Sugar & Joe

Sunnyside seems to have a little bit of everything, a diverse community, a variety of eateries to choose from, and a vibrant and up-​n-​coming nightlife. But a couple of things the hood lacks is good Chinese food and a decent brunch. Sugar & Joe would have fulfilled the latter, but it suddenly closed last year.
It used to be the most popular Sunnyside destination for brunch outside of Quaint (
) and one of the most crowded due to it’s small interior. And even though there would be lines out the door on the weekend, it was quiet as a library during the weekdays. It would become a small café where people would go to eat a cupcake or a sandwich while leeching off of the wifi. It was never open late into the night and they were always severely understaffed.
And even though I was never thoroughly impressed with the food or willing to wait for it, it was for what it’s worth, simple and decent. It’s endearing quality and charm was how truly local it was, no gimmicks or pretense, just easy, affordable baked goods and continental fare.
Greenpoint Ave on this side of Queens seems to have a hard time retaining businesses. 9 months after it closed, the space Sugar & Joe once occupied remains empty. Let’s hope something better and brunchier comes along.

I just don’t understand how a place with as good of food as this, can shut there doors for good! I never once had anything that i disliked, nor did anyone I ever took there. I am hoping that someone knows whether or not she will be re-​opening in another location — as my boyfriend and I miss this place dearly!

Has Sugar & Joe’s Closed for good. have they moved. very sad to see gone.??

The only place where I don’t feel lame ordering oatmeal. Best Oatmeal Ever and a super comfortable environment to boot.

This little café opened up on Greenpoint Ave a little over a year ago. It’s simple green décor and relaxed ambiance has offered a nice change of pace from the surrounding small Colombian cafés and fast food/​delivery restaurants. Sugar & Joe offers fresh baked goods which are prepared and made daily on the premises, a small selection of sandwiches, soup du jour and coffee (for those coffee freak’s their coffee comes from the famous Porto Rico Coffee Importers Co. from downtown Manhattan) and teas (specifically Barry’s tea which if you love tea like me then you are happy to get it!). When I stopped by I had a cup o Barry’s Irish Tea and a small cherry cupcake topped with buttermilk cherry icing. The tea was great and the cupcake was delicious. Not too sweet and not dry! The fact that the baked good are fresh makes this place a great stop in the neighborhood. I’ve also tried their sandwiches and they are very well-​prepared and have great flavor. Now my only objection to this lovely place is the time that it closes– 7pm. Really it should stay open till 8pm, because there is a lot of foot traffic of people coming from the train and wherever they had just been at running errands on Greenpoint. If it stayed open later than I could frequent it more often. Other than that it is a lovely addition to the neighborhood.
*BIG PLUS: They have Free WI-​FI!*

I have tried numerous times to forgive their horrible customer service, but this last time did it for me. It is pretty bad when the owner forgets to bring you your drink when you are one of only two people in the entire place! On top of it, the soup was very lukewarm, almost cold and well, the amount was so little for the price. The last time I dined there, I was given fermented fruit. I also didn’t appreciate having to experience not having our empty plates picked up after eating, while I try to enjoy the rest of my dining with my partner. I constantly had to get the owner’s attention (apparently there are no servers) to be serviced. I really had high hopes to this place, but I really just can’t see myself returning or recommending it to anyone. They really need to improve on every level. Oh, and chilled cupcakes? C’mon!

Im not a resident of Sunnyside but I am a resident of Woodside and it was more than a pleasure to take a quick drive over to this nice café and enjoy a rice pudding and a spicy iced coffee! Got to read my magazines and watch out the window a bit!

You know those times when you are trying to eat moderately, but then you pig out and end up hating your self?
Yeah, that’s this place in a nutshell for me. The food is indulgent, and that’s all you really need to know.
Ingredients are fresh and a cut above, from the toast and jam, the fantastic quiches, and the amazing desserts locked away in glass containers. The Chocolate truffle tort is unbelievable (gooey chocolate center!), and mostly responsible for my self-​loathing… even if it hurt so good. When the waitress recommended it to me her eyes lit up as she said «I LOVE chocolate».
Will definitely be back. One of the best Brunch’s in all of Sunnyside.

I like it when a server gives you that look.
What look? Oh, you know… that look that says «mmhmm, thats f**king good, yer gonna love it.»
We got that look the other day, and it was spot on. See, I’m not a true lover of heavy food. Sure I’ll eat it with piggish happiness, sauces dribbling from the corner of my mouth, runny eggs mixing with maple syrup in some sort of food porn shoot.
But when it comes to authentic happy, gimme that perfect balance between too much and sparse minimalism. They nailed it here last time I did brunch, so they get the 5 stars.
Achtung: If you want a fancy, over the top brunch with reductions, poachings, double broiled or just a ton of butter, you’re gonna feel gipped here. But for those who relish the taste of hearty bread, or dream of dense and simple homemade quiche, pop in.

Great baked goods generally. The proprietor bakes fresh goods every morning and in the evenings as people filter out. In terms of sweets, the breakfast waffles are all excellent and the portions are very satisfying. My only gripe in regards to the sweets is sometimes the cake and cupcakes are a little heavy. However, the flavorings are all good.
In terms of lunch items, the quiche, sandwiches, and soups are consistently high quality with very fresh ingredients that seem to be picked directly from the garden.
Service is fairly quick and always helpful. The atmosphere is pleasant and laid back. Several people have mentioned the heat and this is definitely an issue mid-​day during the summer. However, if you are around in the morning and evening and want a good meal, and a place to work with free wifi, this is a great choice.

Average café, average coffee, average cupcake
as mentioned, the AC there wasnt working well, so check the temperature before you go there.
but, good to have a cozy café like this in your neighborhood ^_​^
plus, free wi-​fi, but pretty slow tho.

It was 86 degree today, super humid and muggy. The idea of being outside disgusted me. But it was 1pm and I was super hungry, I walked in S&J, and it was hot and stuffy inside like an oven! I wasn’t sweating outside until I walked in and sat down!
They only have a small A/​C above the door, despite the semi-​open kitchen and the high ceilings. It was so hot in there and I decided I’d rather go to Foxy for a quick brunch.
On a hot summer day, Sugar & Joe? I think not.

Although a late start by weekday standards, at 11:30 am, Matt and Mike saunters into Sugar & Joe. The familiar ring of the door chimes serves as an unofficial commencement on what will inevitably be another lazy Saturday.
After pleasant, but wordless greetings to the always charming staff, the pair seat themselves while Matt begrudgingly allows himself to eye the velvet cupcakes that beckon on display, silently berating himself for allowing such foolish temptation. Salivating like a Pavlovian test subject, he consoles himself knowing that he’ll soon be satiated by other less calorific means.
They grab the menus like six year-​olds on Christmas, eager to see what daily specials Santa has decided to deliver. But unlike the ol’ feckless St. Nick with his sometimes bawdy sweaters and oh-​so-​disappointing socks, Matt and Mike know that their options will always be great. The turkey and gruyère on multi-​grain and a portabello, peppers, and pesto baguette betrayed none of their expectations. Coupled with a split pea curry soup and a tomato bisque, never has a soup and sandwich coupling inspired such desire.
Emma, the waitress that seemingly trademarked the term «sunny disposition» as part of her character, comes over to take their order. Her coyish smile and endearing timidity wipes away any of the remaining tensions that lingered from the week, bringing forth only the present pretense of everything Sugar & Joe stands for.
Mike and Matt know that their order will take a while. But they also know that a single minutes sacrifice to this wait would be nothing short of a travesty to the integrity of their meal. Even Matt, with the patience of a gnat, subscribes to monk like composure.
The time waiting is well spent too. Perpetuated by the Mike’s weekly inquiry of, «So, what happened last night?», the establishment serves as a court, with the two plying their trades as bard and jester, regaling each other in a recounting of their respective Friday night, nights usually spent amongst friends and cocktails. But before Mike can recall where exactly in public he had puked, the food arrives and the conversation quenched.
In eating, there are no complaints and only ecstasy. The ingredients used are so marvelously fresh that Matt curiously wonders if the chef ran out to get them right after their order. The thick, juicy cuts of turkey are seemingly straight off a Thanksgiving roast carved by a suburban father that dons an apron and chef’s hat once a year. The baguette for the portabello sandwich has more of a satisfying crunch than a Kit-​Kat commercial. And the soups are so heartily flavored that an analogy wouldn’t do it justice.
And so, with every bread crumb gone and every drop of soup sopped up, the mythical meal has ended. Matt and Mike pay the bill and gives their regards. For Matt, the feelings of satisfaction are slightly impeded by the looming notion of having to go through another week of the vapid suck known as midtown lunch and his own pitiful culinary attempts for dinner. But he cheers up knowing that next Saturday Sugar and Joe will still be there and so will he.

As a Sunnyside local, I am really excited that Sugar & Joe is in the neighborhood. We have visited twice, and both times I left happy and totally satisfied. I must say the Ethiopian french roast coffee in combination with the chocolate chip waffle is so freakishly good… I think I might dream about their chocolate sauce tonight. Really, im not much of a sweet type, but this sauce was so rich, and thick and mild in its sweetness that I was pouring in on before I knew it. Comparable to the hot chocolate from The Chocolate Room… mmmm I cant wait to try their spicy hot chocolate too!

Sugar and Joe is decent. I wouldn’t come out of my way to go here, but it’s ok. The space is seriously tiny and cramped, but it smells really good and the food taste really fresh.
I had the mozzarella, pesto and pepper sandwich with a split pea soup. Everything tasted like it was freshly picked from a garden outside or something, and it was actually very delicious. It was a little $ for the small portion but I guess it’s worth it when you consider the quality. I had to take away two stars for atmosphere, space, price, and not the best service, as well as weird location.

I’ve only been to Sugar & Joe once so far, and that experience was pretty amazing.
The place is small but cozy, bright, and well decorated (Ikea). Everything is clean and neat. The food is amazing. I had the salmon and cream cheese sandwich and my boyfriend had the pulled pork sandwich. Both were absolutely delicious. I had a bite of my boyfriend’s sandwich and the pork was SO tender. That’s pretty amazing considering most pulled pork sandwiches are tough and chewy even at $ 10+. We also had the soups (cream of mushroom and split pea) and they were absolutely perfect as well.
This will definitely become a staple in the brunch category.
Oh yeah, and the coffee is great!

The breakfast/​brunch here is pretty kick-​ass; I especially like the PB&B (natural peanut butter and apple butter on fruit bread).

Tranquil (when we got there, people with babies were just leaving), check.
Clean, bright, and cute, check.
Delicious fresh baked goodies, check.
Amazing coffee, check.
And wonderful attention to detail— how often do you get a long stirring spoon for your tall glass of iced coffee?
Can you sit here forever? Yes.
The tables are big and comfortable, you won’t get «parked» in.
The service is a chill mother-​daughtery team. They really put a lot of heart into this place. The décor is sweet in a hyper-​glossed minimalist way. I could eat the whole place up like a candy.
Can’t wait to go back.

Pros: Excellent coffee. Excellent waffles, especially the pecan, with real maple syrup. Excellent cookies. Pleasant atomosphere with view of small park.
Cons: Music – top 20s radio. A satellite café radio feed would do wonders.

I was so excited when Esparks became the first free WiFi joint in Sunnyside. Now Sugar & Joe, our awesome new breakfast, lunch, and dessert spot, has free WiFi too! Their coffee is tasty and the breakfast options are fantastic. There are just the right amount of items on the menu to choose from. I love the pecan waffles, served with cinnamon-​pecan butter. The frittatas are equally delicious and substantial. As a bonus, most of the egg dishes are served with a fresh fruit salad. This place got it right!