Cafe Hestia

Solid spot, ton of options and super quick. It’s exactly what it needs to be and doesn’t pretend to be anything else.

It gets crazy here at peak lunch hours. I had the sushi a few times and it has been decent quality given its not made to order, but could be a bit cheaper. Sevice was never rude, but making no effort as they probably have like ten thousand customers coming in every day anyway.

Been coming here about 6 times now for lunch. Only real reason why I come here is because it’s quick and efficient check out and it’s a cafeteria layout where you serve yourself. Some foods you would need assistance with such as the salad or sushi but most of it is grab and go with a dining area upstairs. No customer service here but what can you expect? The lunch rush around Grand Central is mad and it’s nice to be in and out so quickly. That’s why I really appreciate this place. The food is only ok.
I always get the salmon or whatever fish they have. Sometimes they will have seaweed salad and burnt broccoli which is amazing. I love the vegetables here.
Not premium food but my go to spot for a quick lunch that won’t break the bank. Probably anywhere from 10 – 14 dollars a decent size plate. It’s also right next to Five Guys, which makes me feel better that I’m making a healthier choice to eat at Hestia.

If I could give this place a negative review I would. Aho is the cashier (at least that’s what she told me) and she has to be the rudest person I have ever had an encounter with. This will be the last time I spend my money here. Everytime I come here she is rude. I asked for some jelly and she screamed and said she doesn’t have any and showed me the empty bowl as if I was supposed to know that. She even took it as far as to call me a bitch. I have never been treated so badly I will definitely make a call to the manager or owner this week. I will even take it a step further to call the corporate office to file a complaint against this place and I will make sure to tell all my co-​workers to never come here again. And everyone else I know.

So bad — visiting nyc and found this place right by my hotel. Balsamic chicken wrap and tuna melt were gross. Couldn’t finish them. Staff were pretty rude too.

I can’t believe that the closest full service deli to my new office is this subpar deli. I’ve been there three times for a morning bagel or BE&C (although I’ve only eaten the food twice because the second time I went I couldn’t get anyone to take my order so I bailed) and from start to finish, it’s been a consistently poor experience.
My key takeaways:
Kitchen staff: Slow, disorganized and confused. Furthermore, apparently a bagel with cream cheese means they put enough cream cheese on the bagel for barely half of it. But I guess that by eating only half, it helps me maintain my weight! *Zing!*
Register staff: Slow. Not that I blame them, but their apathy is palpable.
Clientele: Slow and confused. Lots of tourists, so consider yourself forewarned when waiting to order!
Seriously, I’m done with this place. Skip it.

I don’t think the food is particularly bad or particularly good (I’m no foodie — hence the few Unilocal reviews I have to my name), but they cheat their customers!
After 5 pm much of the food goes down to half price, and they’ll confirm this, even at the register, as you’re about to pay. Then they’ll ring up some of your food at full price when you’re not looking! Trust me, I’m not just bad-​mouthing them — it’s for items that are covered, when the deal is in effect, etc. This was not a one-​time occurrence (found out it happened to a few of my office mates, a number of times). You call them out on it, they mumble some excuse (e.g. «oh, that item is not covered» or «oh, we start the 50% deal at 6 pm now» (both simply not true)), and then they’ll reluctantly re-​ring it up at the lower price if you call them out on that lie.
Apparently they make more money off of this small-​time cheating than they lose from customers they’ve pissed off, or at least so they think.
I’m really not the type to boycott places, but I think Hestia might start my list of places I don’t go to anymore on principle.

I’ve stopped by here a few times here and there over the years for sandwiches mostly. They are usually pretty good, options are fun and fresh. It’s convienent with it’s multitude of options.
Yesterday I was brave and decided to try the udon noodle soup. It’s rainy and cold and I thought it would be soothing. I happen to love udon noodle soup and I have tried it at severa locations. I’m all excited to watch him prepare it, all of the fun toppings and then the savory broth.
I asked for kimchi for .50 $.
First of all, the kimchi was sour but not in a flavorful way, a way that didn’t feel fresh. The broth was tastless but overbearingly salty, also a little sour. The udon noodles didn’t tast good at all– I don’t even know how describe it. Anyways I got a little sick for a few hours after so if I am desperate enough to return, it wont be for their udon noodle soup.

So I just tried them for the first time today and there wasn’t really anyone here which was great. They do have a lot of food in the back where you can make your own but I figured I would just come in here and get a wrap. I ordered a chicken caesar wrap. When I went upstairs to eat it the chicken was so thick and the lettuce was gross. I picked out all the lettuce and only had like two little pieces of chicken in it. NOT to mention the meal was like 11 $ for that and a water.
Very high priced and the chicken was gross as well. It didnt even taste that great. I think they need lessons on how to cut smaller pieces and thiner pieces to put in a wrap. If your salad is bad then obviously get fresh. Just not worth it for the money. If the food was great then I wouldnt care how much I spend.
I wont be back.

All 3 times I patronized this business the overcharged me. The items were priced so I knew what they should have been charging and called them on it. The last time this happened, I pointed it out and the cashier rang it up wrong a second time and then tried to tell me it was because of the tax (it wasn’t). I didn’t argue and gave the man a $ 20 and then he gave me change for a $ 10. When I told him I gave him a $ 10 he blew up at me and refused to give me the correct change. It was a very unpleasant experience and I won’t be visiting this establishment again.

Hestia is really starting to lose my trust. I’ve ordered mostly everyday from them, because they actually allow me to substitute a drink for their unlisted Monster energy drink. But within the last 4 orders, they have just blatantly dropped the ball. When I order pancakes or french toast, you would think it’s customary to get syrup and butter with it… nope. Hestia wants you to just eat the pancakes plain.
They also list bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll, which I know tons of New Yorkers eat in the morning, yet they only allow you to select «ham» or «sausage» when you click through. So of course you’re going to add special directions to substitute the ham for bacon. And what happens? They STILL deliver me a ham sandwhich! Maybe if they fixed their menu, there would be no confusion, or perhaps their staff just needs to read the directions, as that is what it is there for.
The worst is, I ordered a cream cheese toasted bagel, and they send me a plain bagel, not even toasted. SO I call up, and they say they can’t deliver me any cream cheese because they are busy but that she’ll give me credit for the next one. Frustrated and too busy to deal with it, i agreed. I called the next day, asked for the woman by name who offered me the «credit» for a cream cheese bagel, and she said she doesn’t remember. Surprise surprise. I’m done Hestia.

Good enough deli. Reasonably priced sandwiches. Not the friendliest staff in the world, but if you want something fast for takeout it doesn’t matter.
All and all, a good lunch spot if you’re on the go.

The best thing about this place is the fact that I got a laugh once, watching a postal worker (or homeless/​deranged person in a postal uniform), north of 300lbs, once drip gravy down the front of his uniform after using his bare hands to steal/​eat directly from the beef and broccoli tray at the «salad bar.» Eww!
One secret, however, and the only reason I’ll step foot in this place, is that they have fresh pressed juice which is cheaper than the 3 other places on the block that have pressed juice.

A large variety of food, quick and friendly sce, especially by the Soup and bibimbap section.

One of the cleaner salad-​bar delis in the area. This place opened newly a few years ago. Small space without a huge shelf selection however, they have everything as far as the deli and hot food stations are concerned. Very busy at lunch time (12pm-​2pm) but the line moves very fast — never a problem. Prices seem a wee bit better than some of the larger delis nearby (Oldbridge/​Everyday Gourmet, Delmonico). Friendly staff — all pretty attentive and quick.
People really seem to like their hot sandwich selections. My co-​workers love their Parms and Phillly Cheese and Grilled Shrimp. I’ve enjoyed their hot pastrami.
But I frequent Hestia for their korean selections. Bibimbap, Udon, Ramyun and Soon Doo Boo.
Great seating area upstairs. Clean, modern and readily available without getting too crowded.

They refuse grill service after 3pm. It’s a weekend at and they refuse to cook anything… Seems like a funny way to run a business that’s open a ton more hours…
Not recommended at all.

Stopped in for quick lunch the other day. They have a full selection of sandwiches, soups, etc. but I was very impressed by their salad bar and filled up a small container with roasted veggies, pasta salad and other assorted yummies. They have a very wide variety. Despite the fact that it was past lunch hour at 2pm, fresh food was being brought out and nothing had that «I’ve been sitting under the buffet for hours» look to it.
Food pricing seemed comparable to San Francisco, though the drinks seemed a bit pricier. The salad bar is 7.99 per lb and an iced tea will run you $ 2.50.
Check out was fast and efficient. The upstairs eating area was clean and stocked with napkins, condiments, etc… I would return if I’m in the area!

I got the kimchi soft tofu soup (soon du Bo). It was very bland, even with the spices. It looked great and I was so excited for some hot yummy soup on a cold day, but I couldn’t even touch it after a few bites.
The buffet food is pretty good, typical midtown fare (and prices), but I will not be back after this disappointing and pricey lunch.

This place is cleanlier than the average midtown deli at least in superficial appearance. That said everything that I have ever tried here is mediocre and this folks, realistically is one of the last delis that I try to venture to during the business lunch rush during the week.
I would say this is the kind of deli for fake New Yorkers to go to. You know the kind of NYC transplants who normally like to overpay for things, enjoy being punked on a line to get into some fashionable club who didn’t have a hook up to get into or was too naïve to slip the bouncer 20 bucks to let them cut the line.
You know the kind of folks who whip out a kleenex to use as a barrier between their hand and the pole inside of a subway car. That’s ok though, I hope they flock to Hestia everyday so that the line is shorter at all the real deli’s like Delmonico and Everyday Gourmet.

And a new contender emerges to challenge Gourmet Deli for the Soon Doo Boo (Soft Tofu) Crown in Midtown East. In the right corner squaring off in the white and green shorts, CAFE HESTIAAAAAAA.
My coworker and I were on our way to Gourmet Deli for Soon Doo Boo on a dreary, misty Friday. The winds sprayed mist into our grim visages as we held onto the idea of warm tofu in spicy soup. We passed by Café Hestia and it’s bright lights and clean floors brought pause.
«Actually, this place has Tofu Soup too. Do you wanna try this?»
«I dunno…»
«Eh, let’s try it. Why not?»
The Asian cuisine counter at Café Hestia is small, heck even smaller than their cash register. Behind an open fridge with sushi was a small counter with the usual ingredients for ramen, udon and tofu soup behind it. 2 Asian men (Korean?) worked to fill pots with ingredients for various dishes. Tofu Soup will set you back $ 7.50 here for Chicken, Beef, or Kimchi. The holy grail, Seafood clocks in at a cool $ 8.50. A calculated decision to be sure, seeing as how Gourmet Deli charges $ 9 for the seafood soup.
We brought it back to the office and I digged in; just as I suspected from just looking at the soup: wrong tofu.
Listen guys, it’s really not that hard to make tofu soup, and furthermore even easier to please me. Tofu soup has to have the following :
— Extra Soft Tofu (Fail)
— Good Flavor, Spicy (Fail)
— Actual Seafood (Eh)
— Dropped in Egg (Pass)
Café Hestia’s Tofu soup managed to hit 1.5 out of 4 of the criteria for the dish. The tofu was just huge blocks of semi firm tofu they scooped into the pan and boiled in the soup. I watched them do it too… The soup itself… not flavorful enough. Not enough flavor not spicy at all.
Actual seafood is a mixed bag. They did give a lot of seafood mix, lots of tiny clams, shrimp, squid, etc. from one fo those freezer packs. But no actual shrimp! I don’t expect anyone to commission a fishing boat, go 2 hours into the atlantic and bring me back fresh seafood for a $ 8.50 tofu soup. But at least make a half ass attempt for appearances sake and give me an actual shrimp in there. It’ll cost you an extra 10 cents but you won’t have people bad mouthing you on Unilocal.
The egg criteria they managed to meet, but barely. The egg was really overcooked but at least it’s there. The worst part of all this? I think actual Koreans run this place! It’s one thing if you’re a non-​Korean owner trying to make a quick buck, it’s totally another if you’re actually Korean and trying to pass off this 1.5 soup as actual Soon Doo Boo Jigae.
FOR SHAME. My colleague didn’t like her kimchi soup either. I was originally going to give them 3 stars, but no way I can do that after ending the review in shaming them ala caps lock.