Dot's Cafe — Restaurant in New York

Dot's opened recently on West 52nd St. in the space formerly occupied by La Bergamote. I loved the old place. But as soon as I learned that Mandy (owner of the Ardesia wine bar across the street) was taking over the space, I felt confident that the new place would also be good.

Mandy did not disappoint. Dot's, the name of her new cafe (named after her mother) is a home run ... way better than I expected. It's more casual than La Bergamote was. But actually, as much as I loved the old place, I love Dot's much more. La B seemed to veer back and forth between being a restaurant and a cafe. But Dot's has a clear and confident identity. It's a cafe. (It serves meals, but the food and pricing are cafe casual!)

The appearance, the general vibe, the menu, and the incredibly friendly staff (some who came from Ardesia across the street) provide a perfect setting for regular get-the-heck-out-of-my-apartment work-from-hime-routine. And judging by the number of other patrons who are regularly there, I'm obviously not alone in appreciating...

I absolutely love this café!! The food is amazing, the coffee is one of the best, and it’s my go-to spot since it’s right by my place. I’m definitely going to keep coming back.

That said, this review is more for management than for customers. I’m not here to nitpick—I get that people have bad days. If this had happened once, I’d shrug it off. But when it’s every single time, it starts to feel personal.

There’s one employee (long black hair, glasses) who is consistently rude. Today was just the last straw. I placed an pick-up Uber order, and instead of a simple “here you go,” he literally threw the bag at me. No hello, no thank you, no goodbye—just pure attitude.

Look, I’m not asking for fake smiles or forced small talk. I hate that as much as anyone. But in customer service, basic courtesy goes a long way. A simple “hi” and “thanks” would make all...

I am so excited about Dots! The first thing I noticed about this new cafe was the energy- warm, light and bright! I ordered a cappuccino with almond milk and no joke, it was the best one I’ve ever had. I had the nicoise salad which was so delish- that dressing, yum!! I wanted to order everything though.

I love the small yet unique menu and the ‘order at the counter have your food brought to you’ is a fabulous idea. Keeps the busy-ness feel out of the place.

I can see myself going there with friends for brunch or just sitting in the corner with my book for a solo lunch date.

The owner, Mandy, is a gem. So friendly and creative- I loved all the items she carefully chose for the ‘fill your pantry’ stand.

This cafe is perfection....