Aubergine Cafe

I have found it difficult to find places in the Sunnyside/​Woodside area that are vegan friendly, especially for brunch. Aubergine Café is an oasis in that sense — they have multiple options for vegans (including vegan gluten free bread!) for breakfast AND lunch. The waitresses have been very friendly and accommodating, especially Lisette, who is very attentive and sweet.
This place is also pretty accommodating for people who want to sit by themselves. There is a bar area in the front, but they also don’t give you dirty looks if you want to sit at a table by yourself. Every time I’ve come here I’ve seen at least one person by themselves, leisurely reading the newspaper with a coffee.
I only took off a star for the coffee — it tastes decent when it is hot but has a strange sour aftertaste that takes over once it has cooled, and ruins it for me.

Aubergine has been my home away from home for many, many years. They have great Irving Farms coffee, friendly staff, and a wide ranging menu (the chili and a beer special is a great deal). This café has a great atmosphere, and it’s the best place in the hood to park it on a weekend morning with a coffee and read the paper. No WiFi, but maybe getting it for off-​hours would increase some traffic in there on weeknights.

Walking into Aubergine is like coming home. The warm and welcoming staff, yummy food and drinks, and great music are what set it apart. Still wish they served eggs! But you can’t go wrong with a great bagel or the veggie chili! Neighborhood spot worthy of the hype.

Been going to this place for a while and food is good. But, went there in the morning for some ice coffee, small, ice coffee and was charge $ 3.81!!! I couldn’t believe it, I paid but thought the guy who rang me up might’ve made a mistake. I went back just to confirm that their small ICE coffee indeed cost $ 3.81 and they confirmed it. Unbelievable!!! This is Queens, not Upper West Side, you cannot charge that much for small coffee. I asked how much a bagel and was told, that regular bagel with cream cheese costs $ 3.27. So, for small coffee and a bagel you will pay $ 7.00, plus the bagels they sell are not proper bagels you would get in the bagel shop, but rather backed bread version. I don’t think I will be going there any more. Too expensive.

Love Aubergine and it has become a staple in our weekend routine. Great coffee and very tasty baked goods (muffins, scones etc). The service is so friendly and so warm– and they help make this feel like a true neighborhood spot.
Only reason for not giving 5 stars is that I have seen a few instances of a staff member at the front counter being rude to her staff. This is a bit upsetting given how great the staff is and how hard they work. But otherwise, an incredible spot for the neighborhood with a great casual and warm atmosphere.

This place was great! It looks like a standard café setup, and when I got the Stray Vegetarian Sandwich I wasn’t expecting more than the usual boring hummus-​and-​sprouts thing, but the portion size was large and the sandwich was delicious. Had a bit of cake afterwards and it was good and moist. There was live music playing, which made for great ambience. (And when it wasn’t playing, the played good music too.) All in all, I was impressed. Not giving 5 stars because it’s still just café food, not fine dining, but maybe it should be 5 stars for what it is. Certainly a gem for the neighborhood it’s in.

Being that Aubergine is two steps away from my apartment, I’m there pretty frequently. It’s a cute little café with friendly people and delicious eats. If you’re craving breakfast, their scallion cream cheese is delicious on any one of their bagels. For lunch, I’d suggest one of their incredible sandwiches. I haven’t had any of their desserts, but they look pretty incredible.
Overall, this place is a great neighborhood gem. If you’re looking for a quick bite or somewhere you can spend your Sundays sipping on some coffee and reading the paper, I highly suggest Aubergine!

Everytime. Great service, great coffee, great food. The vibe is darned good, too.
Enjoy.

On weekends get here before 10:15am else it gets packed! Would give them 5 stars except they don’t serve eggs, which I find odd for a breakfast-​based establishment (and fact it is a very easy dish to maintain menu wise). Otherwise it is a very quaint café with cool window seating area :)

I adore this café & their coffee! I usually get a Mocha or Iced Mocha which is always on point. Haven’t ordered any hot food yet, as I am a sucker for pastries. But I will say their apple turnovers & coffee cake are soo good. They’re usually packed on the weekends, so make sure you get there early. Gina, who I think is one of the owners is always super friendly. She knows everyone that walks in which is nice, giving the café that homey feeling. Only wish there was outdoor seating: D

Really cute café in Woodside.
Cozy arrangement but plenty to sit and great lighting during the day.
I love the magazine rack with up-​to-​date current event~design magazines.
Food was great, really. Waiter was quick and friendly too.
Just. maybe slightly on the expensive side for what it is.
Good for solo breakfasts, casual chats with a friend. Not for groups.

This is a small, dark, intimate café with friendly staff and decent food. It’s a two minute walk right off of the 7 train if you get off at 52^nd St.
They have a La Marzocco espresso machine which pulls shots manually. The lattes and coffees are always satisfactory and they have a large assortment of pastries to enjoy on a small table while sharing your day to a friend or loved one.
Their condiment stand is always neat and the customers respect its visual appeal. It’s not treated like a gas station bathroom like some other places.
I give it four stars because I think that it’s consistent with its service while providing a calm and collected customer experience. The only reason I’m not giving five stars is because I haven’t had an over top exceptional experience yet. If I do I will update my review.

Super friendly environment, great service, lovely area and… excellent food. I go every other weekend with my Vegan girlfriend and we both love it.
I suggest the Chili, the Straight Vegetarian Sandwich and the Chai Latte they make, which is absolutely delicious.

We came here after leaving our first destination for Sunday brunch hungry. (See previous review) I am so glad we landed on this gem because they were actually pretty good. We ordered their smoked salmon platter and turkey brie panini. Both dishes were pretty tasty and portions were fair. However, the best part of it all are their desserts! We ordered one cupcake to share among 3 of us. No frill cupcake but boy was it tasty. So tasty that we ordered two more. We asked if they made it in house and they said no but who cares, I would definitely come back for the cupcakes alone.
I will definitely visit this place again for breakfast or brunch.

What a cute gem! Delicious coffee and good selection of sandwich. My panini was a little too greasy but still good. Ended the meal with a delicious slice of coconut cake. Good service and food! Will be back!

Delicious food! Came here for lunch for a friends birthday. Can’t express how delicious the Tuna Panini was. I also had there ice green tea, couldn’t figure out the other flavor but must try!!! Service was average though, our waitress was nice but the greeting was weak. The place it self has a calm rustic feel. They have a full coffee bar. I will be back for sure!

Aubergine Café manages to check a lot of boxes for its cozy size. Breakfast, lunch, families, singles with laptops, veggie options, waffles, panini, chili… It wears a lot of hats while keeping up the charm factor. It was a good place to take our toddler for fruit and yogurt. They nailed the ginger bread latte and the bagel hit the spot. In another area up front the laptop /​coffee crowd also finds a home near big, sunny windows. I’d call it an anchor in the heart of Sunnyside. The server seemed a bit overwhelmed by the breakfast rush crowd and was less attentive. But that didn’t diminish the overall experience.

Very few places combine terrific food, beautiful décor, inviting ambiance, and quick service.
Aubergine has it all.
I find this place very endearing and appealing. Located on the corner of 49^th street, it draws many locals for the weekend brunch.
The menu offers good vegetarian options. The vegetarian sandwich tastes delicious when paired off with ice tea. It comes with a mixed salad with dressing. Aubergine offers chocolate cakes, and pastries.
Even though the place is small, the arrangement makes it comfortable. The front features an espresso bar. They have different espresso flavors such as Gingerbread Latte and Mint Mocha. Near the middle, a black board shows you the espresso flavor of the day.
The wait staff rocks! They make you feel comfortable and right at home. When a customer first arrives, the wait staff greets you with a friendly smile.
Aubergine reminds me of a small European café.
When in Woodside, why not come in and experience the charm and delicious food from Aubergine?

Love this place so much!
I think we stumbled upon it randomly, but boy, what a find!
It’s like city food & service at Queens prices. Love the décor, love the PLAYLIST, love the servers, and I dunno about Derrick L. and our friend, but I certainly loved the food!
I had the bagel and lox, Derrick the veggie sandwich, and Barry the waffle & fruits. I believe I had a delish beverage as well… the green tea latte? Since I don’t dig sweet, I asked for less sugar, and the drink couldn’t have been more perfect. Plus the generous portioned bagel… with an eargasm 90’s playlist overhead, it was brunch done right!
Def recommend this place to anyone looking to brunch, lunch, or dessert. Can’t wait to return before it gets cold!

Finding a place (in walking distance) to eat that’s not a diner in Woodside is hard. I want to be a fan of this place but I’m really just OK with it. Which is fine, I still go, but I want to ‘want’ to go. If that makes sense?
Times: We go during the week between 10a-​11a.
Meals: Only been there for breakfast/​lunch
Price for two: Between $ 20 — $ 26 (2 meals + 2 coffees)
Visited: More then a handful of time.
Foods:
Oatmeal with raisins & walnuts [$ 4.75] — hit or miss, sometimes its good, sometimes it’s real watery.
Granola with fruit and yogurt [$ 5.5] — Good.
Waffle & Fruit [$ 5.95] — Satisfying but not a go-​to dish.
Tuna Melt Panini [$ 8.5] — Over done (see image), not my style of tuna***
Iced coffee and lattes are good.
Good:
–We’ve never had to wait in line for a seat, there is always one available.
–The menu is simple.
–The atmosphere is pleasant, a comfortable.
–I love their Iced Green Tea Latte.
–The food looks good
–Meals are on the lighter side, not heavy in oil/​butter.
Why the 3 not the 5:
–Perhaps it’s just me, but I find I only come here out of convenience. I’ve been there a handful of times and I just can’t seem to find that one thing I thoroughly enjoy, beside the iced green tea lattes. I want to like it for all the good reasons but good food is import to me. The waffle & fruits come close but… yeah.
–The food ‘looks’ good, but seems to lack flavor (or something I just can’t pin point it.
–They don’t have a helpful website.
Notes
–The service is friendly but a tad slow… BUT understandable (which is why it’s not under bad), there’s only one lady working the front of the house, she’s the server, runner and busser. Poor thing is running around all the time. She works hard so I get it.
–No eggs or diner breakfast staples (home fries, sausages, pancakes)
***the tuna melt has veggies in the tuna mix, which threw me off as I dislike added texture to my tuna. Perhaps I should have asked…***