Luca P.

Usually I go to the Lincoln Plaza Le Pain, but I wanted to eat something good that I'm familiar with and know it's guaranteed good hence today's location. I don't understand why people left somewhat negative reviews about Le Pain in general or this place: the food is always good whichever Le Pain I go to, the service sometimes changes, true. Today I have an attentive waitress so it's all good. The amount of food is sufficient for me; if someone is saying it's so little: well, it's not the typical American restaurant where they stuff you with carbs and sugar only so you feel you can't even move after. It's good stuff here, good quality ingredients that leave you full but not sick. All in all: I think Le Pain Quotidien is guaranteed good food. Always.

Aurora C.

This review is for Le Pain Quotidian's hot chocolate only. I ordered the hot chocolate here and was left quite upset with the cold and chalky drink that they served up. Will not be returning.

Brittany S.

I work around the corner and LOVE these guys (and gals!). It didn't take too long before I felt like a regular (something that can be hard to do in a city of 20 million). They know my drink order AND they know my boss's drink order. They are also stellar with customer service. Yes, between 11am and 1pm they are very busy and will move you through the line quickly, but isn't that what we really want here? When they are slower there's a nice personal feel to almost all the interactions. Also when school gets out it is flooded with moms and little ones picking up snacks - kind of cute, kind of eye-roll inducing when you're in a hurry for a coffee and little Susie is considering every pastry possible one by one..... Also, if they mess something up (rare but does happen, like cheese ending up on a salad that was requested to have no cheese), they will make it up in full by replacing the item or giving a credit. That kind of customer service wins, every time. I've noticed some staffing changes but all of the new staff seems to be just as lovely as the regular staff I've come to know over the last 6 months or so. The ONLY thing I would love to see (other than a dollar knocked off all the prices ha) is their soup of the day listed on their website. Our office calls every day to find out what soup it is - just little things. GF crackers are definitely a win and their condiments (Harissa sauce is sooo good) are great and could make fun little gifts if needed last minute. Try it out, there is something for everyone here.

James R.

Took my family for lunch here on 8/8/15 around noon. Of the four of us, two of our sandwiches were not made with the ingredients listed on the menu. We notified our server, who brought out the missing ingredients, and we added them to the sandwiched ourselves. I can understand if one meal was made incorrectly, but if two out of four were made wrong, that suggests they're having some issues in the kitchen.

Anastasia B.

After the restaurant completely changed the employees and managers, the atmosphere became different. Tourists probably won't notice. But we don't come in to dine in anymore. However, every morning I am there buying pastry and Latte. Service personnel could have better attitudes. Sometimes there is a large line, mixed up orders, and a half empty latte. Still love the apple turnover and the organic milk in my drink. Just wish everything was more welcoming and more organized.

Scott D.

Every sense was delighted by the wonderful array of dishes served here, we will be coming back. Plus we loved our server Marijia

Jacob M.

A decent location of a decent chain. Deceptively large, it's easy to grab a table to sip coffee at or nosh pastries with a friend. If you do, be prepared though as that means you get wait staff. An aspect I was mildly confused about when we had already ordered things and then found a waiter asking us what we would like. Their cold-brew coffee was a welcome treat on a steaming summer day and left me very energized. The tart I had was meh at best, so I was a little miffed that it was more than $4. Overall, it's a decent place with the prices you expect for Madison Ave. On the brighter side, it's much more casual which is a lovely foil to the stuffiness that permeates most of Madison Avenue's restaurants.

P H.

I had their iced coffee- refreshing & organic. (I like mine plain black- bold, rich, & strong.) Though not my top iced coffee experience, I'd order it again. My friend had the sparkling hibiscus tea, it sounded refreshing & delicious- it was flat & overall non- impressive. However, I will note that I feel this drink has potential to be not only delightful but refreshing & inspiring. We shared an almond meringue, between 3 people, that looked like a small loaf. It was definitely sweet, a friend described it as "teeth curding sweet." (Luckily for me the black, no sugar iced coffee was the perfect complement.) I'm not a meringue person, nor a fan of sugary things but despite that I would say the almond flavour was exquisite. From the little that I know of meringue texture, it too seemed perfect to my untrained eye/mouth. My friend ordered the Quiche Lorraine which she described as filling and great with the perfect side salad. Another friend ordered the Prosciutto & Ricotta Tartine and absolutely loved it. She felt it had too much ricotta but from my standpoint it was a balanced ensemble to the prosciutto. I had the Gluten Free Paris Ham & Aged Gruyere Tartine that really hit the spot and was filling to a T! The mustard trio was the perfect accompaniment to the taste bud orchestra in my mouth. My only ordering regret is not living in the city to return on a regular basis. Service, an A+, Clint served us and he was a delight, patient, knowledgeable, as well as good at reading our need for privacy at one point.

Thomas W.

A Healthy Breakfast that is fun, and enjoyable! Contrary to other reviews I enjoyed the energy and variety here. Fresh OJ, scones, coffee. Is this a place for foodies--certainly not. However, there is something to be said for a place that always serves quality!

Jennifer C. L.

YELP 365 CHALLENGE - 2014: 22/365 Top 5 reasons why you should consider eating here: 1. Food healthy & clean 2. Organic & Gluten Free options 3. Walking distance to the MET Museum 4. Walking distance to the MET Museum 5. Did I mention walking distance to the MET Museum?

Jennifer Y.

Absolutely love this cafe/restaurant! As a Francophile, for me, the atmosphere is so relaxing and pleasing. There's a comfortable level of chatter and noise, definitely a place for everyone from families to older couples. I had one of the brunch meals and it was so satisfying. The service was quick and attentive, and the food was warm, well proportioned, and worth its price in my opinion. The food is simple French-inspired, but so tasty (crunchy, cheesy, smoky). The restroom situation is a little uncomfortable, but otherwise a very pleasant experience.

David F.

For a franchise as large as this to run out of apple cider, hot chocolate, and half a dozen menu staples,, right in the middle of the New York City Marathon, in the heart of the finish area, is inexcusable. Has to be terribly managed- not to mention the $10 they charged us for a small cup of bland soup.

J M.

Quite and warm place to spend a few moments, alone or with friends. The quick foods that I have enjoyed were tasty and probably done in the premises. I never leave without taking home at least half of their slow leavened artisan bread. None better.

Ella T.

Horrible here. Not crowded on a Sunday brunch and staff is chit chatting and does not pay attention to service. I had to ask where I can sit, had to ask menu etc. Every waiter had blinders on! Never checked back on us to see if we need anything else.

Susan D.

Nice relaxing atmosphere. Food was great and thinking about returning tomorrow. Nice salad and cheddar fritatta with peas. Ham and cheese croissant good also.

Kathy C.

Fabulous coffee and frittata ...and of course breads. My friend's oatmeal looked so good I kept hoping he'd go somewhere so I could finish it. Lots of organics. Very sweet staffers despite a hectic lunch scene. Yum!

Sarah M.

I don't know why this place has a 3 star average. I came here for lunch today and it was great. They gave me nothing to complain about. Service was great, fast and very friendly. Food was also fast and delicious. I ended up coming back later for coffee that same day and had an equally enjoyable time. I'd recommend this place to anyone. The atmosphere is great too.

Ben W.

Upscale Cosi. Delicious, but won't be going there every Sunday. Came here for brunch with a friend before my bus ride back to Philly. I needed to stop by the Met for a bit and found this place was nearby on Yelp. We were fortunate enough to be seated almost right away when we came in, even though it was during prime time for brunch. The place is a bakery in the front, with a seating area off to the side. I really liked how it reminded me of a traditional home kitchen because there was a huge wooden table in the center of the dining room, long and looking like it could fit around 20 people. Different groups of diners were seated all along this table, as well as at tables on the side. There were also cute signs that taught diners how to eat a tartine. We got some waters and placed our orders as soon as the server came by. We both wanted to try tartines and we went with the Prosciutto & mozzarella and Smoked Atlantic Salmon. The presentation was beautiful: my prosciutto was thinly sliced and arranged on top were the chunks of mozzarella, a piece of sun-dried tomato, and joined with a portion of spring greens and slice of cantaloupe. The salmon was topped with dills and chives and had a side of avocado, greens, and a lemon slice. I initially didn't like the flavor of mine because I thought the sun-dried tomato overpowered the prosciutto (which it honestly did), but by the third slice I didn't care too much. The salmon was much better. It had a lot more substance and the smokiness really cut through the freshly sliced bread and the lemon and dill made great compliments. I definitely would order that next time. All in all, it was a fun brunch on experience on the Upper East Side, but I probably won't go back because it really made a dent in my wallet ($17 for a very very small portioned brunch). If you've ever wanted to try a tartine, I would definitely suggest this place because of the quality and presentation, but if you're looking for a more traditional, hearty brunch, I'd skip it. Pros: interior decorations, variety of menu (lots of tartine choies), quality of ingredients, presentation Cons: some flavor combinations, price Dishes to try: Smoked Atlantic Salmon

A A.

I've always found this food chain somewhat expensive although I always acknowledged the quality of the offerings. However, one server named Arisbel has made me re-evaluate how I should be fully supporting restaurants that have organic, whole foods and staff members who are also connected to a humanistic philosophy in their interactions with people. Arisbel was extremely patient with my senior citizen parents and her timing in knowing when we needed something was impeccable. For this inspiring reason, this Pain Q location will be my preferred destination given the excellent service and proximity to some of New York's most important cultural institutions that are as enlightened and eager to create opportunities for others.

Mark M.

Very quirky coffee shop located in the Upper East Side. I had no idea there were so many of these shops in Manhattan until I looked them up on Yelp. Unfortunately, we were only able to visit this one, but if the rest are set up the same way, I think they are in good hands. Great coffee, great food, and a very hip ambiance sums up our trip here. I absolutely love the idea of the communal table. It brings people together in a way that only a coffee shop could.

Lyn T.

The grunola is to die for! Turkey and avocado toast is so good too! Clean fresh atmosphere and the staff are great.

Susan M.

I loved the restaurant on Lexington that my friend took me to for breakfast. Great bread, an organic soft boiled egg, butter, jam and a bowl of coffee, which is how it was served to me when I was an exchange student living with a French family. To me, it was the perfect breakfast. I never thought I would say this, but I was delighted to find out that the restaurant was actually a chain so there were "Le Pain Quotidien" locations all over Manhattan. This time, I visited the Madison Ave location for lunch. We split a kale Caesar salad, and salmon tartine (open face sandwich) and both were really good. And a cafe au lait made just the way I like it. You can splurge on the desserts and breads, but you can also have a really good meal and feel you made a healthy choice. I have not had room after the meals to try the the pastries, but did study them quite intensely and they all looked wonderful. I did splurge though, by buying the cookbook. It is really well done, and I saw many recipes I wanted to try, and also looked like they could be easily prepared. There is a communal table, which I though was a neat idea. I give this chain 5 stars because I really enjoyed my meals, it is real food, the foods have vegan choices, a wonderful selection,, is a good value, and should get five stars for being a restaurant chain you can feel good about. Simple, many organic, whole foods.

Davis D.

Food tastes good but the dishes are very very small so its very expensive for what you get. We are not coming back again

Eater N.

Please get better coffee.

Charlie V.

Ahhhh. Where shall I begin since I always have a great time. I can always depend on this place to give a spot on experience. I was here last week with my two uncles and I was so excited to see that the chicken soup was back, it was exactly what I needed. The day we came in for some reason it was bone chilling outside ( it could have been just me--- I am always cold, maybe poor circulation?) and that soup did just the trick not to mention the HUGE Mocha I ordered, it was decorated with a heart and everything. It made me feel special. A woman came by, I presume the new manager, and offered us samples of the one a day green juice, I think thats what its called. We were all hesitant she managed to convince us by telling us a couple of the ingredients so we went for it. It was actually surprisingly GOOD(refreshing!). My uncles aren't real concerned with health trends but that must mean something right? We finished off with some dessert, the mini tart trio. A perfect example of a little going a long way. We were satisfied and even my uncles were impressed. Surely, we will be back soon. I am always in the neighborhood. TIP! : if you're here for brunch get a mimosa and avocado toast, you cannot go wrong -Charlie Villa

Adrien O.

The location and the interior is great, the food was okay but the service is slow. Real slow. 20min to get orders, take the check, everything take ages to get. On top of that, the service is unfriendly and seems to hate their job. Won't go back, and you shouldn't plan on going either.

Judith K.

A wonderful neighborhood cafe just a block from the museum. Great coffee! We had the hummus, baba ganoush and quinoa tabouli plate served with an assortment of bread.

Vittorio B.

I'm a regular here on the weekends. I usually come here for a macchiato or espresso and a pastry before heading to my tutoring sessions. There is one young lady who I sometimes get that is great, but if she isn't there or the manager isn't nearby, the service is really subpar. What is irritating is the staff at the front in particular usually isn't familiar with the products they're selling, which I think is ridiculous. It's almost as if they're hired and receive next to no training. This afternoon I went in, and it took a good 20 minutes to get a simple order with two people working the front! There was a couple ahead of me, and two people helping that were clueless. When they finally finished helping them, I ordered a sparkling water, a macchiato and two financiers, and instead got still water, two financiers, and had to ask to have my macchiato remade, as it was not made the right way. At least the cashier was apologetic for the wait and mix-up, but service would be a lot better here if the employees were trained properly, as the food and beverages are solid. I've also had lunch here a few times (again on the weekends) and had to grab another staff member to get my check because my waiter was MIA. In short, if you come here during the week, particularly during the mornings, my experience has been that service is much better.

Shannon F.

I preface this review with the fact that I was forever spoiled on brunch by going to Sant Ambroeus right down the street yesterday. That said, here are my thoughts... Decent brunch spot, warm and inviting. The communal table is a nice change of pace but not if you are a party of more than 2. It would be impossible to talk across the table so unless you're side by side it would be tough to talk to each other. I was thankful that our party of two got a separate table. It's certainly busy on a Sunday afternoon but we didn't have to wait long. Coffee was ok, I was hoping for better. I had a Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with miso/tahini dressing that I thought was delicious except for the very bland, large slabs of tofu sitting on top. They were wet and boring. The rest was good - slices of carrots and purple cabbage were nice additions. I also had 2 soft boiled eggs with a selection of in house breads which were perfectly cooked. Way too many breads for me but then I suppose most people wouldn't also order a huge salad. My BFF also ordered the soft boiled eggs and was pretty happy with all the breads - she got some jam on the side and got through most of them. She also ordered a salad but hers was not a winner. A Warm goat cheese salad was a miss - the lettuce was just boxed spring mix with lots of wilted bits - like the end of the bag or bottom of the box. The dressing was ok. For $14 we expected a lot more. I don't honestly know if I'd go back. Actually, half way through writing this I decided to go from 3 stars to 2. I'm not really sure why there are so many rave reviews. The desserts in the bakery looked amazing but we were too full to try any.

Ever V.

I have made it a ritual Sunday date to come in for brunch and to the metropolitan museum thereafter. It cannot be a better idea :), this place can be a lil pricey for the a breakfast but it's all worth it. They have a wide variety of jams and nutella spreads. Organic salads, tartini sandwiches, yum love it, with hot coffee. Writing this post just made me realize it's time to go again! :)

Martin Z.

Loving the communal seating. Cool decor. Very nice vibe. Prices are accordingly. The food was good for what I ordered even tho I forgot what I ordered, but I liked it. I Would def recommend this place to any foodie I know. Organic and gluten free options.

Erica F.

Niketa is the best. She makes my iced coffee just right every day and takes that extra step to commit to great customer service. It's nice to see her friendly face every morning.

Owetta T.

Visited today to pick up a large lemon tart. Today was wine tasting day as well. There were chocolate chip cookie samples which one woman conveniently stood by the bowl with the samples like they were her's. It was a bit crowded and there was a group of people behind the counter but only one handled the baked goods and she was on the phone with a large order. After the confusion I finally got my tart and realized I should've gotten a smaller size.

Lisa U.

This restaurant was super fun and we had the best drinks! I had the hot apple cider that was so beautiful, I took a picture of. My husband had a hot chocolate in which they steamed the milk and then they gave him a cute mini porcelain pitcher that had melted Belgium chocolate to pour into the milk. Great atmosphere. I wish we were hungry because I would loved to try their breads and their spreads as well.

Pamela S.

LPQ's are consistently four stars in my book -- they offer pretty, tasty, relatively healthy gourmet salads, sandwiches, and soups in addition to baked goods, espresso drinks, and breads, all for a little more than you'd like to pay. However, this location feels smaller, more cramped, and appears to have an abridged menu. For that reason, I'm docking it a star. There are so many LPQ's in the city, especially on the UES, that I would probably skip this one in the future.

Vivien R.

Bread is good, everything they offer is crazy expensive for what they serve and on top of that we order waffles and when the waffles came to the table they came without syrup, when we asked for it they told us they charge 75 cents extra for it. Completely unacceptable. We called the manager "Ruben" and he was amazingly nice and respectful but yet their policy are their policies and NO syrup. Ruben brought a brownie to the table to make peace. Thank you Ruben.

Matthew L.

I came here for brunch with my friend right before going to the Met on a Sunday in the summer. I've been to two other LPQ (one on 88th&Lex, the other one on 53rd&5th) and found my experiences at the Madison Ave. location to be a lot more pleasant. Service here was a little better than the other locations I went to, even on a busy Sunday morning. We both ordered open faced sandwiches (called "tartines") -- (1) Paris Ham & Aged Gruyere and (2) Roasted Turkey, Avocado & Sprouts, both of which were pretty good. The bread that the tartines were prepared on were made in-house, and was fairly a simple bread... almost a bit rustic. Tartines range around ~10-11$, so it's fairly reasonable for New York Standards. I've tried some of the baked items at LPQ, and they tend to be overpriced and fairly bland. I got this hazelnut flute that I was expecting to taste like nutella--well no, it was just a long piece of bread with hazelnut pieces in it. It would have tasted a lot better with some chocolate in it, but alas no. It cost me around $3 bucks for that sucker, and since I paid quite a bit for it, I finished every single nasty bit of it. If you are to come here, you should come for their tartines, not their baked items.

Jen O.

Rude terrible service. Like I was bothering him. Good food, but the rudeness is a little much. As a frequent UESer because of work, I expect a little more. Would rather spend more money somewhere else. If you don't like people, don't wait tables.

jody g.

Something wonderful has happened at Pain Quotidien on Madison Avenue. This is the original cafe. Ground zero. I've been going there ever since it opened 15 years ago. Family is blocks away and I love the big table for eating alone or with friends. The place had gotten a little slow with service recently but this past week I stopped in while visiting NYC from California and there were two young men that were meeting and greeting and making sure everyone was happy. It seems that something has happened with management and it is working. The young man from Belgium (I'm nosy so I asked) is friendly, kind and interested in creating a restaurant/cafe experience that welcomes everyone. The place is transformed.

Kristie O.

This is a warm, welcoming Belgium breakfast spot, complete with communal tables. I dine here with my sister every time I visit her in NY. I got the smoked salmon with cheese, dill, capers & soft boiled egg on bread. We also shared a chocolate Crossaint . Of course, they're famous for their Belgium waffles, which are amazing as well! It's also very family friendly; there were many strollers and younger children today.

Melissa T.

The best place for lunch. Their tartines are so delicious. I ordered the Fig and Ricotta tartine, while my brother had the Chicken Curry tartine. Both were about $10. The quality was amazing. Everything tasted so fresh. I wish I ordered a pastry or something sweet. Maybe next time.

Amy B.

I was impressed by this restaurant, I ordered a Buche de Noel and it was put aside for me, a huge help. I had the curried chicken salad, yummy! The staff were very friendly and helpful. It's nice to go to a restaurant with affordable food that's always fresh!

Zach R.

The service is quite friendly. The quality of food and drinks are quite good and original. Though it is a bit pricey for what you get. Normally I would just stop in for a quick beverage and small pastry . I had the Organic Masala Chai Latte, Chicken Pot au Feu. Both were rather nice on this cold NY day.

Miriam B.

I make an annual food pilgrimage to France( going at the end of this month) and the baked goods stand up to any patisserie there :-). What a delightful surprise. I'm incredibly picky after working in a bakery for 5 yrs but this place did not disappoint!. Organic ingredients lovingly prepared. Beautiful pastries, terrific croissants and excellent beverages. This place is also family friendly. They have healthy low sugar items as well. Which is nice for people like myself who are diabetic. I had the veggie quiche. Side salad with pesto dressing. The iced mint tea served with lemon and a small croissant. They even have gluten free items!. Everyone should come here!.

Katie A.

I usually love Le Pain Quotidien, but this was the worst one I have ever been to. We came in on a Sunday around 3:00. It wasn't crowded, but it also wasn't empty. There were a few tables open. However, the waiter insisted we sit next to the bathroom instead of one of the other open tables.... we ignored him and sat at the other open table that wasn't jammed into the wall. After we sat down, it took twenty minutes for anyone to come by to give us water and take our order. We had to pull three waiters aside before anyone would help us. It took another 15 minutes before we got our drinks. I had ordered Earl Gray tea, but got green tea instead. No one would get me a replacement tea. Once our food came, it got a little bit worse. We had ordered a baguette with the brunette spread. There was hair in it. I had ordered a grill peach, watermelon, and mozzarella salad. The peaches were canned. There was no dressing either. When we asked about replacement spread, they looked at us like we were crazy. It was a total disaster of a brunch that lasted three times longer than it should have. Definitely wont be back to that particular location.

Harvey A.

I love Le Pain. I've never had a bad experience here. I love their espresso, soups, tartines, salads and pastries. But the bread, oh the bread. Really no need for pastry. Just save a half slice of the baguette that comes with everything, throw on some nutella spread and preserves that are free on the table and, viola! dessert. Buy some beans for coffee at home. Some of the best. Great servers too. Want a tip? After you go to church in the morning drive in on Sunday (lots of free street parking), go to Le Pain, sit at the community table and chat with some interesting out of towners, eat a nice meal, then go to the Met Museum. Can't have a better day. GO THERE!!!

Simon M.

Had the fig, prosciutto, pear tartine. Great bread, farmer cheese was slightly sweet and smooth, but could have used more fig and more pear. Overall a nice sandwich.

Iris B.

this has been one of my favorite cafes for a very long time. Their communal table is a great idea for NYC as it sits you next to strangers of all sorts although this was the UES local so the clientele was a bit ritzier. They have fresh healthy mostly organic items on the menu... one of my favs is their open-faced sandwiches called tartines. They also have their versions of Nutella (which I think is WAY better!) as well as a dark chocolate spread, and plain hazelnut spread (the French do love their sweets in the morning)...you can try all varieties as well as their jams which are always on the communal table. Their are also other seating options if you don't want to sit with strangers... Their are two-seaters for you and your honey. When you walk in you're initially first greeted with their homemade french pastries which are oh-so-good! Someone else mentioned it has a rustic vibe and it certainly does...like a comforting country inn... They have several locations throughout the city however I'm partial to this one because it's close to the MET and now it's tradition to do both. Never ever had a bad meal or time here.

David S.

Feels so much like a European cafe, I almost forgot to leave a tip.

Jewel Y.

I wasn't really planning to review a chain like Le Pain Quatidien because this place is like an upscale version of Starbucks. The tartines are mediocre to good, but don't blow me away. The coffee too is subpar and overpriced. If you charge $4 for a cup of cappuccino, at least make it more flavorful! I felt like I was drinking cafe au lait! However, I love their $12 vegetable and gruyere cheese quiche! Sooo good!! Very fresh and tasty! I'm not particularly fond of quiche in general but I'd give 4.5 stars just for their quiche, highly recommended. Overall I consider this place to be overpriced for what it is....$10-$14 for an open sandwich doesn't appeal to me so much especially when they are so comme ci comme ça. For the same price you can have better quality meal elsewhere.

Aisha L.

Very delicious, very fresh and some organic food. I like the decor in the inside. It has a spacious raw feel to it, like you are in a woodworkers loft and he just made the chairs and tables that you are sitting on. We came at lunch time on Sunday and out server was crazy busy. It took him a while to get stuff to us, but he never forgot. (ie i asked for butter, refill on my ice tea, a spoon) We got the black bean hummus open faced sandwich, a bowl of carrot soup and the a special salad they were having of buffalo mozzarella and watermelon and peaches. Everything was yummy but VERY bland. We needed to salt that food a lot, and the salad needed more dressing. (I think this is their way to keep the calories down, since NYC is required to list them on the menus, if they put zero salt and little dressing everything will be under 500 calories, smart but bland, I heard this place is a chain, perhaps I will try the one in Philly.

Doreen L.

Le Pain Quotidien has a slight rustic vibe: rough cut wood, chalk board, simply executed no frills fresh foods (with some organic ingredients). The three of us were seated, past the tower of fresh baked breads on right and the communal table on the left, on a small table for four next to the coffee machine. There was a additional seating area in the back. I recommend avoiding anything close to the machine- it sounded as if it was grinding a small elephant. We gave up shouting over the noise b/c it would suddenly finish and we would be left shouting random phrases to the whole bistro. The food was simply prepared, was an acceptable casual dinner and inexpensive for the upper east side. Yes - the praline spread is an addictive nutty spread. (We had to stop one of my friends from spooning it directly into her mouth).The cheese sampler was adequate appetizer for two, the tartines had fresh hearty bread and well combined ingredients. We each got a different tartine to taste the different types: ricotta cheese, salmon, grilled chicken and smoked mozzarella. The salmon did not have stink of rotting bacteria, and the ricotta cheese was lightly sweetened with figs and honey. An acceptable nourishing meal, accompanied by great conversation after an afternoon at the Met. The waiter was sweet and extremely accommodating: giving us multiple utensils, napkins; gracious with our odd requests: to try the praline spread and split the bill in multiple ways for 4 people. (My friend began putting stars, circles and squares in the check and asking him to share the appetizers, not the wine, and to charge based on her impromptu system. Immediately my other friend and I stopped her and told him to divide it evenly). And they let us sit as long as we desired, even after the bill was paid. No one hovered over us to get us to leave. Thanks, Le Pain Quotidien. I will remember you as a place to meet long time friends or just to chat and break bread after walking the Met.

Mike O.

What a lovely cafe. The communal table is pretty sweet, always a spot to sit when I've visited. The coffee is grand, and the croissants are flaky and delicious. The service here has been spotty. Sometimes its been flawless, and other times a little too negligent (how can you let me sit for 15 minutes and not check in?). Also, I have a problem with the centerpieces of bread that also serve as menu holders. Aren't there starving children in the city? A little opulent-seeming, even if it looks like a nice touch.

Stephanie C.

Food- Good, fresh. Location--Nice. Service--Ehhh. Prices-- Blegghh. This is my second visit to LPQ' the first was the one near Bryant Park, which I'll say off the bat was a much better experience. They were just a lot more efficient. At this UES location, I think the overall place was smaller so naturally it was a little more chaotic. Worth the 15 minute wait- ugh that was step 1. I mean, for LPQ. This is a generic place, not a Penelope's (ahh Murray Hill brunch speak, review for that to come later) Around we sat on the communal table (which is endearing)-- but then the bad service trickled in. Firstly, although everything is organic here, the food is way too pricey. I love me some fresh baked bread, but that "fresh baked bread" at LPQ, racks up $12-14 in the form of a tartine. Slap on some smoked salmon, and LPQ thinks that's a good price. As you can imagine, I did order the smoked salmon dill avocado tartine-- all of which I thought was fresh, minus the avocado. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't as soft as I feel most avocado is. And the presentation was just slapped on the side whereas I expected some kind of spread. Honestly, there's a part of me that feels as though I could have bought whole wheat bread myself for less than $4 and slapped on the smoked salmon. The smoked salmon was decent-- pretty flavorful but not too salty like most kinds of smoked salmon. I also ordered the sour du jour, which was a Broccoli soup-- that was okay. It was a little bland. But mind you, it's plain ole' broccoli soups- no cream of, no anything. I doubt there was anything else in that Broccoli soup. It was blended very well though. Not really worth $5.25, even for organics! The service was bad bad bad though. They were several understaffed or our waitress was just scattered brained. I ordered a hot water with lemon, and she gave me a cup with hot water-- no lemon. My friend ordered a cafe au lait, and got the cafe and au lait but no cup! It took 20 minutes for us to have our drinks assembled and even LONGER for the food. Awful. I should have left a smaller tip. Afterward, we paid the check and I popped into the bakery for a mini lemon tart as I had no patience to wait for a dessert menu. That was good. It's not the best spot for a homey comfort breakfast, as most of their breakfast items, are just knick knacks (hard boiled eggs-- though their self boiled eggs looked cooked perfectly and delicious-- pastries, bread, bread, bread--well it is French--, jam-- their Belgian sugar waffle which I thought would have materialized into something hearty but they were selling it in a little plastic bag! It was more like a pastry). All in all, a good place as a chain- but this place is uneven. It isn't an ideal brunch place for the area and not worth $20, but food-wise, it was an enjoyable meal.

Julia K.

For a late breakfast this place hit the spot. The Hot chocolate is very good because you can control how much chocolate you put in it. I like to add a little sugar because I prefer the drink sweet. As for my meal.. the Salmon Tartine was delicious as usual compared to the belgium waffle. The belgium waffle is usually very fluffy and topped with whipped cream with berries. Today, the waffle was some what dry and did not have the whipped cream. :( Luckily it did come with fresh berries, YUM! I missed the almond butter, which is amazing! Great service on the other hand.. would come here again

Mariam M.

I have bene to numerous Le Pain locations, and usually I love them! This location however, was horrible! It was a little busy, but our waitress was rude and very slow. She kind of had an attitude with us, and when we asked about portion sizes on certain items, she was waaaayyy off. We had to wait 10 minutes just to get cream for our coffee, and by the time we got it the coffee was cold. Definitely not going back to this location.

Lori K.

Had a quick bite for breakfast here before heading off to the Met. All I can say is that their brunette praline spread is all you need to have a satisfying experience here. Slap that stuff onto their fresh, warm, and crusty baguette, and you've got yourself a delicious treat! You can even buy the stuff by the jar, so you can smother all the bread you have at home with it. Shoot... you don't even need bread now that I think of it. I ended up scooping the stuff with a spoon and eating all on its own... probably not the most healthy decision, but it is that good. I also had the organic yogurt with berries, which was also pretty good. Service was average and prices were decent. Overall, I can't say this place would earn more than 3 stars if it weren't for the brunette spread.

Duke C.

I think this might be my favorite Le Pain Quotidien. Sitting down having breakfast at the large communal table on a busy morning is just much more fun and exciting. I'm from LA and it's tough for the Le Pain Quotidiens there to get the foot traffic that can be compared to NY. Stopped by here before we went to the Metropolitan Museum to grab a cup of coffee and something quick to eat. I love their bread and the free spreads that they provide just makes it that much better. A little expensive for breakfast but that's expected from anywhere that uses organic ingredients. Our food and drinks came out fast. Chocolate croissants good as always. Definitely use the spread if you have bread or the olive & vinegar on the table. A wide selection of breads and pastries makes this place a great spot to stop by for breakfast or just to relax. Being near the MET definitely adds value to this particular location.

Sarah H.

Delicious. Fantastic atmosphere, the food was incredible. I had the French lentil salad, and have been trying to emulate the recipe ever since. My dining partner had the six-vegetable quiche and it was to die for. The mixed-berry tart made for a perfect finish to this reasonably-priced, delicious mean. I would definitely come back.

Hayley G.

Great service. Had the enormous chocolate chip cookie. It was hard and crunchy but super yummy! I also had a chai latte that I added 2 shots to. I could not taste the espresso and let the waiter know. He didn't even question me, and added 2 shots for no extra charge. The latte was just ok, not very flavorful.

Peter H.

This outlet is one of the best of the franchise. The food is well prepared. The servers are nice. The space is good. The atmosphere is nice and cozy especially on a sunny afternoon, looking out the window from inside corner of the restaurant. A pleasant experience.

Jeannette R.

Gorgeous Autumn Saturday morning on our way to the MET. I couldn't have asked for a better place to have brunch. It wasn't crowded at all and had the friendliest service. I had the broccoli soup, which was more on a broth side (which I loved) than the usual creamy textures that most come like. I also had the roasted turkey & avocado Tartine. Overall a great experience.

Alan L.

I'm not sure if this place is understaffed or what exactly was going on but service was soooooo slow. We ordered two of the baked goods and a pot of coffee and it took forever to finally get to our table. One of the people that was with me actually ended up going to the counter to ask to buy the baked goods directly but was told that we had to wait for the server to serve us. After the food finally arrived, we had to catch the attention of another server to give us forks, knives--you know, the things you usually need when you go out and eat. This might be a European-style restaurant but I wasn't really expecting European-style service. The coffee pot is not that big. I was expecting some large pot of coffee for the entire table but really, I'm pretty sure it was about 2 (2.5 at the most) cups of coffee. The raspberry tart was pretty good, especially the fresh strawberries but the apple thing we got (it was like bread with apple slices baked in, but it wasn't the apple pear turnover because they sold out of those)) was nothing to write home about and pretty disappointing. Also, pricy. Would much rather just gone to a regular Starbucks.

Yi Ting C.

They make the food sound better than it is. The paris ham and cheese tartine was just ham and cheese on bread. My tuna tartine with white beans was too salty. They dress up the food really nice and are obviously organic-oriented but the prices are too high for the type of food they're serving.

Lulu M.

I typically enjoy the Le Pain Quotidien menu but the service in this particular location hasn't been great each time I have visited. The staff are very friendly, however are so rushed that it is difficult to get their attention. The result is a long waiting time to get served/the check and also for order requests to be provided (e.g., milk for coffee)

Matthew S.

I came here for breakfast and I found it decent. I took my breakfast to go and it took a while for them to get my food which I thought was strange because there weren't many people in the store. The coffee was good. The croissant was buttery but good. The pain au chocolate was really tasty at a decent price and the baguette was really good.

A A.

So we have a couple of these in L.A/L.A suburbs. The atmosphere on the UES is amazing and fantastic. The waiters are way nicer, there is a lot more room, and the menu is surprisingly a little different! It is healthy, low calorie, and they are really looking out for your health here. Is it expensive? Not really, everything is around $10 maybe a little more or less, which is great for New York. And then you can stroll on over to Museum Mile and Central Park which are only 3 blocks away. Love love love this place. Tartines are the best *heart*

Peter K.

I lived in London for six months in 2008; they have LPQs everywhere in London. I also visited LPQ's home city -- Brussels. When I returned to New York, I figured it wouldn't be that hard to find a good baguette but boy, was I wrong. I don't know what it is about how they make bread in Europe, but it's so easy to find good bread there. Anyway, after many disappointing trips to local mom and pop bakeries around the city, I realized I should check out the LPQ and see if it's as good as it is in London. So yes, I went to LPQ and all I got was a baguette. It was kinda pricey (about $3.50) but at this point, I don't give a sh*t. I'm willing to pay up to $5 for a kick ass baguette. The baguette was really good. I don't think it's as good as they are in London but still one of the best I've had in New York (I'll have to do a side by side taste test between LPQ's baguette and Sullivan St. Bakery's). I do need to actually eat here too -- I love the idea of the long communal tables.

Laura T.

As most people mentioned the place is a bit pricey (I don't usually pay $10 for breakfast). Other than that the waitress was very helpful and the pastries yummy. Their plain oatmeal with berries was REALLY well done but then again it is just oatmeal.

Caroline B.

I've been here twice--once for breakfast, once for lunch. The food is very good but I'm not blown away by the service or the prospect of having to sit at the communal table.

Lucy L.

Food was fine, the customer service was not. One on one customer service was fine. What is NOT fine is having several waiters and baristas loudly having an inappropriate conversation for all (including children) to hear. My order took longer than necessary because they had to discuss the size of someone's bottom. Awesome! I will never, ever go back there again.

Joel R.

I came here recently for a mid-afternoon snack, something to tide me over until dinnertime. The daily bread has a nice atmosphere for a chain bakery, but the table service seemed a little off: although desirable near-window seats were available, we were seated in a cramped back corner of the restaurant, and even though the place was half-empty, our service was slow. As for the food, I tried a sharing plate with my wife and I had mixed feelings about it. The dips were quite good (especially the ricotta, which was closer to farmer's cheese but tasty all the same) but the bread itself was pretty disappointing. The french bread was okay, but the whole wheat was soft and had very little flavor. Also, not a typical complaint for me, but the drinks were undersweetened and coarse rock sugar does not dissolve very well in cold drinks. All in all, an okay choice but not my favorite.

Andrea H.

I came for lunch before stopping by the Met. My sister and I shared a cup of gazpacho and the turkey avocado tartine and salmon tartine. The food itself here is decent. The gazpacho could have been a little better but we still slurped it up. I was almost tempted to give this experience 1 star, just from the experience the wait staff gave us. It was bumped up to 2 stars because the food is good and the hostess singlehandedly made up for the horrible wait staff. We were seated by the hostess who was super friendly and gave us the option to sit at the communal table or wait a couple minutes for a table in the back. We decided to wait. After she seated us, she told us our server will be right with us. He/she wasn't. We were kept waiting so long, that we had already gone over the menu and decided what we wanted and still were twiddling our thumbs while waiting to be approached. The hostess saw us looking around and asked us if we've been seen yet. We said no, not yet... soon afterwards, the waitress came to us all cheery as though all was right in the world. All was not right, we were huuungry! She took our order and that was the last we saw of her. She might've stopped by while we were chowing down but we were too busy eating to notice. After we were done eating, we played the waiting-around-looking-around game again. We even signaled being done with our meal by placing our napkins on the table and taking our wallets out. Finally, a different waiter saw us looking around and asked if we needed anything. Our waitress didn't even bring over our check; the hostess did. Horrible. By the way, if you're wondering if the waitress had left because her shift was over, it wasn't. I saw her the entire time we were there.

I love this place!It's part of a Belgium Chain, and the taste of their bread and patisserie is simply delicious.The staff are nice and friendly, and the smell of the fresh bread just makes my mouth water.really pleasant and welcoming European like spot in the middle of NYC.

Alexandra S.

I had lunch there on a Sunday and got a seat right away at a long table. The place is nice and open, bright, cheerful. The bread and pastry really good. I had a veg cesar sald which was crisp, fresh, and delicious. Came with 2 pieces of bread for $12. Reason for 4 vs 5 starts was the prices, albeit inexpensive, I though they were overpriced for what you get. Maybe that's just upper east Manhattan but still. Ididn't have any desert but the couple sitting next to me had a strawberry parfait and some croissant pastry and it look amazing. Perfect lunch or coffee/tea/pastry place on your way to or from the Met.

Vivian H.

Sort of like a high end Panera. But still...I like it. Came here for lunch with a few friends, and it was a pleasant surprise. They have a nice long, communal table and it easily fit our party of 6. I shared the broccoli soup and it was nothing exciting. A bit bland. I had the salmon, beet salad, and that was terrific! Arugula, arugula, everywhere! There were many pieces of salmon, and the beets were fabulous. It was fun to have lunch here, and would def come back to explore the sweets and the hyped-up praline spread ;-)

Rob D.

OK ... so I must preface this one with the fact that my friends and I were quite hung-over from a string of amazing nights out in NYC. It turned out to be an incredibly good idea to treat our bodies to some organic goodness after seeing the Guggenheim and Central Park. The fact that I instantly fell for the most beautiful blonde girl I've ever seen (server, Alta), who immediately took my breath away - is secondary ... but absolutely skewing my experience and this review :). Our server, Emily, was perfectly attentive, friendly and helpful. I only have one bone to pick with Jasmina who ever so politely came by our table to say that my friends 2 sandwiches were ready, but we just had to wait a bit more for my 7 layered veggie quiche (which was sensational .. a wee bit small, but packed with such goodness, my body thanked me). Now, back to Jasmina . . . I just couldn't help myself when my 2 friends said 'absolutely bring our food and he can wait for his quiche' lol. Jasmina actually thought I was joking when she asked if I wanted anything, to which I happily said, 'well, perhaps she could bring me my quiche and say hello' (looking Alta's way, with a very polite smile) ... the gals all had a good laugh, apparently told and made beautiful Alta blush ... but unfortunately, she had just finished her shift and disappeared from my life. Hence, this off-topic review in hopes of Emily, Jasmina or Alta reading it and saying hi on Yelp! ... a whole new use of social media, lol. Lastly, I was very comfortable with the very large wooden communal table, which added to this place's very family like atmosphere. There was a wicked book on the table containing the recipes and info about the owner, the history and the dishes. Well done for not being so gaurded with this nutritional tastiness. All the best, Rob

Noelle W.

Sigh... I will dream about this place. Such a perfect french cafe and bakery. There's a beautiful wooden communal table that you can sit at, but my date and I opted for a cafe table at the window. We both ordered the Belgian hot chocolate, and it comes to you as hot milk and a pot of semisweet chocolate that you mix in. LOVED. I ordered the best Belgian waffle of my life. It comes topped with mixed berries, mint and powdered sugar. It has a crunchy exterior with a fuffy inside, and the juice from the berries soften it up. My date had a granola parfait which was good, but also sort of plain. The sweetness of the berries were supposed to balance the plain yogurt, but it didn't seem to be enough. We topped my waffle w/ some yogurt..BAM! exactly what it was missing. On another occasion I bought an apple tart that was amazing. Would go back and get 10 more. My favorite part? They have packaged waffles for you to buy and reheat at home!! SCORE!

Obi W.

Tum yum. Not a bad spot. This place is for sweet tooths. Lots of options to pick from. Pretty good pastries and desserts. The cookies are worth a try because they're freaking awesome. The place is very small and it's pretty much counter service. The prices aren't too bad. If you want to surprise your friend with a special snack, come here. You won't be disappointed.

Melody M.

Great cafe for people watching if you sit by the window!

Fredrik L.

We tried a variety of things and everything was really good, although pricey, and not really worth the price. It was also well put together. Our server seemed inexperienced, did not provide milk with my granola and did some other weird stuff.. Seemed like slow service in general and it wasn't busy at all. The waiter also left while we were eating, not letting us know or telling another waiter to cover.. Guess his shift was over :p Can't give less stars tho, cuz food was good!

Ann L.

This was my first visit to a Le Pain Quotidien. I wasn't blown away with the quality of their food. It is definitely an overpriced place to eat at, especially for salads, tartines, quiches, and bakery goods. They do have a few unique items that you commonly don't see such as pistachio tart, fig tartine, chicken curry tartine. I ordered the butternut squash with organic bread. My friend had the vegetable quiche and we shared a an order of spelt. Both our children had a croissant, turkey and white cheddar on bread, fruit and cookies. Overall the food tasted ok, very average. For 3.95 per croissant, I was expecting it to be superior than one that I would get from a coffee truck guy. I did enjoy the praline spread, which I've never had before. Our bill came out to $50. Service was slow and wasn't very attentive. I was annoyed that we had to ask for water after being seated for over 15 minutes. Although it was lunch time, the place wasnt' packed.

Shannon M.

The service at this location is much better than its counterparts. I ordered the vegan quiche and it was good. But, I was like, seriously - bring on the next course bishes!!!! I was hungry - it was only 300 and some calories. I am a pig and this place made me want to be a model who would eat a vegan quiche and be satiated. I wasn't. It did not even satisfy one of my fat rolls.

Julia S.

Convenient little cafe near the Met. Place was packed when we walked in. We were in a hurry so once seated, we quickly ordered a soup and a tartine. Soup du jour was split pea soup. It was ok. It tasted healthy, which I appreciate. The tartine was chicken pesto. Also okay, nothing to write home about. I wished we had time to sample their desserts. It looked scrumptious. One can only hope they'll open a branch in Houston.

sascha b.

Rough hewn communal table. Menus held in place on table with huge slabs of bread. racks and racks of delicious looking goods, and.... bowls of organic belgian chocolate for drinking on cold winter days. I can't speak to the food, as we only stopped in for chocolate. But the chocolate....the chocolate...this is a decadent bowl of hot frothy steamed milk, served with a small silver pitcher of intense, rich, delightful, magnificent organic molten chocolate. Pour that into the milk. Swirl. Sip. Heaven. It's busy and loud and I can imagine that when it gets crowded it could be hell, but when we were there it was damn near perfect: a great buzzy vibe of people and activity, not quite ever verging on noise, with the feel of the sort of place that, if I had the gumption, I'd want to open myself. And I'd definitely want to be serving people something as close to perfection as that bowl of belgian chocolate. Four fine stars.

j p.

Everybody stepped ahead of us in the line... We waited ages! The hostess is completely incompetent. The service is mediocre. We decided to sit rather than wait... How many hours before someone takes this order???

Cara A.

Regarding the food and beverages: See my review of the 77th Street location ( yelp.com/biz/le-pain-quo… ). This location, however, loses a star and a half for truly sucky customer service. There is one lovely, friendly woman who is sometimes behind the counter. But if she isn't there, prepare to be ignored and/or receive an incorrect order. You might even be charged an extra couple of bucks for it. In all fairness, I guess your experience here depends on the time/day you visit. I tend to stop in on a weekend late morning on my way back from running in the park. I can tell you this is NOT an optimal time, unless you actually like lines and strollers and noise.

Boo P.

Great place for breakfast and pastries. Their salads are great, too. I like the breads with the spreads they put on the tables. Fresh squeezed OJ and delicious coffee.

A B.

Just had a great lunch here. I had a very tasty open faced sandwich. I do agree with other comments, that the service isn't the friendliest. But they aren't mean either, just a bit aloof. But overall everything was so yummy!

Sven E.

With its typical communal wood table in the center of this French-like bakery this place makes a difference, especicially for Europeans. Of course, it is just one location among numerous ones in NYC and worlwide of this Belgium chain. However, the (at least marketed as) organic bread and patisserie really taste good - but it also comes at a certain price. Moreover, the service could have been a bit friendlier and more attentive as it took some time until we have been served. But all in all, a satisfying and relaxing experience in this city.

Jaye B.

My friend lives in the hood and this is her staple eatery. I can see why. We stopped in yesterday afternoon for a late lunch and it was delicious. We both had the Grilled Chicken Cobb salad. Sounds pretty boring, no? Let me tell you, that was one of the best salads I've ever had. If I lived here, I'd eat it every day. And sometimes? I'd eat it twice a day. The chicken is julliened along with avocado, blue cheese, bacon, tomato and beautiful greens (no egg for me since hard boiled egg is my most hated food on the whole planet). Everything is organic and beautifully fresh and crisp. The dressing was made from lapschong tea. Seriously, I want to go again. right now. And the bread. Oh Lord the bread. Rustic, simple, hearty, and delicious with butter. This morning, my friend's husband ran over there to grab some pain au chocolat which looked delicious (I stuck with my plain ol' container of yogurt though). Even though I'm only here for two days, I'll be back before I leave for sure. Will Austin ever get some bakeries? Ever? I might have to move. Sheesh.

Justin B.

The frittata was good albeit a little bland.

Lisa Z.

I came here for a cup of warm drink to make up for the cold weather. I was looking at the delicious looking pastries but had to resist. Ordered myself a cup of small mochacchino. It isn't the best mocha I've ever had, just that it was too bitter for me. It would have been better, if I had bought something sweet along with it. I would definitely come back again for their pastries.

Miranda S.

Uneven would, I think, be the word best used to describe this place -- both in terms of the service and the food. I went for lunch with a girlfriend, around 1pm on a weekday, and it was pretty crowded. We were seated fairly quickly at one of the charming communal tables (which are made from reclaimed wood). The decor of the place is, in general, very rustic and warm and cozy. Not more than 30 seconds after we had been seated, the server arrived to take our order. We we're ready, obviously, but we did order drinks...or, at least I did. He rushed away before asking my friend what she wanted. Another waiter came a few minutes later and took her drink order. Once we had placed our food order, my friend's soup came instantly. She was finished with it by the time my salad, or any of the rest of our food, had materialized. We shared a small spread of different cheeses and breads. Both were very good. There were several freshly-baked breads and all were excellent. The cheeses were obvious choices (a blue, a brie, etc.), but were fresh and tasty. I also had the goat cheese and arugula salad. It had toasted pine nuts and shaved parm. on it and would have been good had the greens not each had about 4 inches of stem on them. It was such a tangle I could barely get a bite of it in my mouth. I tried cutting it, wrapping it around my fork and all other manner of contortions and finally abandoned all hope. We shared a lemon tart for dessert. Having seen the case of treats, my expectations were high....and could not have been dashed any more fully. The lemon curd was lumpy and grainy - almost as though the cream and eggs had curdled when the lemon was added. The shell was too thick and doughy. Not very nice at all. Though the waiters had pounced on us the very second we arrived, pressing for our orders, we had to wait about 20 minutes after we'd completely finished eating and then flag one down for the check. Despite the spotty service, I will say that all the waiters were very friendly. I think I wouldn't have minded the chaotic swirl and the uneven quality of the food if the prices had been a little lower. I realize that this is the Upper East Side, but I think $30 for a shared appetizer, a salad, and a shared dessert to be a little excessive. Ah well, better luck next time.

Monique L.

We found this place while walking down Madison on our way back from the Guggenheim. It looked quaint, and smelled fantastic. My husband had the Basil Pesto Chicken tartine with the cranberry chutney. He said the cranberry made all the difference. I ordered the quiche veggetarienne but I got the quiche lorraine instead. Despite the mix up, I decided to eat the lorraine anyways, since it smelled so good. This was one of the BEST quiches I've ever had, and I really like quiche. It was made fresh, as opposed to most places that make batches and then let them sit under a heat lamp. It was hot and fluffy and gooey and not too dense. So tasty!

Daphne H.

We were on the way to the Met - it was sunday, sunny & cold. At 2pm - it was our brunch time after rolling out of bed at 1pm. We yelped some places that served a brunch in UES close to the Met and the first one listed was Le Pain Quotiden. We took the subway uptown and only had to wait a little while before we were conveniently seated by the window. I love the communal dining table in the centre. The little cafe had a European sense about it. At some points, it didn't really feel like I was in NY. J and I were both overwhelmed by the menu - we hardly knew what to choose. He settled for a fantastic shrimp salad and I went for their chicken and mozzarella tartine. His salad was delicious! A little too delicious for my tartine - because it paled in comparison. Nevertheless, we had a yummy brunch, accompanied with a homemade lemonade and brussels breakfast tea. At the communal table, there was a group who were devouring a yummy basket of organic, artisan bread served with praline, butter and jams! It looked very good. But they stop serving that at 2pm and I looked at my watch and it was 230pm. Damn. Next time I guess. Thankfully, this chain has many locations so I'm coming back and stuffing myself with bread once more :D

Candice A.

I love this place. You could just go here and order bread and be happy. I recommend just getting a side order of 5 grain bread (which is 3.50, it has nuts and rasins in it too) and just load up with the hazelnut spread and jams. its sooo good. I'm just a bit disappointed because they changed the hazelnut spread. The consistency is more like a jiffy/nutella instead of the grainy drippy one. Might I also recommend their chocolate mousse cake? MY sister got it for me for my graduation and it was so deliciously light, sweet and not heavy at all.

Amar P.

My visit to LPQ was fueled partly by a listless stroll down Madison trying to avoid medical school, as well as a need to appease an intense attack of nostalgia for my trip to Paris this past summer. Ordered some turkey + avocado + mustard concoction that, for 470 calories and 4 slices of lightly topped bread, was definitely not a $10.25 sandwich, but it tasted great, and the bread - oh man, the bread - was phenomenal. I actually ended up removing the turkey/toppings on my last slice just to have the bread separately because it was so good. Also ordered a Belgian hot chocolate (my first one!) and was blown away by the rich chocolate flavor. My bill came out to $17, however - no hot chocolate and light turkey sandwich is really worth that - so come for the bread, service, ambiance, and drinks, avoid the overpriced sandwiches, and you'll have a great time.

Daniela V.

The oatmeal was horrible. They took forever to serve us. The worst part: our server was a racist female dog. She spoke to me as if I was some sort of idiot. I speak English, dumbass. How do you think I freaking ordered?! I'm never coming back. I'd never send my worst enemy here.

Rachel G.

Food is extraordinary and unique. Over priced. Crowded ALL THE TIME. I like the communal tables :) But they don't have a typical brunch menu. So I tend not to go there over the weekends. Their desserts are to die for. SO I would go lets say once a month maximum, not more than that.

X marks the spot ..

One of the cheaper sit down eats in this area. The space has a large communal dining table and smaller tables interspersed throughout. The overall decor is on the rustic, unfussy side. I'd say it's very appropriate since it sets the tone for the food, which really should be the star. Brother and I ordered the roast beef tartine. The ingredients were definetly fresh but the portions much to my brothers disappointment were small. Then again after a full day at the Met and walking around on an empty stomach you crave a heartier meal. The split pea soup was alright, but not memorable. I might have been underwhelmed by the place if I hadn't tried their bread. I do recommend it. It's also a good place to stop for some dessert and coffee. The pistachio, marzipan tart was amazing. Do try that if it's on the menu. Maybe their salads are better than their tartines?

Alison W.

We stopped at this place after a visit to the Met. It's a chain place in NY and we had seen it all over the place but were not familiar with its organic concept. A friend had also recommended it. They have a counter full of different pastries that all looked really appetizing. We decided to sit inside. There are smaller tables and one large communal table in the middle. Also tables outside if it's a nice day. Anyways we both got the turkey open-faced sandwiches. I really liked how fresh and light it tasted. It had these alfalfa sprouts and avocado pieces and a thin slice of turkey. A slice of tomato on the side. And the bread is very grainy but not dense. And there's a weird wasabi tasting mustard that gives the whole sandwich a nice kick. Portion size is just right for one meal. But a bit overpriced at like $12 or more per sandwich. I also had their iced tea lemonade (aka Arnold palmer) that's sweetened with a natural sugar/honey. I liked it. Service was turtle slow. I tried to speed things up by bringing our check to the counter to pay and got rejected. They wouldn't let me do it. We waited another couple minutes for them to notice us and like 5 more minutes to bring us back our change. Grr.

Jacob J.

This little bakery-cum-cafe is rather cute, and comes off as adequately French with a touch of rusticity without being twee. There's a counter for those after a baguette or a more sugary take-out, a couple of small tables and one very large communal table. The staff make sure you're being attended to (at least on the Sunday around lunchtime that I visited, when the wait was only a couple of minutes) and keep the place spic-and-span after each visitor. The breads are pretty darned good (and organic), no doubt the pastries too however on this occasion I didn't try any. The Gazpacho was superb (and available in a cup or larger bowl), especially accompanied with some iced pomegranate tea. They have some lovely hummous, and the cheese board comes with Fourme d'Ambert (albeit not quite enough, likewise the olives!) but a little too much of some other boring cheddar-like cheese. Visiting Le Pain Quotidien is not unlike having a rather satisfying lunch in a French home after a trip to the local market, which is always an experience, although in this case you'll be surrounded with tourists, old ladies escaping their park-view apartments and comparing jewellery, and perhaps a few urbanites.

Tiffany T.

Have tried the open-faced smoked salmon sandwich ($12something). Delish, fresh and filling. Salmon, crisp cucumber and tomato slices, fresh dill...all on top of multi-grain bread. Squeeze some lemon juice on top and chow down! Also tried their blueberry muffin ($2.35). Wonderful nutty grain taste. Crumb is surprisingly moist and fluffy for a grain muffin. Has enough blueberries distributed throughout. Only thing didn't like was the sugar crust top. Could see the sugar granules. Update (10/12/08): This location is quite charming. It has tables near the storefront and in the back. Choose depending on your mood. I LOVE the five-grain bread. The crust is studded with oatmeal while the crumb is so tender with raisins and various seeds tucked inside. Hazelnut flute is good with whole hazelnuts and raisins. The apple turnover is good but more like dessert than breakfast to me.

Rachel H.

le pain quotidien has one of the best menus around. you can't go wrong. everything is prepared well and delicious. some of my favorite items are the tuscan platter, quiche, ricotta and fig tartine, and any of the soups. they've also got a heck of a drink menu. the cappuccino is one of the best i've had. and don't get me started on the mint lemonade. mmmm... the other awesome thing about this place is that they don't care if you stay for a couple hours, shooting the shit with your friends. i went this past weekend and was there for well over 2 hours. the down-sides to LPQ are the less than always attentive service (nothing bugs me more than having to request a water refill), and the slightly high prices. i generally justify the prices because the food is so darn tasty, but it is always weird to get a $90 lunch bill. (that was among 4 people.)

Robert C. Y.

Wow, $10 for a loaf of bread...color me impressed....NOT!

Lindsay F.

Good, fancy lunch. Little pricey but yummy.

Anon Y.

There are some cafes that bring on the Pain in the Le Pain Quotidien but this is not one of them. Large relaxing space, lots of staff that could be a little more attentive. Good for two or groups. Everything organic and super foamy cappuccino. I go here if I don't feel like making poached eggs at home.

Kortnee B.

The waits on weekends are kind of annoying, but this place is great. I tried it for the first time in Paris & fell in love with my brunch. I generally steer clear of chains, but I love Le Pain Quotidien (it started in Belgium) for it's great food and its relaxed, rustic atmosphere. The lattes are fantastic. All of the sandwiches are served open-faced in perfect portions, on fresh breads. My favorite is ricotta, fig & honey. "Brunette" the house-made praline spread, is absolutely to die for--I've had friends ship it across the country for me. It's something that everyone NEEDS to try, it's just that good.

Steve F.

Their Belgian waffle is flat out, the best waffle I have ever eaten. I believe it was a liege waffle, as it seemed to be made from dough rather than from batter, and had some crystallized sugar baked throughout it. It was simply dressed up, sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with fresh blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. My only complaint about it was that I would have liked it to be bigger, but it was filling enough for breakfast. The staff was also very friendly. We had just landed in NY after taking a sleepless red-eye flight from the Bay Area, California, and had some time to kill before we could check in to the place we were staying. We were one of the first customers to eat in that morning, and they let us stay for a couple hours drinking Mochachinos and working on our laptops with their free WiFi. While we're staying in New York this week, we'll likely make it a point to go back to Le Pain Quotidien several times.

Sooj O.

The food deserves 5 stars, but the service is often slow (if you are seated; the counter is much more brisk). At the counter you can buy terrific sweets that you won't find almost anywhere else. I used to buy these nut-laden dense squares called Beggar's Squares, but last time I was here over the holidays I didn't see them. There are also these things called French donuts filled with cream that often sell out. I've only managed to snag em a couple of times. If you are sitting for lunch, they have good hearty soups, and beautiful sandwiches. These are not generic sandwiches in the least, but truly meals to relax over. Oh, and do get coffee and dessert at the end of the meal. They might be out of the French donuts, but they have delicious little fruit tarts and lemon tarts. By the way, they are trying to go all organic, or as organic as possible in New York, with the ingredients. So, eat with confidence that the ingredients are fresh. This is one of the few places near the Metropolitan Museum that is neither over-priced nor fussy while being delicious. I just wish they would beef up their staff a little.

Haley M.

Ooo I'm such a sucker for quaint cafe's. You caught me. I stopped in with some friends for a pick-me-up after a museum visit. It was relatively quiet and calming. I had an espresso, and my friends had cappuccinos that came in these huge bowls. They looked frothy and amazing. We all split the smoked salmon and the ricotta and fig tartines, which were so flavorful. Our waitress was very friendly, a welcome relief on the UES. Watch out for those prices, though, they'll getchya.

Catie S.

I really enjoyed the food here. The sandwiches are served open faced on a board-like plate (fun) and the tuna was delicious. We also got the chicken club salad, which was quite large and also yummy. Even though it is a chain, the restaurant had charm . I would definitely go back. I didn't try the pastries but they looked divine. The service was a little slow.

W V.

A very tasty spot for lunch and/or snacks. Good coffee and desserts as well. I am always pleased to swing through this place.

Tom W.

I wandered into this little French bakery/cafe off the subway and was very happy with my experience. I was surprised to later find it's a chain around the city. The restaurant has a rustic look with long wood tables encouraging communal eating. I got a ricotta, honey, and fig mix on a harvest grain bread that was really lovely - a subtle combination of sweet and soft cheese that was exactly what I was looking for. I enjoyed it so much I got another order of walnut bread that I enjoyed with their offerings of butters, jams, and a tremendous praline butter. The prices are reasonable, though definitely not cheap, and for some reason the drinks are all pretty pricey, with tea and coffee being around $3 each.

Susannah R.

My aunt and I went to Le Pain Quotidien on Saturday for lunch and it was delicious. It's nice to find high-quality without a high price tag. I had the smoked mozzarella and chicken sandwich. It was quite delicious. I will definitely return (especially given that there are multiple locations).

Julianne C.

I've had brunch here a few times at Le Pain Quotidien and it's a good staple around the UES. Great selection of brunch and lunch food, along with their bakery/bread counter. Just walking by the bakery portion of the restaurant makes me want to succumb to my inner most desire to eat bread and bread only. But alas, my low carb diet led me to organic soft boiled eggs and sides of Paris ham and gruyere. These are all items that could have come out of my refrigerator so I can't really comment a whole lot. Although, the gruyere was really good. And the eggs were really done well, which is a lot more than I can do. I was totally satisfied and full, when I was done with my meal, though. The tartines are the highlights at LPQ... the combinations of different deli meats and spread on toast is what stands out here. I had it last time so I do know what I'm missing!! The service is just so so today. Our waiter made me feel kinda bad about changing my order. (Originally planned on having the Chicken Cobb Salad.) He was brisk with his responses and I swear he rolled his eyes at me! Maybe he was having a bad day? Other than that, it's a great place to go for brunch.

Rachel R.

Really tasty eatery catering to health food. Seating can be a real pain, and if your party is large you can expect to wait forever. But the sandwiches and soups are tasty, and it's easy to eat vegan here. Their bread is fabulous (and should be, since their name means "daily bread").

Alvin Y.

this is a great breakfast place, simple and delicious. the french bread is fresh from the oven, i tried the parfait the other day, it was perfect! very relax atmosphere. if you looking for ham and egg that kind of breakfast, go to the dinner in the corner.

Kap N.

tasty indeed!