The Roots Cafe was a quintessential Brooklyn experience for some out-of-towners looking for breakfast and coffee. We loved the kitschy decor and beautiful garden patio. The two running the place this morning (I think they were the owners) were so hospitable, you would have guessed you were in a small town, not NYC. When they heard we were tourists, they didn't make us feel bad or awkward, rather they made us feel comfortable and welcomed. They could not have been more friendly. They catered to everything we needed or wanted. The food was delicious. I had the egg & cheese bowl with black bean spread and tomatoes and the acai mango iced tea. Everything tasted homemade and very nourishing. Then on my way out, I got a latte and it was perfect (I am from Seattle, so I should know)! Love this place, recommend it completely! Will visit again if we are ever back in Brooklyn! read more

I was meandering the neighborhood and had to stop in -- that entrance is amazing. This place truly is what is. While its no destination spot, it just breaths southern roots. From the rustic decor, to the cafeteria cups. The coffee isn't bad either, and the food is a-ok. 4 stars for having a unique personality. read more

From the outside this little hole in the wall looks totally unsuspecting. Once you step in and take a few steps forward you uncover a cute little cafe. I was pleasantly surprised and happy with this little Yelp find. It seems like the menu changes out by season which is awesome. The menu options are well rounded as well and their drink menu. Staff was really nice and helpful. Always appreciated and a major plus. They have a long community table if you need a place for your laptop, and want to sit people you don't know. They also have a handful of smaller more intimate tables. I'll definitely be adding Roots Cafe to my list of places to hit up when I'm in need of coffee/tea/food. read more

A solid health-conscious breakfast or lunch choice. The staff is very friendly and helped me customize my sandwich. The iced teas are HUGE! Less than $3 for 24oz. I got a cucumber hummus wrap and added egg whites. They used 2-3 oz of hummus (much more than I expected) and everything was fresh and crispy. The best part was NO OIL! So many deli-type spots love to pile that garbage on, so that was refreshing. Wait time was about 15 minutes, so I do have to knock off a star. read more

Comforting, earthy vibes. Got the breakfast sammie with GF bread -- delicious! A perfect sandwich. The ingredients all taste special / fresh / yum. The prices are great too. read more

Thank you for making my commute so much better! I don't know what I would do without you. Awesome coffee. Yummy bagels from la bagel delight..very considerate service. Dying to get over there for one of those sandwiches tho! read more

This is a staple in the community of south slope. The people who work here really make this place warm and inviting. They know if you really want to make your hot chocolate extra chocolatey or just the amount of spice you want in your cider. This is a great place to go get your morning coffee. Even if you are down, this place will wake you right up with a smile. read more

AMAZING! So glad I live next door! Amazing Coffee Amazing food Great service...you'll even get hit on when having a terrible hair day (oh boy!) The breakfast burritos are the best! Swimming in a spicy salsa grits. It's official, I'm converted to the Roots Way! read more

The Cheers of cafe's, where everybody will 'really' know your name. Cozy cafe, solid prices with a good selection. What seals the five stars is the staffs friendliness, it's evident from my own interaction and just sitting here getting some work done. Great job guys, you created a wonderful atmosphere. read more

I just had ridiculously good BLUEBERRY PIE from Roots Cafe. I'm trying the Green Eggs and Ham next....i heard it was yummy. read more

Yay! I love this place! It's located in an unsuspecting building in the South Slope and is really wonderfully decorated. There aren't many true vegan meals in the neighborhood compared with the rest of the city, so this place is especially great. They have AC, vegan BBQ, strong coffee, and genuine southern-style sweetened iced tea. Also, the employees were really friendly. I think it goes without saying, but I wish they weren't cash only. read more

Roots Cafe is a true "hole in the wall" establishment. Not only is it a low-profile, local coffeehouse, but the narrow, long, dark interior also really does make you feel like you're in a "hole" in a wall. With its small tables and limited seating, Roots is not the type of place I'd go to to camp out to do some work, but for getting drinks to go, it's pretty good. The iced green tea I ordered wasn't bad, though it wasn't particularly memorable. What really irked me, though, was the somewhat spotty, slow wifi. I feel as though having fast, reliable wifi is almost a prerequisite to being labeled a great coffee shop today. read more

My absolute favorite coffee shop. I wish I lived in Brooklyn just to get coffee every day. They are a little pricy, but it's worth t for the flavor & I love the staff. They are friendly and outgoing. It's just an awesome atmosphere. read more

Roots Cafe - Ice brew for the win. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Roots Cafe is more of a living room, that has your best friend as the barista. Amanda serves primarily love with sides of coffee and breakfast burritos. There might be "fancier" coffee shops around, but no shop makes you feel more welcome or at home! read more

Roots Cafe - Inside, just past the entrance. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

First of all, came to this place based off the recommendation of my roommate. The ambiance of this place reminds me of home which is so sweet to have in such a bustling city. Amanda and christian and the whole staff are absolutely amazing...... the cold brew with almond milk is SO good as basic as I sound :) but DANG that roots burrito is most definitely the best thing in this planet ALONG WITH THOSE VGF TACOS THANK YOU SO MUCH *I'm looking at you Amanda!* Do yourself a favor and ALWAYS choose roots first. You nor your belly will be disappointed. read more

If I lived closer to this place I'd be here every day. It's got your usual coffee shop offerings, along with a tasty menu of breakfast & lunch/dinner offerings (mostly sandwiches). I believe the owner is from Alabama, so a lot of the items on the menu have a Southern twist. I would describe the decor as Southern bohemian, and there is a really nice little backyard seating area. The food prep is a little on the slow side, but the few things I've had off the menu have been delicious. Breakfast burrito was fantastic, served on a plate of cheesy grits, oh baby. Even the oatmeal looked artistic, like an island in a bowl of frothed milk. It's little touches like that that make a restaurant/cafe stand out. And Stumptown coffee, yummm. Other pluses: good playlist, free Wifi, lots of outlets, cute/friendly hipster staff. read more

If you need a place to work or study for a few hours straight without anyone bothering you or any annoying side conversations, this is a great spot. Has a real homey vibe to it, and The coffee is nice and strong. read more

I always stop by for a coffee whenever I visit from out of town. My experience has always been pleasant. Today my sister (who lives nearby) and I decided to order take-out. She had the City Slicker and I had Borderline. I like that you can easily make several things vegan. Wait time was average. I just waited with an almond latte. Overall I still like everything about this place..the people, the atmosphere, all the cute decorations. My sister found a short strand of dark hair in her sandwich, and 3 minutes later, I found a longer strand of brown hair in my sandwich within the black bean spread. It takes a lot to gross me out, so I just picked it off and continued eating. However, my sister was so disgusted that she couldn't continue eating..as I think most people would. I'm not sure if she will ever order food from there again. I would still order from here, because for me one piece of hair doesn't void all the positives I see from this place...but would suggest more careful handling and prepping of the food. read more

LOVE roots cafe. I send all my Airbnb guests here for breakfast. Food is delicious and have vegan options!

I love, love love this place! I always experience great customer service at Roots Cafe. The food is great and the drinks are good too, especially the iced coffees! The atmosphere is comforting and I enjoy seeing the art that is posted by different artists from time to time. read more

I love this cafe! I only wish their location was a little bigger because it does get crowded. Easy to miss. Hard to forget, though. The positive rating is no surprise. read more

While I haven't tried their food yet, they make a good cold brew. Nice and strong but not too bitter! It's cute inside and there always seems to be events going on. read more

Perhaps I am bias. A newcomer to the South Slope, and NYC in general, my delicate suburban disposition was feeling quite vulnerable. On my second day in the city i ventured out to check out the hood and was drawn to the idyllic and rustic aura of Roots. There was nobody really in there, as it was the middle of a weekday, but the lighting was inviting, the music was up my alley and the barista Ryan greeted me warmly. After introducing myself as a new resident, ryan introduced me to some other locals and conversation began. Roots is a charming combination of a western saloon and Cheers. Since then, i go there all the time and have met some fantastic folks. The open mic is very cozy and the live music is a great way to spend the earlier part of a weekend night. I know i know, what about the food/drink? Well as many have said before, the stump town coffee is badass, and believe you me, Jamey can whip up some delectable hummus and Guacamole. Plus the donation based PBR speaks volumes about the stock they put in giving the place a communal feel. The warm vibe of this place has is in my opinion more importance than the coffee (though it is good), but perhaps that is more a reflection of the overall superiority of south slope and the folks in it. I jest...sort of. read more

A great spot for my Texan ass. The sweet tea is spot on and they offer other Southern faves like grits and blueberry pie. Menu variety is quite decent for a small, cozy place. Very awesome chill atmosphere with sweet music decor and old, comfy couches. Only downside is size. I cannot guarantee you would find a seat, but take that sweet tea out on a hot day and just listen to the "Sweet Home Alabama" playing in your head. read more

Excellent sandwiches and service. Decent prices (for New York). Fun neighborhood. I will be back for sure.

I really like places like this and was happy to find this place when I worked nearby this past summer. I've liked everything that I tried here. The nachos with black bean sauce was so good. The avocado egg panini is also very good. I also liked their lemonades -- ginger mint and this other berry one. Another thing I like is that it's quiet and it can be a good spot to just go on your phone or laptop and just chill or do work. Though, I do have to admit the place is kinda pricey. read more

The cold brew was light, practically iced tea. I didn't like their blend at all. Sandwhich took 30 minutes to make, which isnt communicated by the establishment. So if you value your time and want good coffee I'd steer clear of this place. Over-priced and disappointing. read more

They were remodeling or something here a while ago. Of course, they didn't bother to have a sign on the door or any information on their website to let people know what was going on or when they were going to reopening, so a big failure on the marketing front. No, new and improved, reopening in two weeks, blablahblah.... I was craving their cheesy grits, which they do rather well. read more

Ate in house one morning around 11. BUSY! The staff handled it well however. It's very much a "order, pick up" style - order at the counter, pick up at the counter when they call your name. I ordered a tofu scramble with vegan cheese and vegan chorizo, as well as a house roast coffee with a splash of almond milk. I sat outside in the small but charming courtyard. Very cute! Great place for a low-key, no-frills vegetarian feed in the Slope! read more

Very unique cafe offering great coffee and I would say even better breakfast sandwiches! Our group got 2 Sammies with sausage, 2 Toasted multigrain sandwiches with avocado, cheddar, tomato and egg & the Boarderline burrito wrap with avacado, black bean spread, mushrooms & cheddar. All so delicious! We even got a few of the sweet treats to go! Brownies, Chocolate chip cookies, baked oatmeal bar, all great! Great to eat food there or grab on the go for the subway or take to the office, very filling. A great staff of Dan, Johnny & Sarah greeted us like old friends! All super friendly, fast and efficient. Met the owner Patricia who was equally gracious as a host and could tell she cared deeply about her customers and business. Would gladly make this a daily or weekly stop. Oh and don't miss out on the secret outdoor patio in the back! Access it by the hallway on the left of the counter. Very cool, peaceful and relaxing. Can't wait to go back now! Don't miss this hidden gem in Brooklyn! read more

See all

I was so excited to have stumbled upon this super cute little spot in Park Slope! I had a coffee and split a breakfast sandwich with the little... Both were awesome. The service was equally as good!! I can't wait to go back. Two thumbs up and a snap for amazing service, great food and a relaxing atmosphere read more

Nothing to rave about. Smelled like an old vintage shop. Sandwich was ehhh. People looked dirty. Just another place for the blogger to sit all day. read more

Love roots! Delicious coffee, kind workers, a great atmosphere, and lovely food. Definitely suggest coming here!

Great food, quality coffee, friendly atmosphere.... perfect environment to sit down, relax and get some work done or hang with a friend. Glad it is just right down the block from me! I also love the circulating art on the walls which makes coming back a dynamic experience. read more

This cafe is a safe haven in NYC. The staff if kind and attentive even on their busiest days with a line out the door they make it a goal to make you feel seen. Food is tasty and will fill your stomach, there is an adorable patio for the summer, and the coffee is great. Their cold brew is the best! read more

Good coffee and great vibe. Love their gluten-free pastries and nachos! They are totally flexible if you want to modify the food options. The artwork changes often and is always fascinating. Grigg Garden is a great place to meet friend or relax in the sunlight. Finally, the Country Kicker as a taco is THE. BEST. read more

The lady running this place is unbelievably friendly, and polite. I was with a few other people out of town, and she asked all kinds of questions and made the overall experience very pleasant. The vibe of the place was artsy and hip, though there's not a ton of space. The only thing preventing a five star review is that although the coffee and atmosphere were excellent, the food was only pretty good read more

Roots Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

My Brooklyn happy place! You can't beat great coffee with a chill atmosphere (check out the back patio!!). It's laid-back, local, and friendly. I always feel welcome! read more

See all

This place feels like home. I'm came here while on vacation from Minnesota. Everyone greeted me with a smile, made dietary accommodations for me, and I felt like part of the neighborhood here. Phenomenal eggs and an outrageously delicious Dirty Chai. read more

Roots Cafe - Cheesy Eggs, Bacon, Avocado, and incredible Salsa! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Yummy grits, great coffee, good music, good times. Come for a board game, stay for the pie. Monday's open mic, Friday+Saturday is live bands ("free pbr!"). Glad this place exists. read more