Cafe Bar: Set Aside an Afternoon

Some restaurants transport you with their aromas. Others strike a culinary chord to recreate an Old World atmosphere. Cafe Bar, with its expansive patio shrouded by striped awnings and an air of carefree abandon, does it effortlessly with its decor. The bistro nestled on the corner of 34th Avenue and 36th Street may be dressed like a west coast brunch spot but underneath its sleek, eclectic exterior lies an exceptional eatery in the heart of Astoria.

Barring a sleet-filled afternoon, Cafe Bar's outdoor seating is among the finest perches in the neighborhood. This is partly owing to the crowd: young, lively, mixed, and blessedly low on the track suit quotient. The other draw is the relative seclusion that Cafe Bar has carved out near Kaufman studios and next door to Site, a design store that's heavy on wit and low on price. The menus dwarf the average customer with their overgrown font and extra large girth. All the better to drool over, especially considering their weekday brunch for the professionally-blessed (self-employed) crowd. No matter what time you're rolling out of bed, the Four Grain pancakes are fantastic and taste more like fruit-infused pound cake than ordinary flapjacks. The choices range from banana walnut, mixed berry, and blueberry, to apple. The latter option arrives with two kinds of fruity butter and whole apple slices baked, sideways, into the pancake. Take a photo before diving in.

For more traditional fare, the English Breakfast is tasty chow. The whole grain English muffin is capped with perfectly poached eggs and is accompanied by surprisingly good baked beans and home fries. The grilled tomato is also included just to taunt you into licking the plate clean. The service is good, particularly in light of Cafe Bar's bustling clientele, and the prices are as easy to swallow as the tempting cocktails lining a quarter of the menu. Anyone with a sweet tooth should definitely venture a peak at the dessert offerings, so long as you have full dental benefits and nowhere to be for the next six hours.

INFO:
Cafe Bar
3290 36th St
(718) 204-5273
Official Website