Sebastian’s Cafe and Creamery opened its doors this past Tuesday at 1685 First Avenue (between 87th and 88th streets). When you enter the cafe, you walk into a sleek and modern space with its smooth, crisp, black and white walls; shiny lights; and sparkling, spotless mirrors that display the menu.
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We had the chance to grab some coffee and a snack at Sebastian’s on Friday. Although the owner was not present when we visited, we were greeted by Trey, our friendly barista from Bushwick, who exuded excitement about the new business and serving customers.
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The menu at Sebastian’s includes hot and iced coffees (between $4 and $6), pastries (from $1.25 for a biscotti to $5.25 for an almond or hazelnut croissant), ice cream (from $7 for a small cup to $13 for a sundae), and sandwiches (from $8.95 for grilled cheese to $10.95 for turkey and Swiss and ham and cheddar). The sandwiches are not yet available, but Trey says they’ll be ready soon. Some items that really caught our eye were the rainbow cookies ($3.75), the blueberry muffins ($4.50), the frappe float ($9), and the fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies ($3.75).
We tried the peanut butter sugar cookie—soft, smooth, and rich in flavor. Your hands and clothes might get sugary, but it’s definitely worth it for these perfectly baked, heavenly treats. We also had a small hot chocolate with almond milk (though very sizeable for a small). Initially, it did not taste very chocolatey, and the almond milk taste was more prominent. The chocolate became more noticeable towards the end of the drink. Nonetheless, this cup of comfort hit the spot on a surprisingly brisk summer evening.
Sebastian’s has outdoor seating only, but tables are aplenty, making it a fun spot for people and dog watching on First Avenue. More details at sebastianscafecreamery.com.
“Sleek”??? Is that what we’re calling this now? I long for the days of cozy true coffee shops with lots of places to sit, counter space. This is a very antiseptic, unwelcoming vapid space. They could have done better. Not for me.
Miss the Japanese cream-puffery that used to be on that stretch. This seems more like every other cafe with sugar snacks. But good luck to them!