Saint Michel Cafe — Restaurant in New York

Small café, but very bright, clean, and airy. There was was a small loveseat, a couple barstools, one or two cafe tables with 2 seats, a bench with a cushion and 3 café tables out on the sidewalk. Came in about 1:30pm, and were greeted warmly. Almost all of the pastries were gone, but the cheese with fig danish and the plain croissant they had left were good. We also tried the matcha lemonade, strawberry matcha and a hot black sesame latte. I liked the sesame latte A LOT, the strawberry was good, and I personally hated the lemonade, but that is a personal preference thing. The good thing about it is it isn't too sweet, but it was heavy on the matcha, so it tasted like liquid grass to me. I definitely like nuttier sencha tea better. The prices were average for the area, and since everything is pricey now, it is what it is.

There were other patrons there, busily working and looked like they had been there for quite a while, which tells me it may be a good place to sit and focus for an hour or two.

My party of three sat outside and because it is located in a predominantly residential area, it was a nice place to sit since there aren't tons of pedestrians. There were a few bees/wasps though, so we had to leave after a bit(highly allergic). There were also mosquitos and lantern bugs around--I suspect there is some standing water on a roof nearby.

I will definitely walk over here again to get that sesame latte, and maybe stay and pretend looking productive. But I'll...

What can I say? It’s the namesake. And it’s worthy of the name.

Café Saint-Michel serves some of the most interesting coffee drinks in the neighborhood—my favorite is the black sesame latte. Deep, mellow, a little mysterious. The pastries rotate seasonally, but the rhubarb custard danish with orange-laminated dough. No words. Buttery folds that melt into each other like silk in heat.

When I bite into the center, the true middle, it hits: thin flaky crust, thick custard, tart rhubarb exploding across tongue and cheek. It reminds me of the first month of falling for someone you’ll eventually love. That exact bite. Divine craving, new flavors, heady aromas. Intoxicating. Fleeting. There’s only ever one bite like that. The danish builds to it. My last relationship started there. One perfect mouthful, then it was all downhill, like heli-skiing a black diamond at Snowbird. Exhilarating. Dangerously consuming. Then gone in a rush of chilled air.

After the pastry, I usually sip my black sesame latte on the walk home. It’s mellow and wide. A gentle counterpoint to all that sweetness. It reminds me of what happens after love. When the sugar fades and you’re left with yourself again. Still standing. Still full, somehow. The calm expanse of a vista from solid ground.

Café Saint-Michel is like that. A place to touch base. A place to remember how to come back...

Let me start by saying im a Bushwick native born and raised since 1983 at 1st like many I was like here we go another hipster hangout spot with overated coffee..... man was I so wrong im so happy I decided to stop in one-day and been hooked ever since Saint Michel took my top spot knocking Dunkin to the two spot that might not be much for a coffee connoisseur which Im not but my go to is the iced mocha latte with oat milk and a chocolate croissant the cookies are 🔥🔥🔥 as well! everyone's super dope down to earth and always willing to chop it up with you it feels like they invite you to chill in their living room with the aesthetics of the place I say that to say this I always wanted to find a bar like the show cheers but since i dont drink alcohol I found a coffee shop instead 😂 I've been in Bushwick for the good and bad times not all change is always good or bad either but I can truly say I appreciate this establishment it was much needed the simple cup of coffee and croissant truly makes all difference I wish you guys continued success and hope you guys stick around for many more...