BEST POPPY SEED ROLL CAKE EVER!! For all my fellow Lugans looking for that familiar taste of their childhood - look no further. They have taken the traditional poppy seed roll cake and perfected it - even better than my grandmother's .... I feel guilty saying that but even she would have to agree. The cake is sublimely moist thanks to the genius addition of the orange glaze and the sprinkled candied orange rind lends a certain elegance. My only warning is that you cannot stop eating it!! read more

Work in the neighborhood and it's so easy to just order a pastry along with my coffee at the Brooklyn Roasting in my lobby. Such a mistake though, considering these pastries are so much better and at least $1.50 less than "sexier" coffee shops in the area. Have not had the coffee though... read more

Polish bakery with tiny seating area. Pastries are delicious bring cash as they don't accept credit cards. Sometimes it gets crowded. I picked cakes few times and we all enjoyed them. read more

- Where to start! Beautiful pastries and delicious cookies. French macaroons are a must to get, along with the poppy seed Danish and apple turnover. A little pricey but well worth it when you sink your teeth in ! read more

This review is solely based on the poppy seed cake roll. It looks and tastes beautiful. There's some candied orange zest sprinkled on top, and almond essence through out. Even someone who supposedly doesn't like cake (not me!) loves it. Cash only. read more

Be aware! I had a very awkward experience with the cashier, when after paying for a $2.50 cup of coffee-to-go did not receive any change for the 5 dollar bill I handed to her but saw her pop all my change straight into the cashier tip jar! Really?! I tip and that's what you do for a decent service but Café Riviera got way ahead of themselves! She took $2.50 tip for $2.50 coffee (TO GO) without even asking! Unacceptable! It's petty cash but surely as the customer it should be up to me to decide whether or not to tip and how much. That was ridiculous, and I think the Café Riviera needs to sort this out!! read more

Had the blueberry "pudding" filled tart. HEAVENLY. Really one of the best fruit pastries I've had, and a reasonable $3. Haven't tried other things here yet but am definitely coming back. Everything looks very good. read more

Sundays: Go to Ovenly for a coffee and a quiche. Go to Cafe Riviera with my coffee, sit and listen to the Polish chatter while eating a yummy apple cake. So good. read more

This is a local polish bakery...it can get pretty busy here. Most of the counter lady's are very sweet and friendly. Everything they serve here is priced sooo reasonably!! It also helps that most of the baked goodies are tasty :) the meringues ate very good..even the sliced cakes :) read more

Only tried 3 things on the menu: tiramisu, macaroons, and the ham & cheese croissant. All 3 are amazingly delicious!

Service was great even in their busiest moment. Strawberry cheesecake is amazing!!!!!

It was around 7pm on a Saturday evening and this place had a line out the door. Me and a friend went on a random search for a bakery after finding Peter Pan pretty much emptied of everything. The woman in front of me enthusiastically recommended the apple cake and walked out with about $30 worth of baked goods. All things that bode well, but it just didn't do it for me. The apple cake tasted like very good homemade apple sauce and was sandwiched between two mere slivers of cake. The plum tart wasn't for me, but maybe I'm just not a fan of plums in pastry? I might need more experience to decide. The pistachio macaron was good, but I didn't like the chocolate, passion fruit, or black currant ones. I'd be willing to come back and try different things, I have a feeling it was just the items I happened to order that didn't thrill me. The staff was very helpful and patient and more than willing to tell me what unfamiliar items were. read more

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They were out of iced tea and don't serve lemonade, so opted for the iced coffee with ice cream. Came with whipped cream; wish they would have asked first because I would have said no whip. Busy place. Very polish - patrons and staff included. Wouldn't come back for the coffee or drinks but maybe try the pastries. read more

A beautiful girl serves you a warm, fresh croissant and coffee for under $3. TL;DR: Go now. Protip: the coffee comes with a good bit of steamed milk (which I think makes sugar unnecessary) unless you specify otherwise. read more

This is my new neighborhood macarons spot. They are priced by weight ($14/lb) -- so each comes up around $.75/pop! I don't understand how they do it since most places have to sell theirs at +$2/macaron. Pistachio and pumpkin (seasonal) flavors are definitely keepers. Rose and coffee are consistently good as well. The texture is decent. Depends on how fresh they are though, sometimes the cookie can taste a bit dry. But for the price, I think it would be unconscionable to make a big fuss about it. read more

Go for: pastries and macarons. Every store everywhere is selling macarons now but these are actually well done. My aunt is from France and always looking for good macarons, she'll be getting some of these from me soon. Also the macarons are a dollar each whaaaat that is so reasonable for them, they are always madd expensive. The pastries are also so cheap and so fantastic. The cakes here are okay, maybe I am just used to the Russian versions of these eastern Europe style cakes. These are fine but just not worth raving over like the other stuff. Staff is so nice and efficient. I like the no nonsense in and out way that the polish have, I'm not a fan of chit chat at registers. read more

Quaint little place with delicious, very reasonably priced baked goods. Had a ham and cheese and a raspberry croissant, both super good. Also try the cappuccino! read more

Absolutely love this place. The croisants are flaky and heavenly. Their rasberry, lemon cake is to die fie. I am hooked and became a regular customer! The staff is very pleasant and the place os neat and clean. read more

I had a feeling about this place and brought my mom. Light proceeded to shine out of my tail. Amazing Sheet Cakes soaked in generous portions of liquer, meringue cookies and a coffee with steamed milk $1! Unheard of in this city. Everything is labeled in Polish as well as English and the value is incomparable. We were in pig's heaven. Next time I want to try that mysterious chocolate cake with bits of cream cheese in it. So good! read more

Really dissatisfied, personnel does not listened what client would like. I ordered 4 things which only two were correct, other two were not what I would like to order. Personnel refused give me what I requested. When I asked again what I would like, they lie to me that that the one I am getting is still warm. read more

My new favorite bakery in Williamsburg. Why didn't I find this earlier? $15 per lb. Decent Macaroons, where else can beat that? Love all other pastries as well! read more

Ridiculously quirky, this place is cheap with big filling croissants. Try and go in when there isn't a line full of Polish speakers.

So, best place in Greenpoint for amazing pastries. It's ridiculous how cheap they are, and the quality of everything is really good. I'v go here so often with friends to get coffee and raspberry croissants and sit in front of the window and just listen to the Polish and be in that friendly atmosphere. It can get crowded at times, but the line always moves fast, and where else will you find 50¢ macarons? read more

What a gem. Great desserts, great prices. Ordered the cake for birthday it was absolutely delectable, it does have that cheap creamy look but the flavors are spot on so you will not be sorry . Coffe macaroons are great, the Only thing is that coffe is not good, so star down for that. read more

Best fresh pastries in miles. I love coming here are getting danish or croissants. I ordered a hazelnut cake from this place once and i almost passed out because it was so tasty. The only problem is that it is very limited on space and this place is always crowed. It's hard to get a seat so its best just to get your order to go read more

It's the best bakery in the area! Their butter cookies are addictive and always fresh. They have French and Polish pastries and cakes. If you are planning on getting cake or pastry near the holidays (Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas) be prepared to wait online. The people will wait online outside the store...even in the rain. read more

Best pastry bakery in Greenpoint. Their cheese danishes are heavenly good. Apple cake is very Polish and very amazing (coming from someone who doesn't like apple cake). Napoleons are also really good. But their cheesecake... literally it's one of the best I've had... it's very moist and fluffy. Their ice coffee with ice cream is also really good. Tried their mango ice tea and to me it was bitter but then again I don't really drink ice tea as is. The girls are always nice but busy so sometimes to people that may come off as crass.... but they're usually so busy that they don't have time to make small talk. Check them out if you have a sweet tooth and you will become a regular. read more

This place is phenom among bakeries. We stayed in Brooklyn for 3 nights and ended up here for Breakfast twice and even went back for a "to go" box for the drive home. A must if you're in the area. read more

Jammed pack and I hate lines but I get my ass in line here. Like Jodi said earlier, the little Chocolate whatever they are, are addictive like a motherplucker. Buy a pound for yourself. They have a coffee flavor, also. They also have some raspberry cake which is just, well I have no words to describe it. I wish the space was double it's size though because it is tight up in here. I usually hit this up after a stop at Cristina's, which is across the street. read more

I have been going to Cafe Riviera since 2001 when I used to go to school in NY. It was always a great place to try delicious fancy deserts, I always brought friends from all over the US that came to NY to this place. I always told them this place is like no other! I even thought it's better than any bakery in Poland! But... I went yesterday and ordered the usual variety of different cakes to sample. EVERY.SINGLE.ONE. was melted, it could not even hold shape. I had three different types of deserts and they looked like were out in the sun the whole day. I actually tried it and my stomach hurt afterwards. I left most of the cakes untouched and walked away. Was the refrigerator broken or was it managed by a different owner who didn't provide the same product? I do not know but because of this experience I will not be going back. What a shame. read more

Great food but you should know they always have Fox News on their TV, in case you're the kind of consumer who doesn't want to endorse that with your dollar. Staff has gotten marginally friendly over the past 3 years but still not exactly warm. Most customers are rude Polish seniors who make things unpleasant for others. read more

WARNING! I would not suggest placing an order with Café Riviera. I have stopped by the bakery on December 20th to order a cake for the holidays and to be picked up on Thursday December 22nd. On Thursday I run from work to pick the chocolate/raspberry cake and I was informed by staff the cake was not available. Huge let down. I do not recommend Café Riviera read more

This place is as good as it gets! This is the best bakery ever - I come from Jersey and when I bring something home - anything I buy here - IS ALWAYS A HOME RUN. I won't share my favorite items because I want some left on the shelf when I get there. I try something new every time I go in and am always delighted! Whoever is the mastermind with these recipes, keep up the great work - You are the master!!! read more

Dear Americans, As an ex-employee I can assure you that IF we can understand what you're saying (most of us can't) we don't really care what you want. In the words of my ex-employer, "since when do we care what the customer wants?" Our goal is to serve you as quickly as possible so we can get to the rest of the Polish people in line. You wanted Hazelnut coffee right? Maybe Decaf or French Vanilla? Doesn't matter. By the end of the day, we mix them all together anyway. Is your plate a little dirty? Very possible, considering we wash all our cups, plates, and forks in the same bucket of dirty, warm water AND reuse our work gloves everyday (just to save a little money). But don't hold it against us - most of us don't work there anymore anyway. Girls come and go all the time, because the pay stinks, the owners are delusional narcissists, and the working conditions are borderline Orwellian (go ahead, count the cameras). The point is, you can do better - WE can do better. Find someplace else to get your macaroons :) read more

holy mother of god. i just finished an apple cinnamon roll and i haven't written a review in years because yelpers now annoy me, being in the serving industry for so long, but sweet jesus this place is amazing. so amazing that it just broke my yelp fast, that's how friggin good it is. i would have a relationship with this pastry if i could. i mean, it's just the best thing ever. i detected orange zest somewhere in there, buttloads of cinnamon, and after it had been sitting there all day, it was still so much more moist than i could even fathom a pastry...yet, still flaky on the outside!! i tell you it's pure magic. this place always has a line but i finally just decided to wait in it because i didn't care to torture myself any longer every single time i walked by it (live two doors down). i'm now scared of my love for Riviera. it's too close and too amazing. read more

I used to loved this place they always had a good cakes. Just recently ordered the raspberry chocolate cake for 15 people , The cake was dry and raspberries were frozen, it was not tasty at all smelled like an old cake . My party guests did not like the cake at all. So i deiced to go there take a cake with me and nicely asked them to exchange the cake or get the money back. The boss BIG lady was very unpleasant and rude saying to me that the cake is great and that she will give me money back and she does not want to see me as a costumer there anymore. SUCH A RUDE PERSON . read more

Amazing cakes and pastry! Not too sweet, not too heavy. I have been getting my cakes for years from them, for every imaginable occasion - for my own wedding, for the two Christenings of my kids, every birthday in my family, thank you cakes, farewell cakes, you name it - we buy a lot from them and I NEVER, EVER have been left dissatisfied. I'm in love with them to the point that if the venue where I have my party offers the cake as included in their price, I refuse their cake and offer to bring my own cake- from Cafe Rivera, of course, as I know I will not have any surprises in regard to the quality. I highly recommend! read more

Great place for any cake, treat, or coffee. This place makes it fresh and it tastes soon good. The only problem is I want to get everything in the store. The place isn't big and can get a bit cramped but it's worth it. read more

the croissant makes a nice mate to your coffee from grumpy. although, sometimes it's really really REALLY hard to resist the danishes. oh cheese, you make my heart skip whenever i see you...and i'm always such a sucker for strawberry. you may be annoyed waiting in line but i think you'll find it was worth it. read more

Love the pastries here and reasonable priced. It is a small Polish bakery, usually busy, if you can get a table you are pretty lucky,