Blue Ribbon Bakery & Cafe

(212) 337-0404

35 Downing St (at Bedford St.)
New York, NY 10014 40.7295 -74.0039

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Neighborhoods: West Village, Downtown

BLUERIBBONRESTAURANTS.COM

Hours:

Mon-Thu, noon-midnight

Fri, noon-2am

Sat, 11:30am-2am

Sun, 11:30am-midnight

Price:

$$

Last updated 6.24.11

Category:

Restaurants, Bakeries, Diners

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Family-Friendly Dining, Late Night Dining, Brunch, Private Rooms, Lunch Spot, Notable Wine List

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Traditional American

What People Are Saying About Blue Ribbon Bakery & Cafe

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

It would be easy to make a meal of bread, but save room for favorites like the BLT and butcher's platter.

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
There's a good selection of wines by the glass, handily sized at small, medium and large to accompany any kind of meal.
Know Before You Go:
This is a fully functioning bakery; you can pop in to the front of the restaurant and choose from an assortment of fresh breads at opening time, or take some home with you after a meal.
When to Go:
A special brunch menu (featuring some cute twists on staples, such as shrimp and bacon hash) is served from 11:30am to 4pm on weekends.
Brunch:
Served on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am to 4pm.
Know Before You Go:
Sandwiches are not served during dinner service.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. I've eaten dinner and brunch here as well - and it's always delicious, fun, great service.
  2. Other pluses, cozy and romantic seating downstairs, an attractive dining room upstairs with wide open windows, a decent selection of wines by the glass and the fresh breads they make on premises.
  3. The location is also nice and quiet, like a pocket of calm in this busy city.
  4. will definitely come back here whenever I can afford it - totally recommend the basement for a party or groups who want to talk the night away and the main floor for a romantic date.
  5. This is a really fun cozy place in the Village.
  6. The seating downstairs is very very nice as well - one can actually smell the fresh scent of baked bread while eating there - since the kitchen is right there in almost plain view.
  7. This is a romantic spot for a wintery date.
  8. What a high quality New York restaurant should be -- casual atmosphere, attentive but not obsequious service, lively but not posturing atmosphere, and excellent food.
  9. delicious food for every mood, great service and great location
  10. The ambience is quite nice however.
  11. Times Sq noise level - cozy setting
  12. The waiters, waitresses and hosts manage to blend prompt and attentive service with a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
dessert
75.0% positive
  1. Great food and I would definitely recommend the breads and cookies to anyone that wants to taste something yummy.
  2. I've enjoyed every dish I've tried at the restaurant, especially the pigeon, the catfish, and the chocolate chip bread pudding.
  3. If I were to go there again, I would just order the PROFITEROLES, three scoops of diff flavored ice cream wrapped in pastries and drizzled in chocolate---this was truly amazing.
  4. The chocolate bread pudding is a perfect ending to a decadent meal or the ice cream sundae which is equally naughty.
  5. The ended up taking my burger off the bill and giving us a dessert on the house - an awful banana split.
  6. If it was outstanding I could see it as a nice change for lunch, but the peanut butter wasn't any better than one you could buy at any grocery store and the chocolate peanut butter brownie was horrible.
  7. The chocolate chip bread pudding is my favorite dessert in all of NYC - probably!
  8. The foie gras was decent, but the desserts, especially the Banana Walnut Bread Pudding, were great.
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. Other pluses, cozy and romantic seating downstairs, an attractive dining room upstairs with wide open windows, a decent selection of wines by the glass and the fresh breads they make on premises.
  2. The apps are good- drinks great.
  3. Service is hitt or miss (as is the bartender) but its a great place to hang out, eat comfort food, drink wine - there's no 'scene' here (other than locals).
  4. Especially on a hot day, the downstairs feels like a cool, candlelit castle - and they'll keep the iced tea coming.
food quality
85.9000015258789% positive
  1. The breads are fantastic but the blue ribbon food is what keeps bringing me back.
  2. Service is hitt or miss (as is the bartender) but its a great place to hang out, eat comfort food, drink wine - there's no 'scene' here (other than locals).
  3. The Best Fried chicken and bread pudding
  4. The fried chicken - a whopping $25 - was bone dry and served with barely cooked collard greens.
  5. Yesterday, as usual we had an extremely pleasant evening -- good service and excellent food.
  6. The chocolate chip bread pudding is my favorite dessert in all of NYC - probably!
  7. They aren't kidding with the name - the fresh baked bliss they create can even be picked up on the way out to stock your own kitchen.
  8. great food.
  9. Their sweet bread was good.
  10. I've eaten dinner and brunch here as well - and it's always delicious, fun, great service.
  11. If I were to go there again, I would just order the PROFITEROLES, three scoops of diff flavored ice cream wrapped in pastries and drizzled in chocolate---this was truly amazing.
  12. The food is always tasty and extremely filling.
  13. had the mushroom ravioli which were very good but the striped bass was greasy and the accompanying vegatables were overcooked and soaked in butter.
  14. Other pluses, cozy and romantic seating downstairs, an attractive dining room upstairs with wide open windows, a decent selection of wines by the glass and the fresh breads they make on premises.
  15. My wife did convince me that maybe he was having a bad night so I might go back because the food was good even the cheeses which again the tall waiter with the beard just tossed on the table and walked away without any word about them.
  16. The downstairs overlooks the breadmaking and you'll notice a warm bread smell.
  17. And of course the fresh baked bread, which arrives warm from baking rather than reheating.
  18. Despite of the nice menu and the name "bakkery", there is only one choice of sweet dish for brunch: French toasts.
  19. The bread is fantastic and we love the chorizo and garlic shrimp appetizer and the steak frites are great comfort food.
  20. The ravioli is amazing, so are the tongue, yellowfin, serrano ham sandwiches.
  21. What a high quality New York restaurant should be -- casual atmosphere, attentive but not obsequious service, lively but not posturing atmosphere, and excellent food.
  22. The ended up taking my burger off the bill and giving us a dessert on the house - an awful banana split.
  23. The menu was great: tapas, cheeses, comfort dishes.
  24. The chocolate bread pudding is a perfect ending to a decadent meal or the ice cream sundae which is equally naughty.
  25. I've enjoyed every dish I've tried at the restaurant, especially the pigeon, the catfish, and the chocolate chip bread pudding.
  26. couple of weeks ago we went to Supper in the east village and it was so bad that we got up and left and the only way to save the evening of horrible food was to go to Blue Ribbon Bakery and have at least one thing off the menu.
  27. We had the pork rilette - mediocre, but edible and the fried chicken and burger both of which should never have left the kitchen.
  28. Nothing on the menu has ever disappointed -- worth explicit mention is the fried chicken, french onion soup, lamb, and french toast.
  29. highly recommend the fried chicken, the batter is light and the chicken is juicy.
  30. was pleasantly surprised to find there wasn't a wait, the prices were not too much and the bread they give you at the table was delicious!
  31. While quite loud, the food is superb; Had the shrimp with garlic butter, and the goat cheese salad - both excellent and served by a team of very attentive waitstaff.
  32. The seating downstairs is very very nice as well - one can actually smell the fresh scent of baked bread while eating there - since the kitchen is right there in almost plain view.
  33. The food did not disappoint - the grilled catfish & steak were really yummy, ditto for the apps.
  34. Oh, and definitely take a trip downstairs - where you can smell the fresh baked bread!
  35. delicious food for every mood, great service and great location
  36. The food was mediocre with a small selection on the menu.
  37. The food here is great and the service is all right.
  38. The wait staff is attentive and the food is prepared with fresh ingredients and well presented.
  39. Great food and I would definitely recommend the breads and cookies to anyone that wants to taste something yummy.
menu variety
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. Their menu selections are exquisite.
  2. couple of weeks ago we went to Supper in the east village and it was so bad that we got up and left and the only way to save the evening of horrible food was to go to Blue Ribbon Bakery and have at least one thing off the menu.
  3. also wish their brunch menu was a bit more extensive
  4. The menu was great: tapas, cheeses, comfort dishes.
  5. Sure the breads are great, and the menu extensive, but in general the preparation is fairly boring and the taste mediocre.
  6. Despite of the nice menu and the name "bakkery", there is only one choice of sweet dish for brunch: French toasts.
  7. Nothing on the menu has ever disappointed -- worth explicit mention is the fried chicken, french onion soup, lamb, and french toast.
  8. The food was mediocre with a small selection on the menu.
  9. Other pluses, cozy and romantic seating downstairs, an attractive dining room upstairs with wide open windows, a decent selection of wines by the glass and the fresh breads they make on premises.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. Service is hitt or miss (as is the bartender) but its a great place to hang out, eat comfort food, drink wine - there's no 'scene' here (other than locals).
  2. Still a nice place, though!
  3. My favorite restaurant for dinner!
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. will definitely come back here whenever I can afford it - totally recommend the basement for a party or groups who want to talk the night away and the main floor for a romantic date.
  2. If I were to go there again, I would just order the PROFITEROLES, three scoops of diff flavored ice cream wrapped in pastries and drizzled in chocolate---this was truly amazing.
  3. My wife did convince me that maybe he was having a bad night so I might go back because the food was good even the cheeses which again the tall waiter with the beard just tossed on the table and walked away without any word about them.
service
78.5699987411499% positive
  1. Had something to eat there last night and in twenty years of eating out in New York I never experienced such bad service.
  2. The waiters, waitresses and hosts manage to blend prompt and attentive service with a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
  3. delicious food for every mood, great service and great location
  4. Our waiter treated us like a big inconvenience despite our early dining hour and that the place was nearly empty when we sat down.
  5. The staff is amazing and super friendly.
  6. bad waiter
  7. Wines by the glass are lovely and if possible sit upstairs so you can watch the beautiful people pass by (windows, windows, windows).
  8. My friend and I looked at each other surprised how nonchalant the staff was about this horrible service they just gave us.
  9. The food here is great and the service is all right.
  10. Yesterday, as usual we had an extremely pleasant evening -- good service and excellent food.
  11. and this "nice" waiter after I told him the number of people simply replied: "we don't handle this kind of numbers" and just hanged on me.
  12. Service was alright - not too bad but one wishes that the wait staff could be a tad bit more friendly.
  13. They have a really cool private room that would seat about 8-13 people I would guess.
  14. Service is hitt or miss (as is the bartender) but its a great place to hang out, eat comfort food, drink wine - there's no 'scene' here (other than locals).
  15. Worst of all was our waiter.
  16. The wait staff is attentive and the food is prepared with fresh ingredients and well presented.
  17. Sometimes the service is good, sometimes it's not.
  18. I've eaten dinner and brunch here as well - and it's always delicious, fun, great service.
  19. What a high quality New York restaurant should be -- casual atmosphere, attentive but not obsequious service, lively but not posturing atmosphere, and excellent food.
  20. Don't waste your money here unless you like grudging service provided by a self-absorbed waiter in a small, noisy space!
  21. The staff is surly, service is slow, the owner shouts orders to waiters across the place.
  22. While quite loud, the food is superb; Had the shrimp with garlic butter, and the goat cheese salad - both excellent and served by a team of very attentive waitstaff.
  23. Our waiter was great and very attentive - I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a group brunch!
  24. Restaurants owe the people who support their business accurate time estimates so they can plan their night accordingly, especially in the west village where there tons of great alternatives.
  25. But the worst was the service.
  26. Blue Ribbon looks, smells and tastes great with awesome service.
  27. The space was cramped, the server was slow and seemed almost annoyed that our group of 7 was even in the restaurant.
  28. My wife did convince me that maybe he was having a bad night so I might go back because the food was good even the cheeses which again the tall waiter with the beard just tossed on the table and walked away without any word about them.
value
80.0% positive
  1. Nothing on the menu has ever disappointed -- worth explicit mention is the fried chicken, french onion soup, lamb, and french toast.
  2. Don't waste your money here unless you like grudging service provided by a self-absorbed waiter in a small, noisy space!
  3. little expensive, but the neighbourhood is charming.
  4. was pleasantly surprised to find there wasn't a wait, the prices were not too much and the bread they give you at the table was delicious!
  5. Wonderful breads and the price can't be beat.
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. The space was cramped, the server was slow and seemed almost annoyed that our group of 7 was even in the restaurant.
  2. The staff is surly, service is slow, the owner shouts orders to waiters across the place.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/01/10

Fantastic!!

by tzsilversmith at Citysearch

I come here at least once a week, so I think I owe a review. Both the food and the ambiance keep me coming back. Blue Ribbon looks, smells and tastes great with awesome service. I've never felt rushed even though it can get kind of busy. The chocolate bread pudding is one of the best things I've ever eaten... highly recommend!!

  • Pros: Great food, great service
  • Cons: Can be expensive,
1 Star Rating: Poor

05/24/10

Only passable

by NYCreviewerToo at Citysearch

We finally went to Blue Ribbon Bakery. I had read so much hype about this place over the years. Maybe the Bromberg brothers are getting stretched too thin with their growing food empire? But whatever is going on, the place was a huge disappointment. The food was lackluster at best. The grilled catfish was overspiced and had weird thready things in it. The lamb was overdone and there wasn't much of it. But the worst was the service. Talk about a real bummer. Our waiter treated us like a big inconvenience despite our early dining hour and that the place was nearly empty when we sat down. I don't know, maybe we weren't hip or cool enough? Who knows, who cares. There were plenty of tourists filling the place by the time we left. So be forewarned. And remember that there are so many other places to try in NYC. Don't waste your money here unless you like grudging service provided by a self-absorbed waiter in a small, noisy space!

  • Pros: Fun space
  • Cons: Crummy service, lack luster food
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/07/10

Best Brunch in the City

by Austy at Citysearch

This is a really fun cozy place in the Village. The breads are fantastic but the blue ribbon food is what keeps bringing me back. The french toast may be the best thing I ever ate.

  • Pros: great varied menu
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/27/09

Consistently great

by mar933 at Citysearch

I've never left this place disappointed. Yesterday, as usual we had an extremely pleasant evening -- good service and excellent food. Their menu selections are exquisite. Duck confit yesterday was great. I love their combinations -- how flavors complement each other. Excellent atmosphere and decor. Looking forward to going back.

  • Pros: Excellent food, choices, combinations, wine list, service
  • Cons: Expensive. Occasionally loud diners
4 Star Rating: Recommended

02/07/09

The Best Fried chicken and bread pudding

by epicurian0003 at Citysearch

I love Blue Ribbon Bakery in the winter. The downstairs dining area is juxtaposed to the wood burning ovens of their bakery and the wine cellar gives it an old world charm. I highly recommend the fried chicken, the batter is light and the chicken is juicy. The chocolate bread pudding is a perfect ending to a decadent meal or the ice cream sundae which is equally naughty.

  • Pros: Great Service and ambiance
  • Cons: can be expensive

The Details on Blue Ribbon Bakery & Cafe

Place Categories:

  • great comfort food
  • good grudging service
  • mediocre fried chicken
  • worst waiter
  • really fun cozy place
  • super friendly wait staff
  • worst service
  • favorite original blue ribbon restaurant
  • great location
  • nice brunch menu
  • great sitting downstairs
  • almost annoyed server
  • fresh baked bread
  • great dining experience
  • awful place
  • very good mushroom ravioli
  • favorite dessert
  • romantic seating downstairs
  • relaxed atmosphere
  • mediocre burger
  • like big inconvenience
  • mediocre pork rilette
  • fantastic breads
  • loved private room
  • great neighborhood