Roots Cafe has been a recent staple for lunch for me! The Taibi is an absolute homerun sandwich. I wouldn't change a thing about it. The cold & crisp sweetness of the veggies paired with the saltiness of the vegan cheese is truly great! I've been ordering out from Roots because of COVID & it's always ready ahead of time, so I never have to wait. They've also got a free pantry inside for anyone in need which absolutely gets a star on its own. Their breakfast options were underwhelming & a bit bland. Before COVID, my husband had gone there with his laptop to do some work during lunch & always had good things to say! read more

Cute spot with excellent vegan options. Limited seating and tends to be crowded even still it's quiet enough to work and chill enough to relax. read more

Roots Cafe - Menu board, cute cafe, gets crowded. Nice vibe great vegan options ... - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This is a cool, unique shop! The coffee is VERY good and lots of options. It is a smaller shop, and I couldn't find a place to sit, but the guys behind the bar were so friendly. This is a great little neighborhood shop! read more

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

Roots is my favorite place to go in South Slope! It is a cozy, warm, inviting space with spectacular food and delightful drinks! The staff always make me feel like family and it honestly does feel like family! I'm so thankful for this place that I call my second home read more

Meh. Kind of a cat people's cafe. Looks welcoming but mainly for yuppies and their children they won't discipline. Not welcoming to dogs, which is quite upsetting, but welcoming to little monsters and their enabling Park Slope parents. A cup of coffee here is WAAAAAY too expensive like a lot of the other coffee shops on Fifth Ave., and even for how expensive it is it tastes like Dunkin' Donuts (blegh) or Starbucks. Closes extremely early but is open for other things for some reason. Lots of stroller people. The merch is cool. read more

worthy five stars. service is great. place is small and tight but turnover wasnt bad, we grabbed a table in a short time. menu is limited but just enough. and my sandwich was filling. generous portions of egg and avocado for very reasonable price. had an iced honey cinnamon latte that was also very good. cant wait to come back and try more items. read more

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This place has absolutely gone downhill. First they started opening later and lost business to Yardsale a block away. Then today, I went in for an iced chai. The guy being trained dumped about a half inch of cinnamon on the top of the ice. The owner basically watched him do it and said nothing. I figured it would be fine once I mixed it in. It was undrinkable. Very few times in my life (like fewer than four) have I brought / sent food back, but I brought this drink back, making sure not to blame the new guy, since it wasn't his fault. The owner, who was doing the training, apologized and made me a new one--no cinnamon on top (her apology is why the rating is two stars instead of one). Turns out, the chai mix itself is absolutely *loaded* with cinnamon, again, so much so that it's undrinkable. I had to throw it out and go somewhere else. Will not be going back. read more

As a frequent patron of Roots through the years, I am highly disappointed in the lack of COVID safety procedures that are enforced in the store. This is not the first time I've experienced it but with the cases continuing to peak, it's really irresponsible & quite frankly, dangerous. Firstly, some of the staff do not wear proper face masks but instead, wear bandanas or neck gaiters which is completely UNSAFE and not suitable for COVID protection which is a fact. So, imagine these folks who come into contact with so many people each day, just breathing over your food/drinks with useless "masks," They are only heightening the risk of COVID spreading which is unprofessional and unsafe. Secondly, the staff does not enforce the other customers to abide by COVID safety procedures such as, social distancing & proper mask wearing. I was inside the store and paying for my food while there was another customer standing right next to me but wearing their mask under their nose and not social distancing whatsoever. They were doing this while chatting to a staff member who was preparing their order, right over food/drink appliances.... The customer was literally spreading their germs over all the counter space and nothing was said to them by the staff. Not only was it extremely uncomfortable for me but very alarming as it's a total violation of the NYC mask/social distancing mandates. Thirdly, I find it perturbing that Roots Cafe as a white owned business, is trying to promote themselves as "community oriented" but their lack of COVID safety enforcement does not reflect true community values. It's a fact that COVID has disproportionately affected the Black/Brown communities and largely due to the lack of COVID safety and exploitation of the people in the Black/Brown communities. As a white owned business, they really need to do better because they are part of the bigger problem here. read more

This cafe was SO GOOD. I had a stellar cold brew & avocado toast. It definitely has a hipster vibe but I appreciate that.

Everyone is so friendly. There are great vegan and gluten free baked goods and gluten free bread for sandwiches. I super love their iced coffee and I think it's my new cafe to work at. read more

Accidentally found this place and am quite pleased - delicious breakfast burrito with just the right amount of everything resulting in no mess while driving; so glad my long ride started on the right note. Staff are awesome, most welcoming and make you feel at home. Oh and the house blend coffee is really good as well. read more

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

This place is bad where the coffee is concerned. The staff is very bad at producing the core product, the owner micro-manages everything and everyone, and most of the staff are completely unprofessional. I had to wait in line for five minutes while a cashier complained about her rent to a person who had already completed their transaction and was also trying to leave. Don't waste your hard-earned money in this place. There are way better options within a block radius. read more

Ok, So damn good. I got the Egg and Cheddar Sammie with added avocado, that Amanda, who was the absolute nicest person behind a cafe bar I've ever met, recommended. It was warm, the cheese was perfectly melted on the egg and they were not shy with the avocado. Plus they give you a side of this marinara sauce, perfectly pairs with the sandwich it all makes sense. The cafe itself is so cute and quaint, you could walk right by if you don't know. Lots of locals inside chilling, working on their computers, eating yet it's super quiet and personable. I also had to get a Yerba Mate because Coffee wasn't doing it today and Amanda made it perfectly. Also the food was prepared in great time. So glad I found this spot. Next time I'm in the area I'm definitely coming back here. Everything you want in a breakfast or lunch spot. read more

I really enjoy coming here! Relaxing spot allowing you to simply tap away at your keyboard, read, or just quietly sip your Joe. There are a generous amounts of food options and great coffee. They do not rush you out. Staff is cool. I would highly recommend. read more

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

I used to love this place but the new ownership is a let down. The service just isn't as great and I used to love the grits here. Now I've tried to order grits 3 seperate times and they always say they've run out. I don't understand why they don't just makebmore grits, especially on the weekend, so they don't run out halfway through the day? read more

Friendliest cafe ever. Every person. Every day. Amanda, Christian and the staff know guests by name and order. Roots is a jewel of the neighborhood. And a glue! read more

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

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This is a gem in a quiet unassuming neighborhood- where people need a coffee fix and a quick breakfast. This is also a great spot if you are looking for something vegetarian or optioned vegetarian for the healthy folk. Things to try- breakfast burrito, you can have this plant friendly or non, both are delicious and worth it whether you are an herbivore or not. Chai latte, more on the cinnamon side made here but so good! Service is great! read more

Update: The Owner reached out to me and explained some of the backrgound relating to the situation. Totally understandable. I'll give them another shot and you should too. Here's the original review:This place has so much potential and the food is pretty good, but it's got one very big problem: The staff. I've gone there probably once a month over the last two years so I have a decent gauge. The food is reasonably good, homemade and healthy-ish fare, not too salty or spicy. The last couple times I've gone there I've gotten bored, snarky, and impatient service from the people that work there. These are new hires. The previous staff members were great. I should add that I always tip. What happened today was too much... Upon leaving I bring my dishes up to the counter figuring I'll do them a favour and not make the staff come out and bus dishes. The girl and the guy behind the counter are leaning on the wall at the back talking. The girl looks at me and points and says, 'Put your dishes in there,' in an annoyed condescending voice. At first I think she's joking. Then I realize she's not. "Where?" I say, looking around trying to find a bin or something. "Where it sayyyyyys dirty dishes," she says rolling her eyes, pointing, and still not bothering to come over. I realize she's pointing at a metal bin about 5' 6" off the ground on top of a shelf with a little wood sign that says 'dirty dishes.' It's behind the counter, so impossible to imagine that that's a direction for the customers to follow. I walk around behind the counter, put my stuff in, and leave. I found myself asking if maybe this lazy, bored staff shouldn't just leave the ingredients out behind the counter so that people could come back and make their own food as well. Then they could save themselves the trouble of having to actually do anything at all besides hang out, talk to their friends and collect money until the customers stop coming. Won't be back for a while. read more

You don't have to go to Portland to get Stumptown coffee; you don't even have to trek out to Red Hook. This cozy, neighborhoody cafe in Windsor Terrace serves up expertly brewed beverages made from perfectly roasted Stumptown beans along with pastries that are so aesthetically pleasing you almost feel guilty eating them (but won't be disappointed when you do). With comfortable-looking seating, friendly baristas, and wifi, this cafe is begging to become my new favorite venue for getting lost in a book while imbibing caffeine. Plus, it has Peter D.'s imprimatur, so what more can you ask? read more

Fucking adorable in every sense of the word, fucking amazing coffee--hell, even a fucking awesome wifi connection. This is the third establishment I can remember being in this space (remember the short-lived Andrade Dessert Cafe four years ago? didn't think so) and it's by FAR the best that's taken over the space. Chill as fuck. read more

This reminds me of a few similar places in Orlando (where I'm from) like Drunken Monkey or Stardust Cafe. It's a small cafe with awesome food and cute, quirky decorations. Very laid back and a great place to come on a coffee date or to get some work done on your laptop. We came here for breakfast which is always a challenge when you have a vegan with allergies and an omnivore eating together. Fortunately they had an amazing tofu scramble I got as a bowl and added tomatoes, avocado, black bean spread, and vegan sausage. The employees have great suggestions for what form would work best with your ingredients (bowl, burrito, tacos, etc), and they have some killer options for coffee (I had an iced soy mocha and my husband had an iced maple butter latte). My husband got an egg, cheese, bacon, black bean spread burrito and was in heaven. They are cash only, which was kinda a bummer for us but the bodega next door had an ATM so it was an easy problem to solve. So A+ for friendly service, good food, great coffee, and a cute place with enough space despite seeming so small when you walk in. Next time we are in town, this will be a regular stop for us! read more

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Reminds me of that community room in Hostels overseas where vagabonds linger and orchestrate their next big move or recover from their last one. Eclectic art work, books, and magazines are scattered throughout. There are comfortable chairs and tables to spread out your map or laptop and enjoy a coffee and a snack. I generally don't loiter in coffee shops, but I wouldn't feel weird hanging out here. There's also a cramped outdoor area where you can get extra cozy with strangers, while admiring the beautifully crafted cat collage. The Roots Cafe makes me want to pull out a map, becomes best friends with a stranger, then hit the road on an epic journey. An iced coffee and a red velvet Twinkie were the perfect late afternoon snack. Bon Voyage! read more

Perfectly chill cafe with homey vibe. Love the mix of art everywhere--especially the raccoon with glasses near the register. I got the toasted granola with yogurt and fruit and my sister got grilled cheese with tomato and both were perfect, simple food but with great flavors and interesting twists. read more

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I've watched the old guard come and go at this little slice of a coffee shop. Before the Balkan bureka dealers, and before the Sutra owners who looked like they'd rather be anywhere else, the place was part of a lobster restaurant. Yeah, I've been here a while. Finally it's good and right and whole. Jamey and his wife Randy have a sweet, warm, and inviting little nook now with great coffee, cheese grits, and delicious desserts. The chair arrangement doesn't leave you with patron's asses in your face while they wait in line, and the art is finally good. Live music on the weekends, and instruments under the couch make it feel like you're in a living room with f'ing great coffee. And that can be "cawfee" if you're a Yankee or coffay if you're a Southerner. Whatever you like - it's all good. read more

I wish everybody could be so lucky as to start their morning with a piping hot cup of Stumptown coffee and a fresh off the griddle breakfast wrap oozing with scrambled tofu, thick avocado slices and melted cheese (they even have vegan cheese!) A Park Slope staple! read more

Roots Cafe is everything that chain places aren't: - Authentic - Full of character - Adorned in local art and a hodgepodge of seating. - Loaded with free reading materials - A variety of homemade fare and fairly priced bevs. - A genuinely friendly worker - Even the other patrons were outwardly friendly. I'm not a coffee shop person (though well caffeinated), but I would definitely stop in again for a snack or drink. read more

I love the relaxed chill vibes this place radiates. The staff is really friendly and I appreciate that I can casually shoot-the-isht with them without feeling like I'm being rushed. While I've only made a stop in for coffee (which is excellent here, btw) I am definitely going to sample the breakfast tacos on the menu, because HOLY CRAP it is nearly impossible to find a place that will make breakfast tacos in the greater New York City area. A great little spot that I hope stays here forever and ever and everrrrrr. read more

New York City exemplifies quick service. Anyone who has spent even a brief amount of time here knows that most interactions in cafe's and restaurants are limited to brief pleasantries at most. To be fair, I'm generally one of those types. Let's just do the 'food ordering' thing. But Roots is different. It's personality is shaped around human interaction and genuine love. I know - save the tears for a rerun of the M.A.S.H. finalé mr. soppy pants... I'm sorry, I can't. This place is a little tiny community built around the very stuff that human beings crave. Warmth, genuine good nature, art, excitement, food, acceptance... I've heard people in here treat the counter like a therapists couch while 20 people wait behind them. SOMEHOW that's like 100% cool here, isn't that wild? Oh and their burritos are fucking killer. read more

Roots is the perfect little nook. Delicious food, coffee, and ambience. Even the music is choice. Staff is friendly and hardworking.

As if to counter all the reasons we have to be cynical, Roots Cafe gets everything right, damn it. Take...the basement where you used to hang out...those delicious sandwiches your friend's mom would make for you after school...your friends who'd play your favorite songs on guitar as you all sat around and drank cheap beer...the findings of a really cool vintage junk shop...the goods of the world's best down-home bake sale...and fantastic Stumptown coffee.....and you have possibly the greatest coffee shop in Brooklyn. The fact that a shop like this can exist in this city warms the cockles of my heart. In fact, I had no clue my heart even had any cockles until the Roots folks delicately, lovingly toasted them. My cockles have, in fact, grown by about 30-35% since Roots planted its...uh...long underground branch-like whatchamacallits next to the tax place where the Statue of Liberty passes out fliers this time of year. No, *you're* crazy. What makes Roots so great is not just the coffee (as I said, awesome...ask for a Yoohoo iced coffee when it's warm out if you're feeling adventurous), the homemade sandwiches (which I dream of always), the amazing even-homemader desserts (in my sandwich dreams, my dream-self dreams about them) or the live music on Friday and Saturday nights (shockingly good stuff most nights, and PBR for a small recommended donation). It's that Roots is real. No false pretenses. No my-aren't-we-precious-open-faced-egg-salad-sandwiches-for-$9. It's how we all, in our brightest, most optimistic moments, would run a business if we were so inclined. Roots just does it their own way, and it totally works. read more

Their soy lattes are delectable. Stumptown, win, win. It just gets a little dark and stuffy in the summer if you stay to drink your coffee, but that's ok...it's cozy inside, so it's a tradeoff. read more

Cozy little tiny hole in the wall nook of a place with second-hand furniture and some books to enjoy. Its like dropping into someone's living room. I ordered an egg sandwich and waited through a cup of good strong delicious coffee . . . and waited, and went up for a refill and inquired about my sandwich? DOH! They felt bad as they had grabbed a bite to eat and totally forgot my sandwich. They gave me a free refill, refunded my sandwich money, and cooked me up a very fine tasty delicious sandwich. But you know what was the best part? As a Yankee I'm not into grits, but damn, damn damn oh my goodness those grits were delicious. The girlfriend showed up and ordered the burrito which came swimming in grits. Damned fine coffee and sublime grits! I normally don't review a place til at least my second visit, but Roots warrants some praise! read more

Been meaning to jump on the pile here for quite some time. Have lived in the neighborhood since March after living in Portland for a year, which has rendered me a total coffee snob (see my review for nearby Southside Coffee as an example). Anyway, Roots really is, as Yelp allows, "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" You feel like family here even if it's your first time, but you'll get to know all the folks who work here (There are three of them by my count) in no time if you're a regular. I regret that I haven't gotten any of their names yet, but they're all extremely friendly and genuinely enjoy talking to their customers. Now, onto the coffee. Love the beans they get from Forty Weight, which apparently used to be in the neighborhood and has since relocated to Colorado. They offer different roasts, drip is always good, and the pull is always on point. What really got my attention was their cold brew, which is fantastic. Prices are standard for Brooklyn and the food is good, but nothing mindblowing. Tin Cup down the street wins for best pastries in the area cafe contest, but I'd never judge a cafe on its food -- I come here for the coffee, and it's worth it every time. read more

It's all true- the atmosphere, the coffee, the ridiculously good food- you can come for breakfast, stay for lunch and hang out well into the night enjoying live music and great ambiance. Jamey and Randi have done an incredible job with this place, and the south Slope is lucky to have such a fun third space for its residents to gather, chill and get to know each other. read more

I have tried their flavored Ethiopian coffee (blueberry and dark chocolate) and i like them both. Put a splash of milk and liquid sugar, taste superb! Then my partner and I ordered sandwiches - city slicker and hummus and cucumber wrap - both prepared to perfection, scrumptuous in every bite. The servers are very friendly and accomodating. read more

Roots Cafe - Ethiopian coffee, City Slicker sandwich, Cucumber and Hummus wrap - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I have to admit, I don't drink coffee, but I do like Roots Cafe. My wife and I had lunch there today. We chose a couple of paninis, and they were toasted to perfection. My wife's was turkey, mozzarella, and avocado, mine avocado & black bean paste. Both were delicious, and served with a side of chips and salsa. The atmosphere and staff are welcoming and warm, and there are plenty of outlets if you happen to bring your laptop and need to get some work done. Washed down with Austin's own Sweet Leaf Tea (the mint and honey green tea is one of my favorite non-alcoholic libations), this was the perfect meal on a cold winter day. read more

Roots has become the go-to spot for my girlfriend and I to get work done during the weekend, and I couldn't possibly be more in love*. Good coffee, cozy atmosphere, and yummy food? Count me in. We've been pretty lucky in terms of scoring seats, either right when we walk in, or shortly thereafter. I haven't been to Roots at any time other than Saturdays and Sundays in the late morning/early afternoon, so can't speak to how busy it gets during other times. Roots closes at 8:00PM most nights, with Wednesdays [9:00PM] and Fridays [10:30PM] being the exception [these are both "music" nights]. This is pretty early if you ask me, so I'm grateful that I personally don't find myself ever wanting to come here outside of the realm of weekend daytime. There is one tiny, single stall, gender neutral bathroom that is left unlocked for your use, which I appreciate. Nothing gets me going quite like having to ask permission [read: for a bathroom key] to use the restroom. Roots is cash only, which is frustrating, and almost makes me want to take back all of the nice things I said about the bathroom, but I won't. If you're looking to order food, I have one word for you. BORDERLINE. It's a sammie with black bean spread and avocado. You can add cheese for an extra buck. Whatever you go, pay the extra 50 cents and get their housemade salsa. OMG. Knicked off one star because Roots recently stopped carrying faux deli meats to vegetarianize/veganize their sandwich menu. They're still carrying sausage links and Daiya cheese to veg-ify their breakfast sandwich options, but the faux turkey and faux ham have been nixed, thus eliminating the possibility to veg-ify many of their menu items. When I asked about the change, the staff said that there just wasn't a demand for it. I'm kind of over restaurants, especially ones that clearly cater to the typical Brooklyn hippy dippy cow huggin' crowd, that carrying a few packages of tofurkey [which run about 3 bucks a pop] is too much to ask for. I'm not buying it. Bring back the veggie meats, and I'll add the extra star. ___ *...with Roots. Oh, and with her. read more

Roots Cafe is a very warm and comfortable space. Also, he decor is quirky and fun. There is an old school black and white TV playing Planet of the Apes when I walked in. Great place to relax and enjoy coffee and grab a snack. Or meeting place for friends before heading out somewhere else. More importantly the coffee is good better than most places around. The owner Jamey is extremely friendly and nice. You get the warm southern hospitality feel inside. Also, Roots will have live music on weekends Definitely will visit this place often read more

Roots is cute. But in a precious, deliberate way which belies no sense of self-conscious irony. Roots is a place where people like to sit and drink coffee and look cool. That's about all it's good for in my opinion. The coffee is indeed excellent - but because of Duane Sorenson (Stumptown guru). The food was bad on a recent visit. Most interestingly they asked if I wanted 'white or wheat' for the sandwiches. But neither came out (after 15 minutes) - it was a burrito shell. The BBQ sandwich thing was very oily, due to the excessive orange cheese, and featured pre-packaged deli meat. To fill the plate, Utz party mix was added. The bean and guacamole sandwich was not thrilling either, served elegantly with a side of what I presumed was Krasdale salsa. So, come here for the liquids, I guess, not for the solids. read more

Potent coffee, chill service, and nice art. Everyone is using a laptop so make sure to bring yours; and bring your own cup for a little green discount. Music, art exhibitions, and other cultural stuff in the early evenings and on weekends, or so I hear, but I'm more of a morning-daytime customer. read more