Charming lunch spot. Authentic Japanese food made with care -- feels like you're in someone's home.

Longstanding Greenpoint staple. If you'd like a cozy place for a small snack or bite in a lovely cafe stop by here. It's a one woman show and this place has been around for a while so I always stop by when I can. read more

Ashbox - Daily Lunch Special, hot apple cider vinegar drink with shiso. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

If anyone doubted we are living in dystopian times, all they would need to do is stop into this bizarre, unwelcoming place and they would change their minds. What happened to this spot? It used to be a cute, friendly neighborhood place for a snack and some tea, now it is a bunker, where tables form a wall as you enter so that you, um, really cannot enter. The places has tons of flies. The tables have dirty post-it notes with random things written on it. There is nowhere to sit and no bathroom. I guess it has been a few years since I have been here, but it is now so awful. A miserable woman came to the table and wispered something. She could not be more unfriendly. I asked for a small iced tea with light ice. When she gave me the total, it was more than a small iced tea should be, so I asked why and she said she is charging more for less ice. I have been around a long time and never have I heard such lunacy. I snatched my cash back and told her she was nuts. She was nonplussed. Is this place now a front for something? No one was in there. It used to be so lively. Anyway, I left and got an iced tea from another place nearby. It was $1.00 cheaper and delicious. Please stay away. It will depress you to go here. read more

Nothing better than a strawberry milk on a sunny day. The food, and the woman who makes it, are special. Accept the wait, and enjoy. read more

Love this place. Great prices for such tasty food!! Very tiny and quaint inside very unsuspecting. Great for quick bites. The service was excellent! I'd definitely recommend. read more

Ashbox - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This is a one of a kind place. There is so much care that goes into each item served. Highly recommend.

I am craving one of those hot dogs. I never eat hot dogs unless I am working near Ashbox, I start with a hot dog and then I as much as I can eat off the menu. A true gem. read more

Everything is under $10, but the portions are also very small. The salmon rice is cooked shredded salmon with avocado, lettuce, and rice in a small coffee cup for $7.50, and the mini sandwich is slider size for $3.50. It's inexpensive yet deceivingly expensive. Tasty nonetheless. Also, the service is slow because the lady, albeit kind and sweet, is the cashier and prepares your food. read more

I am obsessed with this place!! The iced matcha with oat milk is one of my favorites in the city and I have been to so so many cafes and tried so many different matchas. The onigiri and the seaweed wrap are also quite yummy, made with gluten free rice! The last thing I got was a side of the tofu salad which also was so delicious. The menu rotates out and is run by one woman who is so sweet! It's far from me but I will definitely be back for more matcha and to try the breakfast options. read more

Ashbox - a person holding a burrito and a salad - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Went here for the first time today and loved it. While it's no-frills, it's actually so pleasant and cozy inside - I wish I would have stayed and eaten there instead of taking my order to go. The matcha latte was one of the best I've had and the food was fresh, filling, and delicious. I only had to wait a few minutes for my order, and it was all in all a pleasant experience. I'll definitely be back! read more

Ashbox - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I was on the phone speaking softly and almost whispering (I'm mindful of not speaking loudly in there) and I was told very rudely by the owner to step outside when speaking on the phone. First of all, it's a coffee shop and not a library. There isn't a policy on not speaking on the phone in coffee shops. I would also have appreciated that she would have said something more politely instead of being rude about it. I come in quite frequently. And when the owner needs a favor (made me sign a petition), the owner is nice to you. But any minor infraction you're met with rudeness and coldness despite the fact that you're a regular. read more

Cute spot in Greenpoint with incredibly sweet and kind service. Not to mention delicious! read more

Ashbox - The pickled daikon wrap. So freaking good. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Japanese home cooking, focused on takeout with a very small eating area. The store-owner does everything by herself, so it's not a fast operation but she does make everything on hand as you order it. The store has been blocked off mostly except for a few tables in the front - no bathrooms or wifi, mostly a quick stop for people to get their lunch. Prices are very reasonable, recommend getting 2-3 things since they're on the smaller size. read more

I feel so privileged to have tried the hoji tea ice cream! The barley in the rice = extra hearty read more

Was early for a meeting nearby when this cute cafe caught my eye with its cheery yellow exterior. You have to be patient to order because only one customer is allowed inside at a time. The owner is very sweet and friendly ; she is the only one taking orders and packing up your order. Credit card are accept with $10 minimum. I tried the Spicy Tuna Poke - which was featured on the menu written out on post its. It's healthy comfort food - spicy tuna poke, avocado chunks, arugula over a bed of rice seasoned with fresh ginger and pickled daikon - but simple and delicious. It reminded me of the snack / light lunch that I used to have in Hawaii. I really appreciated how thoughtfully composed the rice was for taste and textures and was not just a plain blob of filler rice. What a find! And a pleasant surprise to find a little bit of Hawaii here in Greenpoint. read more

Ashbox - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This is a very authentic Japanese cafe and I'm all about it. Happened upon a recommendation to follow their Instagram for daily specials! I walk by this place every day on my dog walk and so glad I finally tried it. First thought... The prices are very reasonable. Paid $6.75 for the poke bowl, $4.00 for for rice ball and $5.00 for the avocado bowl. We were worried the portions were going to be small, but everything was very filling! The rice is super yummy and has beans/different grain types. I will definitely mix things up a bit next time and try a salad or soup, because everything we got was pretty rice heavy. Overall, definitely loved it and will continue to try things on the menu! read more

Ashbox - Rice Ball with Salmon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Unique tiny delicious fresh jewel box of a place with few but choice offerings that always make you feel better for having eaten them.

Amazing cafe with great food. I had salmon ochazuke (salmon in green tea / bonito broth), which I have NEVER found at another place that sells this, except for Stonemill Matcha in SF. She changes up the menu daily, so definitely go there pretty often to try everything on the menu. Talk about talent, being able to cook so well!! :) read more

Adorable little Japanese cafe with comfort food and excellent prices! Aptly named for its location between ash and box street. It's currently delivery only which wasn't an issue as we took our lunch to the park nearby. Excellent quality food and quite filling! I got the salmon avocado bowl with a tofu mushroom salad on the side. read more

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Ashbox is a place that's very much "just is." And what it is is an oasis for your soul at the northern tip of Greenpoint. It's a small Japanese cafe that serves nourishing, healthy food, made with natural ingredients and lots of love and care. Yoko, the owner, single-handedly takes care of all the customers during Covid, so you may have to wait a bit. Because of this, I appreciate Ashbox as a place to slow down. My visits always make me feel like I could take a deep breath and reconnect with my inner patience. I always walk away calmer and happier. And of course, with a satisfied belly. My personal favorite is the avocado happy rice with salmon or cod roe, plus a side of tofu. The flavors are subtle but deliver a deep umami sensation. The tuna poke bowl is delectable as well; it's gingery and refreshing. The various vinegary drinks cleanse your palate and rejuvenate your senses. Lastly, my recommendation is to follow Ashbox on Instagram (@ashboxcafe) and keep an eye on their daily specials. read more

Cute but they impose a hard $10 card minimum and everything is like $6-7... I had to order another tuna poke and leave it at the counter because I only wanted one. read more

Delicious, vegan friendly restaurant with Asian inspired fare. The woman who runs it is an amazing cook who also works as a personal chef for the uber-rich. There are no keto options on the menu, but they were very accommodating and adapted their turkey egg brunch item to not include any fruit or rice so it was keto friendly. They have a large assortment of teas, including matcha, as well as a fridge full of fruit and vegetable juices for the health conscious, which seems to be the target market here, everything is very healthy. read more

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This spot is gem! They offer Japanese rice balls (onigiri). They only make it after you place the order so it's always warm. awww! The salad is healthy and hearty too! This place is a avocado paradise, coz they offer, avocado salad, rice wrap w avocado in it, yum!!! read more

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Love it here! Cute but lowkey vibe and I like that they offer reasonably priced drinks and food options that are more unique than the usual Brooklyn cafes. Hibiscus minty ice tea was refreshing and not too sweet at all, and the ume/avocado hand roll was freshly made to order and tasted amazing. It is a bit off the beaten path being so far north in Greenpoint, but that makes it a bit of a hidden gem. It's def worth the trek and more chill than some of the cafes closer to the train. read more

Great food and interesting drinks. the lady that runs is very nice. Great little neighborhood spot. Love the onigiri and there's always some interesting drink to try read more

Such a cute little place for lunch in north greenpoint. I've only come during the pandemic where there is only person taking orders and prepping the meal so be prepared for a little bit of a wait. However, she is sweet and makes the space feel homey. I love the tuna poke and the onigiri and she constantly has specials in rotation. Some of the curry dishes and soups sound good but I have yet to try and definitely will in the future. read more

Ashbox is one of my favorite spots in Greenpoint. It's a very tranquil Japanese café where you can have a tea, onigiri, or a miso soup and read a book or magazine. I could go here by myself or with my roommates who liked the spot, too. I like that it's a little bit way out of the way and close to the water and bridge. The cafe is never crowded or loud; I love that. It's like a cozy hideaway. read more

The pot of gold is at the end of the rainbow. I promise you it is, well at least, Ashbox is at the end of Manhattan Ave. I just kept walking and walking and when I could see the water, I also found this charming place for lunch. How cute, quaint, cozy and oh so Brooklyn. There is a wind chime on the door and something about those things always makes moments magical. The whistling of the wind through the chimes feels mystical. This place serves up some great vegetarian Japanese options. I had some miso soup chocked full of tofu and seaweed and also an onigiri rice ball, accompanied by a nice tall iced soy latte. Excellent, refreshing light meal. The place is very charming and inviting. You could linger around here for awhile and just catch up on the daily news in the WSJ or just chat with a friend. I love that it is so close to the water. After enjoying a wonderful lunch, it is great to just go stroll along the water a bit. read more

Oh, Ashbox. I love you. I have been working right around the corner for over a year now and this is my go-to spot for lunch. I love this cafe so much that when I think about moving away, Ashbox comes to mind, and I realize how much I would miss it. I normally get the Tofu salad- it's a mix of greens, homemade tofu (which is super soft!), grape tomatoes, cucumber, kelp, sunflower seeds, and this amazing homemade lemon miso vinaigrette. delicious. Pair this with a Spicy Salmon Mayo Onigiri (rice ball) which is my fave of them all and I've got my perfect lunch. The miso soup with fried tofu is also great. My mom's japanese, I've lived in Japan and know what good miso tastes like and this is pretty comparable. It's perfect for those cold winter days. This place is always nice and toasty as well (a nice escape from my cold office). When I'm feeling like I need something a little heartier, I go for the Turkey or Egg Salad sandwich on ciabatta bread. You can't go wrong. The staff are always very friendly and polite. I've gotten some free drinks and cookies here with my to-go orders before (I think because 1. I'm a regular 2. I tip them every time 3. They love me). It can get a little crowded after noon, but there are usually plenty of seats. If you come after 3 on a weekday you'll dodge the lunch crowd. read more

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Absolutely incredible. The poke is to die for. And the fact that it's just one woman running the whole thing (taking orders and making the food in the back) just makes the experience that much more special. Incredible New York gem. read more

Great café, apparently run by two older-than-their-20s Japanese ladies. They deserve a much less ironic clientele. (It was overrun by hipsters when I was there, including a couple making out in the corner for an hour and a half). Only had the drip, but it was good. The most impressive bit was the Saturday brunch on offer (see photo). Kimchee and Japanese style eggs, with brown rice and tea or coffee for only $8. Regular food offerings look good as well. Logistics: Hours are not very extensive. Closed Sundays, and only open until 7ish most other days. And getting a table occasionally a problem. But these facts just make it all the more homey. read more

Ashbox - Saturday brunch: kimchee and eggs with brown rice, salad, coffee. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This place was really very nice overall and I came really close to giving it a full five stars. The Menu consisted of several sandwiches and traditional Japanese dishes including half a dozen varieties of onigiri. Pros: The decor is cute and quaint and really makes you feel good. The bathroom is really clean and nice. The onigiri were large and tasty overall. There is a large array of other traditional Japanese treats. Cons: Cash Only. Not a huge con, but can put a cramp in your plans if you are not prepared for it. The bread on the turkey sandwich was very touch and chewy. It did not impact the flavor but contributed to the sandwich being relatively mediocre overall. The rice in the best onigiri I have had had a wonderful flavor from being seasoned with rice vinegar and flame grilled. Comparatively the rice in the onigiri at Ashbox was not particularly flavorful. The overall quality of the establishment is wonderful. And despite the mediocre quality of the sandwiches the onigiri are really good. So give this luttle hole in teh wall a try! read more

Ashbox - 3 large Onigiri plus salmon sandwhich. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Clean, healthy and rice-filled, Ashbox is a cozy Japanese cafe with a delicious light menu. It is also a great breakfast spot as they open early and serve relatively quick. The cafe doesn't have wifi, discouraging people from treating the place as a work cafe. A great place to get that zen on, especially after a crazy work week. We went there on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and ordered happy rice (with salmon), tofu salad, and two ornigris with salmon roe and salted kelp. All were really light, yet filling. The portions weren't huge (as expected from the price), but allowed us to sample a variety of their food I highly enjoyed the tofu salad. Ashbox definitely resembles a feel good spot from its food to its ambience. FYI: Their menu is much larger at the store than what is posted online! read more

Ashbox - Tofu salad, spicy salmon and salted kelp onigiri, happy rice with mustard green, rice with avocado and salmon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Very healthy foods. The owner Doesn't update Yelp or check it much. I highly recommend following the Instagram @ashboxcafe for updates on current store hours and menu. Currently open 10 am till sell out and they accept cards now. No sundays. The owner is very nice and sweet, but is currently the only one working there. Expect some sort of wait. No indoor dining but there are some tables outside to sit and eat. She has special in rotations a lot. The menu changes daily, but some stuff are regulars. My favorites are the Tuna poke (haven't try much of the special rotations because I keep getting this when I come) Happy salmon / Happy kelp Avo sal wrap/ avo kelp wrap And any of her salads (her dressings are amazing!) Pre pandemic: The cafe was very homey, clean, and nice quiet place (no wifi) to relax. read more

I ate a homemade onigiri (see Marianna's review for a perfect definition). Freshly-prepared. Remarkable. My lunch was a small salad with smoked salmon and a spicy salmon and mayo onigiri ("You must really like salmon!"). The price was about $8. My salad was served in a charming wooden bowl and I believe the dressing was homemade and possibly mixed right in the bowl. Ashbox gets the fifth star when the regular coffee is better, or when I've tried the daily special. It was a chicken curry, Japanese-style, when I was there. It was popular. I'll go back. I am learning to love what I believe is everyday Japanese food (see Niko Niko on Wall Street). read more

A very calm, very pleasant place to get good tea. Cups of tea are a mere $2.25 and served in large mugs like you'd more likely find at a biergarten. Between getting a pot for $3.50 or the single cup, I find it a little more reasonable to take the latter. The loose tea, primarily Japanese styles, is not served in metal strainers, something I don't particularly like for infusion, but in what I think are reusable bags. I've not confirmed this. Maybe the bags are just really nice. I've had the shiitake and avocado salad here which, while tasty, wasn't particularly impressive. It was served in a wooden bowl and this is not an insubstantial detail. There's no clanging of ceramic and metal, thus less noise and more calm. The space is beautifully lit in the afternoons, and typically patronized by a less intense crowd than typical cafe & coffee shops in the area. No wi-fi. No Facebooking. Mostly writers. There's certainly plenty of space to "spread out for an hour". I'm partial to the ambiance because the background music reminds me of Pilotwings 64. I want to put on springy shoes and bounce around the continent. read more

Really adorable little place in Greenpoint. Went over the summer when indoor dining was closed, so it was takeout only. It looked like a cute and cozy space inside, so I'd like to go back some time. I enjoyed the house salad and iced tea - velvety thing was very fresh and healthy. The woman working there was very friendly. I look forward to returning. read more

I love Ashbox! They're a bit out of the way, and remember to bring cash (or hit up a deli nearby), but the food is awesome. Light options range from miso soup, to homemade tofu and seaweed wraps. They've also got a sandwich and salad menu. Service is pretty speedy. My go-to order? I get the homemade tofu with bonito flakes, avocado salmon seaweed wrap, and miso soup. It comes up to around $10, but more importantly, I don't feel bogged down for the rest of the day. The food is simple yet delicious and filling. When the ladies at Ashbox call my name to let me know that my order is ready, I know that I'm in for a treat. read more

I love this place! The owner is kind and makes all the food fresh. I have eaten an early lunch here all weekalways great;))

I love this gem at the very north of Greenpoint! It might seem like a trek from the train but def worth it. The Japanese food is super yummy and cheap. They have these dishes called Happy Rice which is a rich bowl with your choice of fish or vegetarian option. They also have onigiri which are pretty big in size. Both items are about $4 each. I went there for brunch this weekend and only spent $8.00! My only feedback for this place is that it has several menus so make sure you look at all of them before ordering. They have brunch specials that come with salad and cold noodles. My friend ordered the seared tuna steak one and it looked great! read more

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