipped cream, and a light maple syrup. A fork full combining the three above, and you're in heaven. LOVE this place, and lived around the corner for 2 years until this past fall... will miss it in between the occasions that we visit from out in the suburbs.
(5)Randy P.
Top notch brunch spot. So happy we stumbled across it on a Sunday drive. Well-prepared cappuccino. Beautiful pastries. The highlight was a shredded kale salad, lightly dressed with a citrus honey vinaigrette, and tossed with apricots and pomegranate seeds. It is a small, classy place so it is no bargain, but the best places never are. Staff was fabulous. We can't wait to return (and hopefully some gluten-free pastries next time).
(5)Denise C.
3.5 Stars Vicki Lee's is a cafe decorated in a contemporary fashion including the bathroom in case you were wondering. Big windows on a corner location allows a lot of great sunlight. I've never ventured into Belmont much but Cushing Square is a cute little main drag of of the area. I came on a Saturday around 11am with no wait but I think we got there just before the rush. The service was decent. Not super attentive but they didn't leave us hanging for long. They also didn't rush us because we certainly hung out a bit longer after finishing our meal to talk. I got the cappuccino which was great and the frittata which was not so great. It was something I could have made at home. Also a side of bacon that I cleaned off. My dining partner got the eggs benedict with smoked salmon and that looked really good. Vicki Lee's got a nice ambiance with a walk up bakery. I didn't get anything from the bakery but the desserts looked good with large cookies starting at $2.50.
(3)C B.
People who work here tend to be rude. I went in for last time and will not go back. Overpriced and overrated for sure!
(1)J L.
Everyone knows "I brake for Bakeries" I adore this little oasis in the middle of Cushing Square! Vicki is such a LOVE, she is one of those rare owners that takes immense pride in her shop, her product, and truly cares about the satisfaction of her customers. Everything is fresh and home-made here. She is accessible and is actively involved, always stepping out onto the floor greeting customers and making sure they're happy! To those whining about the prices, I say , you really need to understand what things actually cost to produce. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for in terms of quality of ingredients. My favorite cookie is the Anzac (These iconic biscuits were originally made to send to the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) serving in Gallipoli. My favorite sandwich here is the "Aram" love these roll up slices!
(5)Mallory W.
I go here 3-4 times per week. AMAZING food every single time. I work across the street and I can't get enough. Large Ice Tea with Lemon is my go - to drink. My Favorite Meals: Turkey Melt Steak Sandwich Any of their Salads but especially the Beet Salad and CRAB CAKES Yum! Staff is awesome and super friendly. Highly recommend!
(5)Barbara D.
the food here is good. but the service and set up makes getting your food too much a hassle.I tried to avoid this by calling in an order, but then had to wait 20 minutes while the one woman in line appeared ot be placing an order for a catered event. My food came cold. Not a good experience.
(2)Christine J.
what a cute little cafe!!! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this while waiting for the dogs to be groomed @ Pampered Pooch in Belmont. soooo cute and chic. fresh flowers on the tables, white tables, cute decorations everywhere. clean and polished. amazing brunch and coffee and pastries. not the cheapest but def worth it. i loved it, have to go back ASAP!
(5)jeff h.
(Review for baked goods. Although the food seems overpriced as well) Are you kidding me with 4 and 5 star reviews? Over-priced and over-rated. $3.50 for a tiny cupcake? Go to Ohlin's across the street for cupcakes and baked goods. Food selection seemed small, and very over-priced as well. This is Belmont, not Newbury Street.
(2)Jerry J.
Good enough for a regular bakery, but I'm waiting to see something better for the price. If she wants to charge five bucks for a cookie and a glass of milk, it should be exceptional. The chipboard motif has got to go! I never saw such horror in interior design.
(2)Kathy P.
The brunch at Vicki Lee's is terrific! We enjoyed challah french toast with fresh fruit, fresh whipped cream and tasty Vermont maple syrup. I'm not even a maple syrup fan and really enjoyed it. The owner made a point to be certain that the table was clean before we were seated. Even though there were some people waiting for a table, they didn't rush us at all. I plan to return. If it wasn't so pricey, I would have given it five stars.
(4)Ben L.
I hit the busy point in my day right around 2-4 and I don't like to take my lunch too early so I swing out of my office around 4:15 to grab a bite to eat and I've decided to finally give Vicki Lee's a try after finding out that they have more than just cakes and they're supposedly still open even though it's got an abandoned look after about 2. So I waltz in and immediately get confused, I have no idea where the food menu is or what they're properly offering to eat. There are a couple of item lists and stuff around that I can't quite figure out so I go up to one of the counter people to get some help. It takes some prodding but I figure out that they switch between different menus during the day and I've apparently arrived at the time when they are just serving dishes for take-away. I still have to push a bit more to get details on when lunch is properly served because asking "if I was going to come back on another day and I wanted lunch, when would I come and how would I figure out what you have" isn't clear enough. I did get a little bit of a pork dish to take back to my office but the price by no means justified what I had gotten. This place is a mess and they need to get their shit together. I approve of their decision to be an upscale but causal place but that also means that your product and service should match what the customer is paying, at least make it clear when you can order your different meals and dishes.
(1)Barbara A.
Really enjoyed their brunch - had the French toast, they use the french bread with a hint of orange (?) and the fruit with it. Have also had the savory biscuit egg sandwich which was also good. Lost points because the charged me for extra water (not more tea leaves) for my pot of tea. For what they charge for brunch, hot water should gratis. Otherwise worth the trip.
(3)Tom B.
So I went here this weekend expecting a delicious brunch however I never got past the entrance way. We stood by the sign that told us "wait here to be seated" for five minutes and no one ever came over to us. Employees walked past us a few times but no one even acknowledged our presence. I have heard good things about this place, so maybe we will go back and give them another chance.
(2)Leli N.
This is a great place to have lunch or "meet up with the girls" at least from how I've viewed the place. Their menu isn't massive, but they do have a tasty selection of food to choose. My favorites are either the Cubano sandwich or the Steak sandwich with blue cheese aioli/sauce. I know the blue cheese may sound a little scarey and for me, I'm not a big blue cheese fan either, but it's actually pretty mild and not pungent. Instead, they serve it warm, which when you bite into it, it surprisingly compliments the steak very well. I've taken a few friends here and they have always enjoyed the food. I have yet to try the brunch here, but hopefully I will soon. They also have some other prepared special dishes, but they do tend to be a little pricey, as well as their baked goods. They do look very good though and I'm sure a lot of time went into making them. I'd probably splurge one of these days for a special occassion or bday to try their desserts/pastries. They did have some samples of their strawberry shortcake the last time I was there and it was REALLY good...so maybe I'll try that next time.
(4)Sara M.
I have driven past this place on my way to work every day but never noticed it. The only reason we discovered it was because we had to go to the UPS store. We walked in and were seated at a two-top near the window. It seemed very European inside and I loved the interior. Our server was an absent-minded and slow-moving person, who took 10 minutes to finally come to our table. I had a raspberry lime rickey and Husby ordered a cappuccino. Both were very good but I loved that my drink started off sweet on the tongue and moved its way to a crisp tartness. The Cubano wasn't that flavorful, although it did have a bit of spice to it. I only had a tiny bite but I found the roast pork to be dry. My arugula and pear salad with toasted walnuts was big and lovely. The licorice flavour of the greens complemented nicely with the warm, nutty, but slight sharpness of the walnuts. The shaved pecorino romano gave it a salty depth and it would have been perfect if the pear was a bit riper/sweeter. The dressing was barely there in the best way; it didn't saturate and wilt the greens but caressed them gently. I couldn't finish half of it and we took it home. It was still good the next day! I thought it would have been soggy but the greens were still quite fresh. The prices were a bit higher than I expected for the area but not ridiculous. We will definitely be back and I will be ordering a fruit tart!
(4)Jane A.
Vicki Lee's is my favorite breakfast/lunch spot. Best Food in Belmont! I love to sit at the mini "bar" and eat quick between my shifts. I love the daily specials and also the grab and go options. Here are some great choices at Vicki's: Roast Beef Sandwich, Crab Cakes, Pickled Vegetables that come with every meal (I need to know their pickling secret!), Cobb Salad, Brie and Tomato Melt and The Cubano Sandwich! everything here is SOOO GOOD. The Staff makes the experience! Priscilla is my favorite- she is so sweet and helpful every single time I am in there. Everyone is so friendly and nice also pretty quick service. If you are in Belmont check out Vicki Lee's !
(5)J M.
Breakfast and lunch here many, many times. Always excellent. Atmosphere reminds me a bit of a few places I frequented in West LA (SaMo, Venice) in the 90s. A nice escape from the Trapelo drag. When I leave I'm often (incongruously) in the mood for a walk down to the Pacific's sand and tide.
(4)soylinduh O.
This is a fantastic little cafe in Belmont right on Trapelo Street. Every time you go in there it smells like something is baking in the back. Knowing that the pastries are exquisite I ordered a cake for a friends wedding from here. I'm not a huge lover of chocolate cakes but the one we settled on was a chocolate genoise ganache cake which for the amount of chocolate it had was extremely light and tasty! They even have brunch and lunch specials so if you work in the area I would highly recommend checking it out!
(5)Dianne L.
I knew this place was going to be amazing when they opened and they kept blowing me away ever since. I do like to go here for a delicious pastry and a specialty coffee. The other choice is Starbucks that has a few day old pastrys, scones and cinnamon rolls. This place has fresh homemade cookies, cakes and scones that complement the coffee that I believe to be even BETTER than Starbucks.
(4)Caitlin C.
My boyfriend and I went to Vicki Lee's for lunch today. I tried the meatloaf sandwich which was a special and it was DELICIOUS. Perfect lunch portion with mixed greens on the side. He had a turkey reuben which he enjoyed as well. We split a piece of cake for dessert (medium rare cake) and the waitress had said that it'd take 5-10 minutes to heat up in the oven, since it's like a molten lava cake. We waited about 10-15 minutes and the cake came out lukewarm. It tasted great, but it wasn't melty or warm at all. When the waitress returned and asked how it was, I was truthful (against my boyfriend's wishes!) and she asked if we wanted to take a cookie on the road. I said no thanks, I just wanted to let her know that the cake wasn't as warm as it should've been, but she brought us a chocolate chip cookie anyway. The cookie was absolutely fantastic - just the right amount of chewy and tasted like my mom's homemade Toll House cookies. Fantastic service and wonderful food.
(5)Jeff O.
Bright, modern decor. Casual vibe. Friendly staff. Limited, but quality selection for breakfast. Everybody was impressed with their food. I had an absolutely delicious quiche, however the portion was laughably small. The side of greens completely dwarfed the little guy. For the price, I expect more. Let's not pretend where we are, this is Cushing Square, not the South End. But as the saying goes, quality over quantity...and VL's certainly lives up to that. I would recommend.
(3)Harout V.
The food here is EXCELLENT. Everything i hate here tastes so fresh and delicious. The bakery is amazing as well. Very much recommended !
(5)L L.
Really pricey, hence the four instead of five stars, but the best food! The counter staff need training. I've been in a few times in the last few weeks, and I don't think the counter staff has a handle on talking to people or putting fancy pastries into a box. I don't know what they are good at, but trying to get my cake slices not mashed into each other was a real chore, the other night. Even with the strawberry on the chocolate and the mocha collided with the lemon, my guests were gushing over the flavor. Best thing about them: ask for semi-sweet, they often have something not too sickly, American, overly sugared cakes. Taste being such a great thing about them, I can't understand why they have chipboard decor. A little weird, but it's a bakery, not a design store.
(4)Kathleen M.
Vicky Lee is still 5 stars for me as a bakery. My family thinks that the cakes are the best. Everyone is always happy, even the little kids, which surprises me because it is unusual. I eat there quite a bit. I like the salads and the coffee. I really like the cherry shortbread cookies. They have the only biscuits I have ever seen in a north of DC restaurant. Said biscuits are light and fluffy. It is 4 stars because I don't like to have to wait to be seated by the wait staff. But I usually sit at the food bar so I don't have to wait.
(5)Benjamin A.
Possibly the best scones (they call 'em "biscuits" but they're really scones) in the Boston area for $3 each. Great breakfast selection, and each dish comes with a real, fresh fruit salad (not just apples & seedless grapes). They only have table service on weekends but the menu is available every day. Great place to take a friend for brunch!
(4)Lisa M.
I agree with all the reviewers who said VL's is way overpriced for its portions (and even its quality). VL's will continue to get away with these prices until someone opens up something similar in Arlington or Watertown. I would go back to VL's in spite of the prices, because it's the only place nearby that has the whole "cute cafe where you can get pastries and fancy coffee drinks" thing going. This has been my main beef with Arlington since we moved here!! My husband ordered the breakfast sandwich. It looked okay to me. He thought it was "too much" but he doesn't like heavy food, and a breakfast sandwich isn't meant to be light in my book. I can't recall how much it was but BF sandwiches should never be more than $5. I believe this may have been $8 or $9 - very disappointing. I ordered a slice of tomato quiche, I thought it was bland, way too small (it was CRAZY small), and served lukewarm. The greens it came with were quite good though. I really think it was $12+ ... outrageous! I ordered their fancy iced/blended coffee drink, someone else mentions it below - pretty good, would order again. I probably wouldn't return for breakfast because the portions and quality were so out of synch with the price. I believe our breakfast (the above 3 items and a regular coffee) totaled $30 - and was worth about $15-20. If you're looking to indulge in a brunch date, Cafe Luna has amazing full plates such as chocolate-banana waffles, berries and cream waffles, lobster eggs benedict, etc., for less than what you pay here. If I go back it will be to get coffee and a pastry with a girlfriend. And that will be because again, I haven't yet found a cute girly-type fancier pastry/coffee/dessert place around here. Would love any suggestions...
(2)Lynette S.
yum!! beautiful, tasty food. I tried a couple of cookies, a cake and a torte(samples as well as what i ordered). the portions are nice as well. high end offerings, and worth it :) casual, modern atmosphere. (Like a gourmet deli/bakery vs restaurant). They have table service but it is not a tradition restaurant in terms of a date or dinner. but, if you don't mind im sure it is lovely for those occasions.
(5)Cheryl L.
See the blackboard for soups - always changing and always good. Try the Pea Soup with Ham. The Bagel was great - smoked salmon( soft as butter, hmm good ) , cream cheese, tomato, red onion and capers. Many wonderful sandwiches to choose from. Chocolate chip cookies always a favorite and of course expresso joined in.
(4)Noor J.
Vicki Lee did the cakes for our wedding and they were deeee-li-cious! And yes, I did say cakes, plural. When we went in to taste her cakes, we just couldn't decide which flavor we liked best. Since we love dessert, we decided on a cake buffet instead of a traditional wedding cake. Vicki Lee delivered six cakes to our wedding venue and worked with our florist to decorate them all beautifully with flowers. Our guests raved about dessert!
(5)D. R.
Great brunch, although they will not cook eggs the way you like them (they only give you scrambled). They have great takeout and amazing cupcakes! Also, John the manager is terrific - always so helpful and nice!
(4)dan m.
Food was great and wholesome. I went for brunch and had the Belgian waffle. It came heaped with a variety of fresh fruit, delicious. Coffee was nice and fresh, service was fast. Little pricy for breakfast but above par food compared to a traditional breakfast place. On another occasion I ordered a cake for a party and it was good, better than a grocery store bakery cake but not quite as good as a fancy bake shop cake. The cake was definitely on par for the price, I liked it.
(4)Laura W.
I went to Vicky Lee's for the first time today after working around the corner for almost 2 year. Boy, was I smitten! The interior reminded me of cafes of London, the atmosphere mellow and relaxing, and the food was delicious! Plenty of choices for lunch with some great specials. Vicky Lee herself stopped by our table to deliver our food sans soup spoon, which wasn't a big deal to me, but she took it seriously and gave us a couple free cookies! She also told me I was pretty. Not only did I have a fantastic lunch, but I left with a little bounce in my step!
(5)Steve Q.
Great food for breakfast or lunch.
(4)Stephanie G.
I went here for brunch today with my mom, and we were impressed by the feel of the place - perfect for a ladies brunch, I would say. It's cheery and there are sweets everywhere! Alright, good so far! We waited quite a while to be seated, and there were a lot of people behind us too. The line persisted throughout our meal, so I would say get here early. Now, I was probably the youngest person there save for a four year old with *her* mom, and I think that reflects the way this caters to a sort of wealthy Belmont crowd that doesn't actually want to eat all that much food (ahh, the weight loss crowd). The servings were small and a little pricey. My mom got a quiche which was a tiny little piece with some salad, and my sandwich was alright size, but the fruit salad was sadly lacking. Two blueberries and some melon slices? :( The food was honestly good though, and we also had the fresh lime rickey and the raspberry lime rickey, and they were delightful (like a ladies luncheon!). So, if you're going out with your girlfriends and you want to feel cute but not eat too much, but still spend enough money that it feels like a real meal, I would recommend this place for that occasion.
(3)Al A.
Excellent food. Awesome pastries. Friendly workers. Wonderful design and atmosphere. Service was a bit overwhelmed during lunch. Expensive because the quality is of such a high calibre (much better than most places in the Boston area). Belmont isn't the best location.
(4)Theo K.
Good food. Cakes are de'lish. Breakfast on Sunday's are excellent, although the service is always poor. Either you wait forever, or they forget something. And I wish it was only once in a while this happens. It's happens more often (like 3 out 5 times) then not. Basically, I won't eat breakfast here anymore. However, i do come back for cakes and the iced dolce is amazing. I'd love to give this place 5 stars, but the service is killing it for me. And it's a bit on the pricey side of things.
(3)T T.
Overpriced, out of touch (as in staff is distant). Nothing to write home about.
(2)Jess A.
I am not a sandwich person but I'm all about Vicki's breakfast sandwiches! Everything here is incredible :D Heard only great things about this place.
(5)Daniel M.
Do check with your banker before coming in here because the wonderful baked goods on the other side of the counter have to be some of the most expensive in the Greater Boston area. But....wow, are they worth it. Have had cakes from here on several occasions and pastries more often than that. Although the pastry selection isn't extensive everything is extremely tasty and always fresh - easily ranking with the best served in any bakeries within Route 128 and certainly rivaling any of New England's finer restaurants or hotels. Recommendations: Any of the cakes. For a really really special occasion they are exceptional...tasty, super-flavorful, and a lot lighter than one would think. Cookies are not cheap but are worth every bite, especially the very rich chocolate ones. And, my favorites, the lemon squares...at $2.75 they're pricey but worth every penny. Service behind the counter was, like the products from the kitchen, exceptional. The staff there could work anywhere. Strangely enough I've only been here for the baked goods. I plan to lunch or brunch at Vicki Lee's tables at some point in the near future. A fifth star may be in the offing...certainly I don't think there's any way they would drop to three. Excellent on a regular basis for those who've got the money, exceptional for those who want a special treat. Impressive.
(4)Ankelina S.
What can I say about this place except "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Roses" its a girly girls place to have lunch. I love the sunny windows and the clean and airy decor and though I think the menu is a bit overpriced its a fabulous place to go for a girls' lunch and conversation. I took my 70 year old mother there for her birthday last year and she loved it. If I'm having a stressful day and can afford the time, I treat myself to a breather there and call it a "restorative" lunch!
(5)Donna D.
Happy Birthday to ME! I had to buy TWO birthday cakes here because I couldn't decide on just one. Its OK though, Vicki Lee's cakes are light and delicious! Artful, tasty and a major hit. I'll post a pic soon, if I ever find the cam. I could have ordered something custom but I couldn't wait. What they had looked too good to pass up. We ordered the Lemon Love - light, citrusy and leaving you craving more with their Smoooooth lemony frosting and beautiful flowers. Also, the Chocolate Supremacy? or Chocolate Surprise ... I forget the name but it was a hit for those chocolate lovers amongst us. This one was a wee bit heavier ... maybe a lot more rich than the lemon love but worth every extra minute of workout after!! Chocolatey truffle-like cake with mouse and chocolate ganache. And the chocolate flowers were absolutely beautiful, and fought over, but the birthday girl (that's me) did get the middle treat. I was shocked to see the prices. For the quality, you can't beat this place! I got both cakes for under $60. I've been hooked on Vicki Lee's since I went with a friend to a barbeque at her home and never forget the AMAZING meal she served. VERY IMPRESSIVE!!! This woman, and her creations, can contribute to decades long memories. DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE to share the joy! You'll be glad you did!
(5)Donald W.
So a few times a week I stop by Vicky Lee's after lunch to pick up a cookie and iced tea. The cookies are very good. They have that crunch on the edges, but are soft-ish on the center. This should be an FDA standard on all cookies in the US. I may have to bring this up at a future Obama-McCain debate. Here are my ratings of the cookies I've tried: 1. ANZAC: When you look at it, you almost think you're ordering something that may be healthy. Then you bite into it and you can taste the sugar and butter and YUMMMM is the only thing you can think of. 2. Amaretto: Just started getting this one and I am sorry I didn't discover this earlier. Bursting with almond flavor and a nice gooey-ish middle. 3. Toll House Cookie (with or without nuts): Pretty good version of a classic. Can be hit or miss with the texture but generally good. 4. Chocolate Street Cookie: Chocoholics will like this one. Strong but not overpowering chocolate flavor with a hint of cinnamon. Consistently gooey on the inside. They also serve MEM teas which you see a lot of locally now. The iced tea has a nice, clean floral taste but is a bit priced at $3+. I never sit down at a table, but I find their staff nice and friendly. Parking is pretty good around the Common and Trapelo intersection as I don't have to circle or turn around too often for a space.
(4)jess h.
Huge fan of Vicki Lee's brunch and breakfast. I just wish they had more vegetarian options on the savory end of things... I ended up ordering a breakfast sandwich without the ham, which makes me feel sort of silly when it's called a ham breakfast sandwich. But I can live with that if it means having a delicious brunch that comes with a side of your choice out of their tempting display case. Call me crazy, but I would rather go here and pay a little more to have a normal-sized portion than have too much food on my plate and feel overstuffed as a result. I think we paid less than $30 including a tip for two breakfasts, a coffee, a latte, and a couple cookies to go. Best lemon squares I have ever eaten.
(4)Mikhail Z.
A coffee break at this place was the worst experience in my life! I went there around noon with my 2 year old son, my friend and his 3 year old daughter. Once we sitted and waiter came to our table, she said that we have to have lunch here or leave and come later! I've never heard anything like that!!! Why don't they remove all the pastry around noon if they don't want customers to have it??? We had to explain for few minutes that we are not hungry yet, that we just came to have coffee and some pastry. Every part of waiter's body tried to show us that she didn't like it (probably not our order, but just potential tips), but took our order. But that's not the end of the story. The most interesting thing actually happened later when our kids started playing with each other. Essentially, they just walked around our table - they didn't run around cafe and were rather quiet. But our waiter didn't like it (though, she might just wanted to have other customers at our table who will have lunch). She came to our table every minute and told us put our kids in babystrollers. Then, even manager of Vicky Lee started to count potential profit:-) She also came to our table and explicitly asked to never come to this place again just to have coffee and pastry! Ridiculous! Can you imagine that??? We had to finish our coffee quickly and leave that idiotic place ASAP!
(1)Clare M.
I love Vicky Lee's. The cakes are absolutely beautiful and always delicious (not too sweet). For a special occasion, totally worth the splurge.
(5)Deepa C.
How have I not reviewed this yet? I was so excited when this opened. Waverly Square needed a dose of girly, and this bakery was perfect. We had Starbucks and hardware stores and some takeout places and some second hand stores and random dive supply shops, but no where to really have a nice cup of coffee in a sunny room with a plethora of desserts. When it opened last summer, i changed my jogging route and undid my run with a cupcake, cookie or just a latte (they carry good coffee). Josh and I popped in for lunch after running some errands on Saturday and he had a nice sandwich (the Cubano - a four) and I had some soup. Excellent service, great atmosphere and decent prices. This is a good place to pick up a cake for a party, or just some desserts for Sunday afternoon. If you are in the neighborhood, it is worth checking out.
(4)Kerri O.
I had a totally delicious Apple Pecan Biscuit and an Iced Coffee, yesterday. This place is expensive, though. Kind of lacking in the choices department, too. My biggest beef is totally not their fault, though. They replaced Cafe Cakes, which WAS the best bakery I've ever been to. Anywhere. Ever. Cafe Cakes was run by 2 adorable Japanese girls who made everything from scratch, and they made the most flaky heavenly croissants. If you got one of their ham and cheese croissants, you died and went to heaven. I miss them. This isn't Vicki's fault, I know. Addendum: Thanks to Cha-Cha I found out Cafe Cakes is now in Watertown. Yippee!
(3)Fiona M.
OK. The food is, without a doubt, delicious. It's all freshly made in house. The cakes (especially the Roulade); Heavenly. The Tuna & Fontina sandwich; amazing. The lemon blueberry biscuits; to die for. The soups; magnificent. The aesthetics; sublime. The prices; crazy expensive! I mean, i know it's in BELMONT & all, but not all of us have $30 to blow on lunch for one! The cookies are great, but I will not spend the $2. I would love to be able to purchase a dozen of their cookies for when I have guests over, but $24 for 12 cookies? YIKES. I'll stick w/ Pepperidge Farms Thrift store.... oh, my poor guests. The servers are great, but it always feels like they're under the gun. Maybe a few more waitstaff would be helpful. Hey, if you want good food & the current economic recession hasn't affected your wallet, go to Vicki Lee's. I'll see you there after The Stimulus money is doled out!
(3)jen h.
I had breakfast there and loved it. Its rather pricey but well worth a sunday brunch. Coffee was also pretty good. I also ordered a cake there for my engagement party...the flavor was excellent and so was the presentation, but if Im paying a good price for a cake, I want it to be moist and it as a scoche dry
(3)Naomi U.
We finally have a true bakery in Belmont!! yeah!!! The stuff looks great and the owner is dynamic and friendly. Unfortunately, this place is at once an excellent French bakery and a caterers showcase. So the glorious bakery smell I had hoped for is masked by the omnipresent smell of roasting meats.
(3)J M.
Just stopped in for the first time for lunch. Had the chicken Saltimbocca and a wonderful green bean salad. I want to lick my plate... Can't wait to go back.
(4)Vanilla P.
This place rocks visually. It's minimalistic with the colors being funky gifts and yummy pastries, and you instantly feel like you've walked into a metropolitan cafe in Berlin or Prague. The restroom is kind of fun to locate (I'll give you a hint: It has a little man and woman logo printed in light orange on the particle board. It's also the only part of the particle board with a handle). The first thing my husband said was, "I usually hate the look of particle board, but this isn't country at all." We ordered french toast w/ fresh creme and berries, quiche with mixed green salad, and the homemade potatoes with caramelized onions. The french toast was outstanding, and it really tasted fresh and light. The quiche was very bland, and the little salad that came with was good, but I felt $8 was too much to pay for the dish. The potatoes were so tasty with the crunchy edges and caramelized onions -- That's all it takes for me to be won over. Oh, the waitstaff was awesome and very personable. We will go again. Tip: On Sundays, the brunch (which is what we went for) isn't crowded til after 11 AM, when Mass and whatnot are released from the surrounding churches. Then you have to wait for a billion years, or until the second coming, whatever's first. Sometimes it pays to be a heathen.
(4)Helen C.
Stopped at Vicky Lee's to pick up a quick lunch. Had a steak and grilled veggie panini which was truly exquisite. The fruit torte for dessert is simply spectacular. I will be definitely returning to sample more yummy food!
(5)jacob s.
A real discovery. My wife and I have been coming here regularly for two years. Great atmosphere -- clean and uncluttered, and modern -- and great service. And the food is also great. Sophisticated but unpretentious. Highly recommend.
(5)Jennifer S.
I had a lovely lunch here the other day with a friend. It was a particularly beautiful day and I wanted to go somewhere bright and full of the day's sunshine. Vikki Lee's was the right place. We sat by the window and were warmed by the sun. I'd only ever been to Vicki Lee's for bakery items - I recently discovered their delicious pain aux raisins (!) - so I'm glad to have finally had a chance to sample their savory fare. This was a birthday lunch for my friend and she was delighted with the atmosphere and her crab cakes. I chose the chicken piccata on warm baguette with lemon aioli and was quite pleased myself. I think I was most impressed with the crisp, fresh spring green salads that accompanied our meals. I definitely felt transported out of a cold winter day with those flavors. After reading other reviews, I was prepared for small quantities and higher prices, but the quality of the food (and service that day) was well worth it. The portion sizes were fine and what I would expect from a bakery/cafe for lunch. Just one note: be prepared that the cafe gets quite busy at the lunch hour (and I was there on a Monday). Try to go before or after the rush, otherwise you may have to wait and endure a bit more of a frenetic atmosphere. I, for one, look forward to going back.
(4)Michael Z.
High quality food and pastries. Great for Sunday Brunch. I have tried many things, and will definitely go. Salads are not mentioned but the cobb salad is really good. Everything is fresh.
(5)C. B. W.
One thing I remember about this bakery is, its darn expensive. I feel like this bakery wants to be known as sophisticated and classy so they do that by raising their prices but the quality of their desserts aren't really high. I feel like they spent more money in their packaging and making the store look so nice that they had to increase their price to compensate for it. My child goes to school around the corner so one day I decided to take her there. I didn't have time to make snacks for her that day so I took her out to Vicky Lee's. My daughter wanted the cupcake and I ordered the eclairs. The eclairs was great, but the cupcakes were just ordinary, The texture of the cake itself was something that came from a boxed mix, We ordered 2 hot chocolates in addition and the total of our bill was near $20. I was quite shocked, but oh well lesson learned. Next time, I just made sure I had time to make her snacks. Also, there are bakeries around and/or Russo's or Whole Foods that could help me with that, if I needed it.
(3)Tiffany R.
Good Lord, Vicky Lee's. I've given you 3 separate chances, each months apart because the previous was so bad. Each time though you disappoint me. Why do you do this, fancy Belmont brunch place? I really am routing for you to be good! Here's the thing, Vicky Lee's -- some of your food is pretty good. Like the french toast. But, what was it, $11 for 3 small pieces and some fruit? Come on now. While we're talking prices let's talk about your $9 Belgian Waffles that are about the size of a small cookie. You get two of those? For $9? And the bacon. I loves me some bacon. Especially good bacon, which you have. But when it costs $3.75 for 3 pieces and comes out cold it is neither good nor worth it. I can buy a whole package of good bacon for $5 and cook it up myself. Ooooh boy, don't get me started on that overpriced salmon benedict my fiancee was unfortunate enough to order. One bite turned me off to the dish for eternity. Salmon shouldn't have a fishy taste. Yuck! I know Starbucks is across the street so maybe you feel the need to compete with their "small batch/Clover" method. Here's a tip, though. Making a cup of coffee by sticking the cup under the drip immediately after turning the machine on makes for a overly strong, not so tasty cup. Your waitstaff are definitely friendly. Upbeat and cheery, just slow. I could lounge in your beautifully decorated cafe for a long time waiting for the staff to get to me, if only I wasn't still hungry from my little plate of food and hating on myself for spending $15 on it. Let's summarize, Vicky Lee's. You got that 1 star because your good food isn't good enough or actually enough to eat to be priced so high. Unfortunately for me your aesthetics and cheery waitstaff do not make up for that. Call me when you price for the right sized portion.
(1)Lois L.
Vicky Lee's serves wonderful freshly made bakery items and lunches (sandwiches, quiches and salads). The wait staff is very nice and the space is great with sunny windows and shelves of cool gift ware items. I am only giving 3 stars because they consistently run out of items, the portions are small and the prices are outrageous. Last Sunday they had individual fruit tarts for $6, regular size cupcakes for $3.75 and 2 inch oatmeal berry cookies for $2. While I love the food it is just not worth these prices.
(3)M. Deloris D.
There are tasty things at Vickie Lee's but for a price. The place flaunts a bistro atmosphere but not bistro speed service. The decor is an interesting idea, the lacquered blond plywood with white and yellow accents definitely makes for a bright space but for the price of the the products you'd think they could afford comfortable seating and add free wi fi for paying customers. It gets three stars mostly for the quality of its products.
(3)Sharon S.
I love this place. The scones are the best I have ever had (and that includes those I had in UK). I don't understand why anyone would stop at the Starbucks across the street for anything!
(5)Michael c.
Nice to have a decent food option in Cushing Square, but anyone can make good food. The service is SLOW, the eating area is hot and uncomfortable, and the prices are outrageous for the portions you get. Nearly 20 bucks for two small turkey club sandwiches is ridiculous!
(2)Timothy B.
My wife and I ate here yesterday with our 15-month old. It's a great casual place especially considering the fact that there isn't really anything else around in the area. It has a stylish decor and an interesting menu. I had the Belgian waffles, which were delicious. My wife had the Eggs Benedict, which came with some really addicitve home fries. The only down side was that it was extremely hot (I noticed someone else said the same thing in their review). It was in the mid 80's yesterday, but somehow it was even warmer inside. We also took home some dessert. Also, I couldn't find a high chair, so our baby had to sit in her stroller the whole time. A chocolate cookie (called Chocolate Street) that was full of nuts and very gooey on the inside. We also had a piece of lemon and raspberry layer cake that was a bit dry and looked better than it tasted. I would definitely recommend Vicky Lee's and I'd come back again!
(4)