Le Pain Quotidien — Restaurant in New York

Met a friend here for lunch, at his suggestion. Sadly he and my husband planned the outing together and didn't do a good job of checking the menu for non-egg items. (I mean it's a bakery, egg, breakfast place - what were they thinking?) Totally not the restaurants fault, had I been including the plans I'd have nixxed the idea. Cute little cafe. The staff was nice enough, but not attentive at all. At all. Water glasses weren't refilled, not even once. I don't believe they ever came by to check on us after our food was delivered. I got the chicken cobb salad (sans egg) and it was fine. I can't remember what the others in the party got. But they were happy with their choices. It started to pour and it was evident that no one in the building was going anywhere anytime soon. I kind of expected the waitress to come back at that point and she didn't. Someone came by to collect our plates and we asked for more beverage. He said that the waitress would be right over, which she wasn't. Someone else brought one coffee to the table, no water and no inquiry as to if the other two of us wanted anything. We had to flag the waitress down to ask for more waters and more coffee. She didn't stop by the table again. Didn't even do that slow-stroll for us to notice her 'in case' we needed something (we were talking a lot because we had years worth of catching up to do, but that's not why she never made it back). After the rain stopped, we again had to flag her down for the bill.

The food is good enough that this should not have been our experience. There were loads of delicious looking goodies that seemed quite unique and special. This is an easy training issue for management.

Thanks for...

I’ve been quietly (okay, not that quietly) chasing down the elusive crookie—that gloriously unhinged hybrid of croissant and cookie—like it’s the final Horcrux of dessert. So when I heard Le Pain Quotidien on the Upper East Side was serving them, I made my way there with the determination of someone who knows full well what butter therapy can do for the soul.

Let me be clear: this is not a gimmick. The crookie at LPQ is the real deal—sweet, flaky, rich, and deeply satisfying. Imagine if a croissant and a chocolate chip cookie met at a Parisian café, flirted shamelessly, and had a perfectly portioned, golden child. That’s this pastry.

What I appreciated most—beyond the sheer joy of eating it—was the size. Unlike some versions that are full croissant-sized sugar juggernauts, LPQ’s crookie is just slightly smaller, which feels both manageable and merciful. It’s still decadent, still buttery, still indulgent—but without the post-dessert existential crisis. Just enough to make you close your eyes and go mmm, not enough to make you text your doctor.

The café itself is charming in that classic LPQ way: rustic tables, soft lighting, and the faint sense that you should be journaling about your day over a tartine. But let’s be honest—you’re here for the crookie. And you should be.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Especially if you’re on the Upper East Side, craving something that says pastry, but make it unreasonably delightful. Go. Get the crookie. Thank...

7/10 bread and pastries at the prices you'd expect to pay for 10/10 goods. Service usually apathetic (except the managers, who are often aggressive). Beyond this, they find all sorts of other ways to make it annoying, such as:

No smaller loaves, except for baguettes (which they're often out of)- which is really annoying as their bread doesn't last long (understandable for fresh bread). The only option is then to get a partial loaf. Which then puts you at the mercy of an apathetic server's cutting. I once paid $5.50 for a "quarter loaf" that was closer to 1/8th and barely was enough to make 2 small sandiwiches.

No displayed prices - they have these nice printed signs with a place to write in the price but for the past few months they're blank.

The one exception to this is the baguette price is always written in, as $4.50, including today. I go to pay and it rings up as $4.75. I pointed this out, and got an apathetic "oh...they must have changed it...sorry I don't set the prices." I wasn't in the mood to argue about 25 cents with someone who seemed in the verge of quitting - but no, that is not legal to display an old price and not honor it, and also not even change the sign when I pointed it out! Very scammy

I've been a begrudging customer for over 20 times as it's a pretty long walk to the next nearest fresh bread store, but that was really...