The Study by Toast — Restaurant in Town of Brookhaven

I found out this place opened up by my house, and I was very excited to come and try it, as Long Island doesn't have a lot of cozy cafes where you can sit, eat, and do work. I came with my sister and brought our laptops, only to see that it was packed. The girl working the front register was amazing, so sweet and loved the energy she brought! We ordered our food to go because it seemed like we weren't going to be able to find a seat, but then a couple in a booth got up and my sister went to go snag the table while I waited for our drinks and food (pretty normal thing to do in a fast paced coffee shop). While I was waiting, my sister was approached by a different employee (this one had glasses, a sleeve of tattoos, and a bad attitude), and was asked if the table number left on the table was ours, which it wasn't. She then proceeded to get snarky with my sister, asking where our table number was and saying that we needed a number to sit down...even though we are literally paying customers and NOWHERE in the establishment does it say the tables are for dine in only. She continued to be resistant with my sister, heavily implying that we needed to get up, and then she finally said that we can have the previous customers' table number in case we "order more" and she will "know where we are". I have worked in various coffee shops and restaurants for 8 years and I know how these kinds of operations are supposed to look like, so let me tell you something. If you want the seating to be dine in only, there needs to be signs/employees telling customers at the front register that and once again I have worked at establishments that have done dine in only and people with to go boxes could not sit inside. However, most places with the same aesthetic such as this one do allow seating for everyone regardless of the kind of order you placed, and customers can sit wherever they'd like and wherever there is open seating. Make up your mind about what kind of place you want to be, and don't take out your disorganization on customers who have never been here before. This place has been open for less than two weeks and there is already a worker with a rude attitude being extremely patronizing to first time customers who do not know the layout/rules of the store. Not good.

On top of that, the bread for my egg sandwich was so burnt that I couldn't even finish it (who is burning bread?), and the espresso was mediocre at best. For almost $50 for two sandwiches and coffees, it was not worth it at all. Also, there is a horrifying amount of AI art on the walls, which not only doesn't go with the vibe of the shop, but it's disturbing in general to see AI generated art on the walls on this day and age, after so much negative discourse about it...do not want to support a business that enables AI.

Overall, bad service, bad vibes, and bad food. Will not...

The concept of this place is so great and honestly, needed. A third space that’s actually large enough to relax and get some work done or meet a friend without feeling rushed out for another table to be sat. I ordered a Mocha Latte (just alright, did the job but nothing to write home about.) The American Cruller (WINNER — absolutely delicious; you’ll want 5 but they’re big so 1 is enough to satisfy) and the chicken salad melt…. Which was the most disappointing of the 3 things I ordered; they used mostly dark meat that was slimy and oily. It was actually inedible for me because it grossed me out so much. It also had a very small amount of chicken salad compared to the thick ciabatta bread they chose. It was opening weekend so I’m sure they will adjust things but this isn’t their first establishment either. In summation, the vibes and look of their nice sized space is amazing. Baked goods were bomb. Coffee was meh. That sandwich was not worth the $14 I paid for in the slightest. Worth checking out, just be selective about the food until they hopefully work...

Atmosphere and ambiance was excellant. Food was highly lacking. My sister got a morning breakfast bun, the aioli was sour tasting and odd. The bun was weirdly greasy. I ordered the custard French toast. The toast was dry in the middle and came out of the kitchen cold. The Nutella twist was underdone. There was a twenty minute line to order and then a 45 minute wait to get our food. The drinks were very very good. Highly recommend the chai latte. Considering that the French toast and morning bun were $26 together, I’d expect better quality. Overall these issues might be because the business is new so I may come back in a few months...