Caffe Valencia — Restaurant in New York

Decided to come in for a quick bite and to rest a little after traveling into the city from out of town. It's a small space with just four tables for two, as well as a few counter seats. What isn't immediately clear however, is that the tables are only for customers who order food. While I was seated, I watched two parties come in and sit for a coffee, only to leave after realizing the seating policy. They also have a no-laptop policy on the weekends.

I was confused coming in and had no idea if I was allowed to seat myself, since no one greeted me and I didn't see a menu or a designated place to order. Still not really sure how it works, but I ended up trying to grab the attention of the woman behind the counter to ask for a menu. She asked if I was dining in, and said I could take a seat anywhere. I sat there with the menu for a while and finally got up to see if I should place my order at the counter. I think someone was supposed to come to the table to take my order but they just never did. After that, the staff finally paid attention to me and I received decent service, but that was definitely off-putting.

The menu is robust and there's a large selection of brunch items, as well as savory lunch options. I got the Brown Butter Waffle. It was tasty and I really liked the texture. The latte that I ordered was also pretty good and came out quickly.

Overall a decent (but overpriced) meal, but I would hope in the future they provide a clearer seating and ordering process. Like I mentioned, the space is a bit small, so I would only recommend coming solo or with one other person. There was barely room for someone who came in...

I used to stop by Valencia every day for my coffee before the gym — it became part of my routine, and Tony, one of the staff members, was always incredibly kind and welcoming.

Sadly, after three months as a loyal customer, I had a terrible experience with the owner, Sara, who treated me with shocking disrespect.

While I was waiting for my coffee, I briefly opened my laptop to send an important email for school. Sara immediately came over to tell me that laptops aren’t allowed on weekends. I politely let her know I was already finishing up and about to pack my things.

But just a couple of minutes later, she came back, raised her voice, and said, “I’m the owner, and I told you to stop using your laptop and leave.” The way she spoke to me was rude, humiliating, and absolutely unnecessary — especially since I was clearly wrapping up and not disturbing anyone.

No customer deserves to be treated like that, no matter what policies a business has. Respect and kindness cost nothing. I will never be coming back, and I don’t recommend a place where the owner herself behaves so...

This is my favorite cafe in the area! I come in at least once a week to have a coffee or a matcha latte. I recommend the pastries or paninis for lunch. Everything is always fresh and delicious! On top of that, Sara and George are both so nice and a pleasure to chat with and will take care with your order. If you work remotely or are just looking for somewhere to take care of a few tasks, this is a great spot for that. There are a few tables inside the cozy cafe, and an outdoor seating area for overflow (which is also nice if you're like me and still aren't always comfortable eating indoors). The music is always great and I find myself shazam-ing the songs often so I can find them on my own music streaming services, and it comes through the speakers outside too. I highly recommend this place as your regular...