(212) 779-0600

18 E 41st St
New York, NY 10017 40.7523 -73.9806

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Neighborhoods: Midtown South Central, Midtown

ZAIYANY.COM

Price:

$

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Bakeries

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Lunch Spot

Cuisine:

Japanese

What People Are Saying About Cafe Zaiya

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

This Japanese lunch spot serves bento boxes and onigiri, with choices from cream puffs to red bean doughnuts for dessert.

ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Still, this cafe is in a prime location and serves as a great place to grab a snack and rest for a spell.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “(green tea dessert, as well) Do not miss this great midtown's gem casual place.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “(green tea dessert, as well) Do not miss this great midtown's gem casual place.”
food quality
87.5% positive
  1. “Just bought a spicy chicken sandwich from Cafe Ziya, got it back to my desk, and the chicken is still warm!”
  2. “love this place-quick, tasty but budget, fresh food.”
  3. “The sushi man, Masa, who is making beautiful, tasty, and fresh sushi.”
  4. “The pasta in this mostly Japanese place is great!”
  5. “The food was very good.”
  6. “Zaiya offers up a selection of food as well with hot plates such as the Spicy beef bowl, or chicken carbonara that are delicious.”
  7. “Great selections of bento boxes; sandwiches; sushi & the great stuffed breads.”
  8. “When the kitchen closes, Zaiya also offers it's usualy selection of bread, premade sandwiches (my favorite is the BLT) and pre-cooked mini-meals in bento boxes.”
  9. “What I like the best are their Japanese pastries and --believe it or not-- their cooked items like spaghetti bolognese and spaghetti carbonara!”
  10. “like their pastries and bakery selection.”
  11. “Good bread, bad service”
  12. “bakeries/cafes. The pastries are to die for with amazing strawberry shortcake.”
  13. “The food is delicious!”
  14. “The cooked food is not as tasty, but for some reason the joint is always crowded, especially at lunch.”
  15. “The turnover there must keep everything fresh and hot.”
  16. “My friend recommended this spot for its sandwich selection.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “When the kitchen closes, Zaiya also offers it's usualy selection of bread, premade sandwiches (my favorite is the BLT) and pre-cooked mini-meals in bento boxes.”
  2. “My friend recommended this spot for its sandwich selection.”
  3. “Zaiya offers up a selection of food as well with hot plates such as the Spicy beef bowl, or chicken carbonara that are delicious.”
  4. “like their pastries and bakery selection.”
  5. “Great selections of bento boxes; sandwiches; sushi & the great stuffed breads.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “Still, this cafe is in a prime location and serves as a great place to grab a snack and rest for a spell.”
  2. “great midtown lunch place!”
  3. “(green tea dessert, as well) Do not miss this great midtown's gem casual place.”
service
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “thought they had the best service.”
  2. “ladies behind the counters are always pleasant and friendly.”
  3. “Good bread, bad service”
value
50.0% positive
  1. “and prices are so good!”
  2. “lot of overpriced mediocrity.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “love this place-quick, tasty but budget, fresh food.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/23/10

Great Lunch Spot

by BusyLittleBee at Citysearch

I love their onigiri (especially the Spicy Tempura), Spicy Chicken Sandwich, and Curry Chicken Sandwich. The prices and service were ok. The place does get pretty crowded around lunch, but its worth the long lines. Although, I am disappointed that there is no longer a Beard Papa there.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/17/10

I love Cafe Zaiya!

by itsbeenvery at Citysearch

I am downright obsessed with Cafe Zaiya. They have a great, expansive selection of treats, from pastries to sandwiches to "lunchboxes," and everything is so cheap! They accept credit cards on purchases of any amount, which is super convenient, and I love that everything is fresh and quickly turned over. From the pastries, I really like the flakey, not too heavy and buttery croissants, the frank roll, the Tuna Corn, and the almond cookies. For lunch, pretty much everything is top notch, and I'm a huge fan of the white fish sandwich. The mini garden salad is a great deal too. Cafe Zaiya is the perfect breakfast or lunch spot if you want a satisfying meal for cheap!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

06/03/08

Fun, fresh, and fast.

by daviderya at Citysearch

Just bought a spicy chicken sandwich from Cafe Ziya, got it back to my desk, and the chicken is still warm! And the bun it was on was fantastic. The turnover there must keep everything fresh and hot. Not to mention delicious. They have a greeat selection of sushi, baked goods, onigiri, etc, so if the chicken sandwich is any indication, I'll be back to work my way through their offerings. The bento boxes looked particularly good. But Beard Papa is going to become harder and harder to resist if I keep going back!

  • Pros: Easy, quick, affordable
  • Cons: Crowded, chaotic
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/12/08

quick, tasty, fresh -Just Great.

by miho82 at Citysearch

I love this place-quick, tasty but budget, fresh food. Service is nothing fancy but gets the job done kindly. The sushi man, Masa, who is making beautiful, tasty, and fresh sushi. His sushi and zirashi are my one of favorites. (green tea dessert, as well) Do not miss this great midtown's gem casual place.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

11/09/07

Pretty awesome for a quick lunch

by wisebrain at Citysearch

This place is moderately priced and has a lot of good take out food. Great for lunch!

The Details on Cafe Zaiya

Place Categories:

  • very good food
  • hot everything
  • fast lunch place
  • bad service
  • great midtown lunch
  • recommended spot
  • particularly good bento boxes
  • not as tasty cooked food
  • like pastries
  • like spaghetti carbonara
  • still warm chicken
  • favorite bakeriescafes
  • overpriced mediocrity
  • great midtown
  • amazing strawberry shortcake
  • absolutely love greentea frap
  • fantastic bun
  • great pasta
  • great breads
  • delicious hot plates
  • awesome baked goods
  • love placequick
  • fresh sushi
  • always pleasant ladies
  • delicious chicken carbonara