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    Village Cafe

    4.3 (125 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Village Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    VILLAGE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Village Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Guru
    Steph W.

    Ambiance (4/5): The restaurant is located a little farther from the street, almost inside a parking lot, within a small homey dining lodge. I felt like I was inside someone's home and felt welcomed and comfortable. Not loud and well lit. Service (5/5): We came at an off hour during the weekend around 1:30pm there was still around 6 parties dining in. The staff provided good recommendations and good service. When asked for water without any lemon slices, they provided bottled water at no extra cost! Food: (4/5) - rated New York Times top 100 Best Restaurants in New York City in 2025 Every dish came with a small cup of sour cream / Tzatziki based sauce that went with every dish. This was a must and this was mastered very well. Kutaby with chicken and lamb (4/5) - we ordered one each but the lamb was far superior than the chicken. Guru Hingal (4/5) - served in a warmed bowl with a lid in a bed of soft pasta and minced lamb. The pasta reminded me of chow fun (Chinese rice flat noodles) and then some seasoned minced lamb. While overall there were flavors in there, it was still lacked flavors and required to be drowned in the Tzatziki sauces or perhaps a order of table hot sauce. Finally we got the Lamb Lulya Kebab (5/5): this was by far the best dish of the meal! The meat was so wonderfully seasoned throughout, juicy, and complemented well with the rice, onions, and tomato based dip. The wraps themselves were way too small to enjoy using hands so we definitely reconstructed on our plates and attempts with our hands.

    Borscht
    Larissa B.

    You'll feel like you were transported to another country. This area of Brooklyn is a Mecca of Eastern European foods, from Georgian to Moldovan to even Azerbaijani, like Village Cafe. Walking in felt like we were in a local restaurant in Azerbaijan, with a large table of men eating endless platters of food and drinking and laughing. Featured on the NYT 100, I ventured out to try this restaurant, lured in by the steaming bowl of borscht I saw on a video. It was perfect for this cold, winter night. We got a bowl of borscht each, which was filling and warming, a kutaby (lamb was better than the greens one), a lamb lulya (think kofta) which was so flavorful, a little salty, but it was balanced by that incredible sauce with it and rice, as well as a baklava. I wouldn't get the baklava again, but they had a fun selection of traditional desserts. It's BYOB with a liquor store conveniently located next door featuring wines from Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, etc. a whole kosher section and the usual suspects.

    Baku Salad
    Michelle C.

    I saw Emily Fedner on IG naming the Village Cafe's guru hingal as the best dish she ate in 2022 so I was very curious to try them out. The restaurant is a little hidden and actually inside the parking lot of a liquor store on a somewhat busy stretch of Coney Island Ave. Parking is free and available inside the lot though there is also street parking available. I came early on a Sunday evening around 4:30 and there were already several tables of guests. Our server was really kind and patient and walked us through some recommendations for us, as it was our first time trying Azeri food. We ordered the Baku Salad ($15) to start which had grilled and chopped eggplant and tomatoes with bell peppers and cilantro. It had a nice smoky flavor but it also tasted like something I could get from NetCost. Nothing too special. We also received some fresh, fluffy Turkish bread ($5) that we were told were complimentary but I noticed they charged us for it at the end. Oops. But I didn't mind because I love Turkish pide and these were warm to the touch. We also noticed nearly every single table had a plate of kutaby so we had two orders of the lamb version ($3 each). They are kind of like flatbread with a crispy edge except these kutabi(s?) were filled with minced lamb so juicy I was surprised the bread wasn't soaked through. They were so fragrant but in a way in which the gaminess wasn't too strong. Seriously blew all other kutaby I had eaten before out of the water. For our entrées, we decided to do as the Romans do and order the lamb lulya (most tables had these and the kutabi), the chicken kebab and mother in law's chicken at our waiter's recommendation, and of course the guru hingal. The lamb lulya kebab ($12.50) came in three precious, delicious patties all wrapped in lavash. The outside was seared and biting into the soft sausage shaped patty unleashed a river of juice. Absolutely phenomenal! The chicken kebab was also excellent and nicely seasoned. I think their grilled dishes are really great and they must be performing some kind of sorcery to create the perfect juicy grilled meats. The mother in law's chicken ($18) was baked but very crispy and smothered in mozzarella cheese and mushrooms and served with a smear of mashed potatoes. I think out of all the dishes we tried, this would probably be the option I would recommend to someone who is not too adventurous or prefers some kind of familiarity as it did give me chicken parm vibes. This is not to say it wasn't good because it was delicious and decadent and very very cheesy. And finally, the dish that drew me here in the first place: the guru hingal. It's essentially a plate of thin, handmade sheets of pappardelle-like pasta with grilled minced lamb and onion, served with a herby, garlicky yogurt sauce. The lamb flavor is amplified because it's cooked with its own fat but the yogurt sauce drizzled atop simultaneously cuts through the heaviness with its sharp garlic notes but accentuates the richness with the cream. It's the most lovely dichotomous dish and I can see why it's one of their popular menu offerings. I would suggest to eat this quickly as the pasta can congeal once cold.

    bread - super fluffy and delish!
    Sandra S.

    I am so grateful my cousin took us and the entire family here to eat. I have never had Azerbaijan foods before and I can tell you it was truly amazing! The waiter was very helpful and gave us excellent food recommendations. They were all delicious! I felt the love when I was eating the foods. I highly recommend this place. It is truly a hidden gem. We ordered to share: 1) Journey to Baku (Eggplant salad), 2) Creamy Mushroom Soup, 3) Borscht Soup, 4) Lamb Kutaby, 5) Chicken + Lamb Lulya Kebab w/ Pilaf, 6) Shaker Bura cookie. Journey to Baku (eggplant salad appetizer) - this was very delicious! The eggplants were super tender + marinated so well. It tasted like glazed balsamic eggplant. Creamy mushroom soup - WOW! I highly recommend this. One of the best creamy mushroom soup I had in awhile in NYC. Super flavorful and creamy! Borscht Soup - WOW! I also highly recommend this! This borscht has beef in it, so it is not vegetarian friendly. Super flavorful (esp after putting a few spoons of sour cream in it). Loved it very much! Lamb Kutaby - It was delicious but a bit oily. It was some sort of flatbread w/ lamb filling. If you close your eyes, it tasted like a lamb manti (dumpling). Chicken + Lamb Lulya Kebab w/ Pilaf - The chicken kebab was so tender + juicy + well seasoned. The lamb kebab was also delicious and well seasoned (not too gamey). The pilaf w/ onions was good (to mellow out the flavors of the chicken + lamb). There was some dipping sauce + I was not a big fan of it. Shaker Bura cookie - This cookie was interesting. It tasted like a butter cookie. It was nice to try, but I would not reorder this again. P.S - that bread was holy! It was so damn soft and delicious (by itself & w/ butter). The bread paired so well w/ the soups + the eggplant salad. Friendly and helpful staff + very comfortable seating. Love the decor - feels homely. I will be returning soon again!

    Chicken Teriyaki Salad w/ Chicken
    Jenny N.

    Came here for husband birthday earlier this week and he loved it. The staff was attentive and my husband said he loved their humor and jokes. I didn't understand it as they were speaking in Russian. Ambiance was cozy and nice as usual and they had high chair for my daughter which was a plus. Food this time around was okay thou. Could had been better for the price. Spent about $74 including tips.

    mary m.

    Had dinner here with a couple of friends and it was soo good. Great service, atmosphere and their food was outstanding! Honestly i forgot and probably don't even know what we ordered since we just pointed at pictures on Yelp/google. Chicken was crispy and juicy, the beef kebabs were big and juicy, perfectly grilled. The lamb sausage (I think?) with the wrap, so juicy and tender, fat just dripping down. At first we wanted to order an extra entree but our server was honest and said it will be too much for the table (he was right!). We saw a lot of ppl ordering tea at the end of their dinner and we followed along. The tea with sugar cubes was a hit and a great ending to our stuffed belly. Overall - prices are very good and food was excellent!

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    1 month ago

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    15 days ago

    Ordered takeout - food tastes good, but disappointed with portions, they are way too small for the price.

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    1 year ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Beware! This place has 2 sets of menus. They're a fraud! They give you cheap menu to order and if you question the bill your the other menu.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Food was good. Enjoyed avocado salad. Lamb Kabobs were overcooked. Service was excellent.

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Fun, exotic Azerbaijani restaurant. Lamb stuffed flatbreads, eggplant appetizer, noodles w lamb were all beyond excellent.

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    9 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Good food and decent service. The place is inside a parking lot and easily seen from the main road.

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    3 years ago

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    Dunya Kabab House

    Dunya Kabab House

    4.6
    (99 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    Wow this is a legendary Afghan restaurant located in Kensington Brooklyn and from the mante, to the…read morechicken kebab plate I can't tell you what's not amazing about this place. Good restaurant to come in with the family but also great for take out, and the quality and consistency is always top notch. The mante is seasoned so well and it's always fresh to order and one of my favorite dishes of all time. The food is very palatable as it's not spicy and you get a great value for your money. It's also halal and a great option in the area or if you're looking to explore and try some classic afghan food!

    I stumbled upon this place on a random afternoon cycling in the rain to get a haircut nearby. You…read morewould miss it on busy Coney Island Avenue if you weren't looking for it -- the only reason I did was because I was checking for baking supplies at the nearby Ideal Supermarket. The only thing that betrays the hidden nature of Dunya Kabab House is the brilliant red sign. Upon closer inspection, you can see a warm dining area, glass partition to see "where the magic happens" in the kitchen behind, and the many articles plastered showing their unique take on Afghani food. I bookmarked the spot to come back to, and within the week, I came back and ordered takeout for the dish most fellow reviewers raved about -- the Uzbeki Qabuli Pulao. When I got home and opened the bag, I was pleasantly surprised to find a small side salad and the dish I recognised from a visit to another nearby restaurant specialising in Uzbeki food -- the plov! The rice was really well seasoned and the lamb shank was so tender it fell off the bone. Everything was really flavourful and well balanced, even for take-out. Unlike the other place, this plov was still sweet without being cloyingly so. I had such good impression that I'm excited to return in the future and try their other dishes, since I heard *everything* Dunya Kebab House does is impeccable.

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    Village Cafe - cafes - Updated August 2026

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