Tulip Noir Cafe

I was here for breakfast today.
I liked the french press coffee and the ottos omelet was good too, though the dish was missing some bread.
The only thing that I was not very impressed was the modern look of the place. I am use to places with booths and good furniture which is lacking in this place, and this is a personal choice, nothing wrong with the existing one but its just not my preference for a good environment.

Best french toast I’ve ever had in my life with Devine french press coffee. Great service and lovely atmosphere.

Love this place! I recently hosted a small baby shower here and they went above and beyond to make it special. When we arrived they had beautiful flowers on the table, rearranged their wall display to accommodate our gifts and the service was amazing. We never felt rushed, everyone loved their meals and drinks, the atmosphere was great as well. I’ve been before with my family (including young children) and had a wonderful experience. Will definitely be returning again in the future.

Horrible service. We have been here many times in the past 3 years and this time was our last. They always get so bent out of shape when they are seating you, they don’t want to be accommodating with a family of 3 (tried to seat us at a small 2 top) and act so aggravated when we requested a bigger table. Also there is no changing table in the bathroom, what restaurant doesn’t have a changing table?! They told me I could go across the street (across 86^th street!!!) to Starbucks and they should have a changing table. Normally the food and tea are good but we got a pot of tea for 2 this time which seemed to be less tea than just getting tea for one. They served us the pot with the loose leaf tea floating all through it and when we poured a glass the tea leaves were of course in the glass. No one wants to drink tea leaves. When we showed them they never apologized or said anything, just took the pot and strained the tea leaves out and brought it back. So weird. The workers here have no customer service skills. They then brought us another pot after this one and the same thing happened with the tea leaves. The food was okay but they used to include more with the meal in the past. Mainly we are never going back because of the horrible staff and their lack of service. There are too many great breakfast places where the staff is warm, friendly and inviting. Never again.

I recently hosted a baby shower at Tulip Noir. The experience from start to finish was amazing — and an extremely easy process. Every detail was personalized, from working ahead to create and print a customized menu to placing beautiful floral arrangements throughout our private space within the restaurant. The staff was friendly and the food and drinks were delicious, making an already special day even more enjoyable.

For all you Sex and the City fans, this café will remind you of the one that Carrie Bradshaw and the girls would always meet up at — with great food to boot!
There’s minimal seating inside, but they also have a half circle bar area too. I’ve been here twice now and both times were for brunch, around 11:15am on a Sunday. They are always busy and pumping out gourmet dishes and specialty libations each time you visit. Prices are competitive, much like that of a Café Patachou, but the atmosphere is great.
I’m a nerd, but my favorite part is when you order any kind of tea or coffee, they brew it right there and give you a sand-​filled hourglass so that you know when it’s ready to consume. So cute! The first time I visited, I ordered their Basic Breakfast which consisted of scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast with a side order of potatoes. Delish! This last time I went with their French Toast with black tea crème anglaise, almond whipped cream, and powdered sugar… to die for!
Don’t rush when you come here. Sit back, order food and drink, and catch up with your company :)

The atmosphere and ambience of this place is great. However, food portions were small and not very filling.
Being a coffee enthusiast, I was excited to try their coffee because the descriptions on the menu seemed great. I ordered an almond latte, but was disappointed by the lack of smoothness. Seemed like it was not very well made.
As for sides, I would skip the smashed potatoes.
Overall, an average brunch place. Would only come here again for the environment and if I wanted to take someone somewhere a little fancier than usual brunch places.

I would wait in line for a chair at this place and I HATE waiting in lines. Cucumber slice in my water glass. Coffee served in a press with timer. Fresh fruit bowl has pear, banana, green apple, grapes. Not a bowl of cheap wet melon chunks.
Awesome breakfast. Oats soaked in almond milk served whole grain and warm with dried berries and a mocha drizzle.
Coffee is superior.
Will definitely come back.

What a lovely place for breakfast or lunch. Their tea selection is fantastic and their food is fresh, thoughtfully prepared, and delicious. The menu changes according to season.

This is one of those restaurants that doesn’t play by the rules. Their food is different, it’s cooked from scratch. Nothing tasted heated up or like it was precooked. It costs more to do this but it is well worth the price. They are actually concerned with local, quality ingredients. The selection was great and I am so excited to go back!

Wonderful vegetarian brunch food! Most of the menu selections sounded amazing — after getting some advice from the waiter, I settled on the Sam’s Benedict, along with smashed potatoes because potatoes at breakfast is always a good idea (especially when paired with mustard crème fraîche). The vegetables in the benedict tasted very fresh and had a good amount of crunch. The lemon hollandaise sauce was delicious but not overpowering. I was satisfied but not stuffed, which can be a challenge at brunch. I’ll be back!

Loved this place. We had both kinds of Eggs Benedict. Both were excellent. Hollandaise was very nice. Presentation was good, and service was very good. Had cold press coffee, also very good.

Summary:
Service: okay ⁴⁄₅ server engaged meaningfully on a conversation around tea :)
Food taste: ³⁄₅ nothing to write home about. I tried their new addition open faced egg sandwich. It’s on pumpernickel bread with sliced hard boiled eggs, cucumber slices arugula and topped with smoked trout. Some arugula dressed in vinegeratte is served on the side
Cuppa: ³⁄₅ comes with two shots but could do a better job with the foam. To put in perspective it’s better than say café patachou but not as good as Calvin Fletcher’s.
Price: I think this is where the catch lies. The food seems a bit overpriced for the taste, quality and portion size. I’d rather spend $ 12+ for brunch at Milktooth than here.
They have an Extensive list of teas and fresh smoothies. I wish they were closer to the Monon :).
Btw, Unilocal says this is like eggshell bistro but that one is way better.
So in conclusion, I don’t see myself becoming a regular based on price, taste, quality and location.

When I lived right nearby, I went here a borderline embarrassing amount. Now that I live a bit farther away, coming here is a special treat.
Delicious, seasonal, fresh food that’s definitely my go-​to lunch when I’m feeling like something healthy. Highly recommend the veggie panini during spring/​summer! Great selection of teas! And, yeah, it’s really «northside» of me, but I do like the cucumber water as a nice touch.
Brunch gets crowded… like everywhere, I guess… but in my experience I’ve been able to get a table right away during lunch. The only real downer is the location: in a strip mall. This place would be even better as a cute little place with outdoor seating that didn’t consist of sitting on a sidewalk 4 ft away from the front of a car.
Bottom line: check it out!
Hmmm…now I’m craving a panini!!!

Overall okay. If you like small portions and decent food, this spot is fine. I’ve never hated anything I’ve gotten here but it’s also not high on my list of places to frequent. Our last visit was lackluster. My omelet was lukewarm and our server only came by the table at the beginning of our visit, to drop food, and to bring the check. We needed things in between but didn’t see her in a timely fashion. The vibe was just weird. I’ll pass.

I really want to like Tulip Noir… and it’s decent, but I would rather go somewhere else for brunch.
I find their food is a bit «fu-​fu» and the portions aren’t that big. I always leave feeling unsatisfied. The food tastes good, but it’s not «wow, this is the best thing ever» good.
Also, service can be slow… like 20 minutes slow. For an omelet? No thanks.
It’s quaint and cozy, but for me, it’s not a favorite.

I wanted to like this place. While it has many things that are appealing, my overall impression is that I can get a better, more filing meal elsewhere. I’m probably hindered by my ignorance of what types of ingredients they use (organic, all natural, and whatnot) and the cost associated with these things. I get it that natural organic foods are more expensive, and indeed I’m willing to pay for that.
However…Tulip Noir’s price point seems excessively high for what you get. I ordered a basic breakfast which consisted of 2 eggs, sausage, and toast. I added a side of fried potatoes for an additional charge (fine by me). When my meal arrived, it was small. Tiny. Decorative. I’m not a person with a big appetite, but I demolished the entire thing and still left feeling hungry. When I asked for some jam for my toast, the server brought out a miniscule portion, about the size of half a tablespoon. Say what?
Now I understand that we live in a society where food waste is a big problem and portion sizes are out of control. I also understand that since Tulip Noire only operates for limited hours (breakfast and lunch) they probably have to make up their operating costs by charging higher prices. And I get it that preparing gluten free lactose free organic vegan foods is more expensive and time consuming than «regular» food. But I think Tulip Noir tips the scale too far in the direction of skimpiness. Add to that the fact that it has a massive tea and drinks menu and a miniscule food menu makes me wonder if they should change their focus.
By the way, the water glass I got… it was a tiny glass, smaller than a rocks glass. No refill during the whole time I was there. Guess Tulip Noir has to cut back someplace, and they start with the water bill.

It’s modern, it’s cozy and it has a million items on its tea menu! We were surprisingly blown away by Tulip Noir. From the beautiful presentation of the tea to the ginger bacon, the experience was unlike anywhere I’d gone before. There were hourglass timers on the tables, handmade desserts, knowledgeable staff, scrumptious food and local offerings. This is a must try if you want a snazzy yet fast and casual brunch spot to go to.

One of the few places in town that does French press coffee (2 or 4 cups)!
The space is pretty cute. Upscale and Bohemian. There’s a coffee bar in the back for commuters to pick up a quick cup on the go.

This place is right up my alley! The tea is amazing. Even the water is excellent! Our server was polite and jovial and the overall vibe and energy was phenomenal!
The food… OMG… THE FOOD! Fresh, delicious, filling, flavorful… I can NOT speak enough good things… I can’t get back fast enough!