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    Balancero

    4.8 (110 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Balancero Photos

    Business Info

    BALANCERO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for working
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Balancero

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    Outside
    Joseline B.

    I found this small spot while walking around Astoria and really impressed me the amount of people were walking away with their sandwich, just made me want to grab one! The place is small but pretty cozy, they even gave me a free mini donut which I found really sweet! The sandwich could not be warm up cause their policy is to eat it fresh, and it was DELICIOUS!!! There was not much of space to sit but their service was pretty fast!

    Chocolate strawberry croissant
    Nancy C.

    Whenever someone asks for a coffee recommendation in Astoria, I always say "Balancero." Why? It's a local hole in the wall (quite literally, almost) grab-and-go coffee shop that makes really, really good drinks. From espressos, to lattes, to matchas, everything I've tried tasted delicious--strong and memorable. Other than the great drinks, I also love seeing everyone lining up and chatting it up at the window counter. And for regulars, they'll always say hello when you visit ... or ask where you've been if you haven't in awhile. Definitely a local spot with the nice neighborhood vibe here. If you'd like something to pair with your beverage, they also have donuts, sweet + savory croissants, pastries, and more. Pro tip: get a punch card so you can get a free drink after it's done.

    Jason T.

    Ate and brought here today while working as a substitute paraprofessional at P.S. 234 Q on a rainy day. I had ate and brought the prosciutto croissant sandwich with a side of seasonal iced tea that it tasted really good and delicious. The service there was also attentive and pleasant that I even got a complimentary donut for trying for the first time. Finally, I would definitely eat and come back again next time.

    Vanilla iced latte
    Leila A.

    Best coffee ever! The service was fast and great too. Can't wait to come back, thank you :)

    Iced Caffe Latte (~$6) with oat milk (+$1)
    Aya E.

    Ordered: Iced Caffe Latte (~$6) with oat milk (+$1) Mini Donut - Hazelnut Cream (~$2) Mini Donut - Vanilla Cream (complimentary) Aya's take: Balancero is somewhat of a hole in the wall coffee spot but you'll know you're there when you see the line of people outside and smell the fresh coffee beans. The Iced Latte was exactly what I needed and really well-made! It was creamy, silky, and strong. I was debating between the 2 flavors of Mini Donuts and ended up choosing the Hazelnut Cream. The worker threw in a Vanilla Cream one so I can try it and see which one I like better. This was so appreciated; great customer service! I ended up liking the Hazelnut Cream more as it tasted fresher and was more filled than the Vanilla Cream. Great local coffee spot to support if you're in Astoria!

    Carol S.

    One of my favorite coffee shops in Astoria! They don't have seating since it's a window, but they have a bench outside. There's usually a line because their coffee and pastries are delicious! It's a local hotspot. Get the strawberry croissant.

    Croissant
    Beryce G.

    Food (5/5) - Didn't get to try their coffee since I already had some earlier in the day but I did try their prosciutto sandwich which was yummy and well-portioned for roughly $9! - Also got a free croissant which was nice and flakey Service (5/5) - Really great service. I told them it was my first time and they threw in a free croissant Ambiance - They don't really have any seating inside. They had a few seats outside. - Could possible stop by here to grab coffee with a friend and sit on one of the chairs or walk around, especially on a nice day

    Diane L.

    Great little coffee shop with good coffee drinks and pastry. I got the plain croissant with a regular drip coffee. Croissant is nice and crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. I love a fresh baked croissant with my coffee and didn't know they baked on premise here so this was a pleasant surprise. Cute local neighborhood vibe. Busy. Service is good. Happy to support this local business.

    Croissants
    Jenny C.

    Didn't know what the hype was about since this place has a 5 star rating but I think my experience was pretty average. The croissants were probably the best part! The turkey croissant was about to be sold out and it had some arugula, cheese and pesto which was pretty big for a croissant sandwich! The service was average and the place was packed on the weekend in Astoria however I felt like the coffee was quite average as the espresso was slightly more on the acidic side and the flat white didn't have the flat white foam... it had a quite thick foam for a flat white which isn't really what a flat white is. The drip was typical. There were a few chairs outside but seems like there's no room to stand inside because of how busy it was and just in general the vibe was nothing special. I wish there were some seating inside or at least some tables outside to sit down but it's mainly for take out here.

    Nutella strawberry croissant, apricot croissant, leek and cheese burke
    Kimberly H.

    Great coffee (double shot americano and cortado), really friendly neighborly service, and fun pastries to boot!

    Iced chai latte. Mini vanilla donut. Mini Nutella donut.
    Danielle M.

    New favorite coffee shop in Astoria! I went today for a drink; I ended up getting an Iced Chai Latte at their to-go service window. The woman helping me (I wish I got her name) walked me through all the questions for my drink order (size, type of milk, if I'd like it dirty) with warmth, patience and a bright smile on her face! I also wanted to try one of their mini donuts; they had Nutella and Vanilla flavors. I decided to go with the Nutella and the woman helping me gave me a Vanilla Donut for free for me to try as well! It was so sweet of her and made my day! Incredible service and a delicious drink and donuts! I would highly recommend checking this place out if you haven't already! And I can't wait to go back!

    Koob V.

    Had a delightful time visiting this place. It was recommended by a friend. Though it's tucked in the neighborhood, it was easy to find because there was always a group of people gathered right outside the coffee shop. I love the simplicity of it and even though it's only about 200 ft.² they utilize the space very well. Espresso was well-balanced. Not too bitter, well rounded, but still cut through my cortado. Got to meet Zoki, who was very friendly and welcoming. He explained the philosophy of this place and told me that they're opened 7-4, 365 of the year because people will need coffee every day and they want to be there for their customers.

    matcha latte

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    5 months ago

    Their chai is out of this world. So good!! Just keep in mind they close by 4 every day.

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    10 months ago

    Chill and nice people, pulled the espresso shots well, love a good hole-in-the-wall shop.

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    Page 1 of 3

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    Oslo Coffee Roasters

    Oslo Coffee Roasters

    4.3
    (298 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $

    This is not a sit down and yap/sit down and work kind of coffee spot. It's small and there's only…read moreone table in the tiny corner of the shop where it's mainly people sitting to quickly drink their coffee or wait for their friends to get coffee. Most people are in and out. The coffee is rich and flavorful. The pastries are not bad either. Definitely a good neighborhood spot for those that aren't looking to spend their whole day in a coffee spot but instead are looking to grab and go.

    Let me tell you why this coffee shop stands above the rest:…read more 1. They use quality beans. I'm a home barista and use Oslo's beans for my americanos. When I moved to the UES, I was worried finding a new local roaster. I've had bad experiences where the beans are too oily or something is off that messes with my usually grind size/extraction time. No issues with Oslo's beans. 2. They actually know how to make a proper americano. Every coffee shop takes a standard cup, puts in the espresso shot, and then fills hot water to the brim of the cup. This destroys the flavor of the espresso. You end up with hot water that tastes slightly like coffee. Oslo chooses quality over quantity. They don't fill the water up to the brim, so you have a cup with 2/3 of liquid; however, this is a proper americano. You can taste the difference. At other shops, I just get drip coffee because they don't know what they're doing. Oslo knows what they're doing. That's why I come here.

    Photos
    Oslo Coffee Roasters
    Cappuccino
    Cappuccino
    Oslo Coffee Roasters

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    San Babila

    San Babila

    4.4
    (59 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    Place looks nice, service was good but unfortunately, food was fair. Started with the burrata…read more Visually appealing and looked like a large portion with all of the accoutrements. Unfortunately, it was totally bland and not large at all. The side sauce added nothing and over 30$ with tax/tip. For entrees, we shared the lobster pasta and the guazzetto di Pesci. The pasta was good. Reasonable amount of pasta but we would have liked some more chunks of lobster for the price. I thought the sauce was only ok but my girlfriend liked it. The guazzetto di Pesci was only fair. The sauce was lacking flavor. Also a very small bowl of broth with maybe 3 small shrimp and muscles, a few small chunks of fish. and two sad, tiny pieces of bread on the side. Since we were still quite hungry after the meal, we ordered the lotus chocolate caramel dessert. This was the only dish we really liked. kinda hard to mess up gelato though. It came with a hard outer candy shell and a very small cookie center that was sweet and delicious. Overall, an average meal at best that we both felt was lacking in taste and size. Won't return.

    We came here for brunch on a Saturday afternoon as a group of six. Overall, the food was pretty…read moregood and the service was fine, but both the service and food were noticeably slow. They did bring out complimentary bread, which was appreciated, though it felt like something that should be standard rather than a highlight. One item someone in our group wanted -- the octopus burger -- was unfortunately unavailable, which was disappointing, especially given that it was brunch and still relatively early in the day. That said, the dishes we did order were good and well prepared. The space itself is nice: the front functions as a cute coffee shop, while the back has tables for sit-down dining. Because of that setup, the vibe feels more casual, but the menu offers solid options. Overall, it was a good experience, just not a great one -- a decent brunch spot, but nothing that blew us away.

    Photos
    Front bar area
    Front bar area
    San Babila
    Dining room area

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    Dining room area

    Balancero - coffee - Updated July 2026

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