Blank Slate Coffee + Kitchen

Stumbled upon this super cute welcoming café. I wanted a big salad AND a glass of wine in a low-​key quaint atmosphere. And I was in workout clothes. Enter this place. Sit by the open air window and watch the world go by.

Foofy-​diner prices for family-​diner quality.
The approach, in which people queue to order and then a number that cues the delivery of the food 10 – 20 minutes later, seems an increasingly popular strategy for these brunch spots. I’m not sure I’m a fan, because it normally results in huge throngs of people standing in whatever space is available while they either wait to order or wait for a seat. At least in places that are well-​organized spatially, this approach can work without violating fire codes. Blank Slate Coffee + Kitchen is not one of these places. Fortunately the process was mitigated by a friendly hostess who organized and seated us quickly, based solely on remembering our faces and how long we were there. But it’s a small venue, and when the weather’s bad outside, the diners are probably going to be elbowing the crotch of one of the people standing in line.
As for the food? Well, Blank Slate delivers above average (but not stellar) coffee at average prices, and average breakfasts at – well, I think I’ve already made my analogy. I had the widely touted Avocado Toast, and even though I have lovely avocado slime coming out of one of my faucets at home, I couldn’t feel the love with this one. The sweet/​spicy combo of the chili honey didn’t really communicate with the avocado: it just felt like random items thrown together, and the bread was forgettable. Presentation wasn’t great either: just a few slabs of bread that slid around an oversized plate. Most of my dinner guests had more conventional eggs, and while nothing tasted bad specifically, I can’t think of a single plate that came out actually LOOKING good. Everyone said it was just okay.
It’s a smart looking venue, so maybe that should be the tabula rasa with which this place begins, then rethink the menu entirely.

In a world of Chipotles and Starbucks (es), Blank Slate bravely dares to be a quirky, independent option for those who work, study, and live in this area. The first thing you’ll notice is the bright, trendy décor. Great lighting, minty green accents, Etch a Sketches lining a wall (because of Blank Slate, get it?), a cute little market area with snacks to grab and go. The second thing will probably be the smiling, friendly service. You’re supposed to go up to the counter to order, but if there’s a bigger group they’ll most likely offer you table service.
If you’re wondering what to order, you can’t go wrong with their classic avocado toast (love that honey drizzle) or their special toast of the day, written on the little chalkboard by the register.
Personally, I have two favorites here: (1) the yogurt and granola (sounds like a generic choice, but there’s something about their granola and the perfect berries that they put on there that make it special) and (2) the kale and shaved brussels Caesar salad (Chock full of the good stuff like parmesan cheese crispies and was it just my imagination or was there something sweet in there too, like pieces of fig? Anyway, it’s a great take on a classic (and sometimes boring) salad choice and I highly recommend).
It can get pretty crowded in there during busy lunch hours, but I’ve always easily found a spot. During quiet hours it’s a perfect spot for a chat with a friend, time with a book, or some laptop work. I’m such a big fan of this place!

Oh my goodness. The avocado toast is so good! Bonus points for the option of gluten free bread. I got it with a side of smoked salmon, which was also very tasty. I also got the Blank Slate Chopped Salad, which was ENORMOUS and unbelievably delicious.
I had all of that to stay for an early dinner on a rainy afternoon. The music they play is really good, but a bit loud.
All in all, I look forward to coming back and trying more things on the menu.

Great smoked salmon scramble.
Friendly service.
Cool interior.
Black coffee was meh.
Worth the walk.

Can I just say that I LOVE this place?! My friend searched up s’mores and that’s how we found this gem. We came around 7pm and it wasn’t too crowded.
So, you basically go up to order and then they give you a number to put on your table so they know where to bring your food. BTW, the person who brought our food out was so nice. The cashier was also very nice & complimented on my nails which is always a mood booster for me since I work so hard on them. Haha. Also funny that when I went up the second time to order, he complimented on my maroon shirt with my black bow.
Okay okay, onto le food!
I ordered the Brussels Sprout Caesar which btw, was AWESOME. It comes with shaved brussel sprouts, shredded kale, Parmesan crisps, homemade croutons, and a lime Caesar dressing. I also added the roasted chicken and got the dressing on the side. I really loved this salad. There was so much flavor that I didn’t really use my dressing as much. Everything really comes together and the chicken wasn’t dry at all. Overall, really tasty!
Next was dessoit!
I shared the S’mores Dip with one other friend and honestly, I think it’s good for 3 – 4 people to share. I mean, we still finished the whole thing but boyyyy was I full! There’s something about s’mores that I just love. Must be the perfect combo of the melty chocolate with toasted marshmallows and a nice simple graham cracker to even it all out. It’s obviously super sweet but SO worth it. Eventually, we ran out of graham crackers. So we kind of picked at it here and there. THEN, a sweet lady came by and asked if we’d like S’MORE (see what I did there) graham crackers. Obviously we couldn’t refuse. So she brought s’more (did it again) out and we gobbled it all up. The whole time I kept thinking about the skillet and how long it takes for them to clean up that hot mess. You’ll know what I mean if you’ve made Rice Krispies treats with that leftover sticky melted marshmallow… or is it just me?
Anyway, overall, a really great place with great vibes, and SUPER SUPER nice workers. UGH. I can’t even.
Can’t wait to come backkkkkk! There are some eye catching things on the menu that I really want to try! It’s too bad I don’t live in the city to satisfy this new found love. lol.

We were in this neighborhood after an appointment and needed brunch. I recognized the name of the place from the CUPS line up so we decided to check out out. Ordered some scrambled eggs with toast and a latte and we weren’t disappointed. The food was solid and the espresso was quite good. Nothing too exciting about the menu but if you’re in need of standard breakfast fare and a good cup of coffee then this is a good place to go.

A small, trendy café with a cute vibe and nice staff! There is a decent amount of seating, but be prepared to kind of squeeze next to people wherever you sit (pretty normal in NYC, so no big deal).
You order at the counter, pay, and they give you a little number on a stick that you put on your table — then they bring you your food and enjoy! I ordered the Rustic Chicken sandwich and although it looked plain on my plate, it tasted great! It had a little kick to it that I really liked and was definitely happy with my choice, even though it looked like most people were ordering a salad.
I originally bookmarked this place to try their smores dip, which looks amazing, but I found myself in the area around lunch time and was all by myself, so I’ll save that experience for next time. :)

When you don’t have a lot of time to spare but need a quick bite for brunch, Blank Slate is not a bad spot to hit up. You order at the counter and the floor manager helps you find a table before your order is fulfilled. My friend and I popped by before our spa appointment. The wait for a table wasn’t too bad. As long as people don’t linger for a long time, it’s good.
The wait for our food however was longer than expected. There must have been a back up in the kitchen. Maybe the toaster broke down? The couple next to us sat down after us and got their food (salads) before us. The couple on the other side of us ordered before us, sat at the same time as us and got their food way after us. It was busy, but that type back up in the kitchen is unacceptable. We made it to our spa appointment on time but it was tight!
Anyway, in terms of the food, my friend ordered the Avocado Egg white sandwich, which was simple and tasty! I had the Sweet Toast, which was light and done well. I loved it. It’ll definitely be a go-​to spot for a quite brunch bite. I’d like to try their sliders or a salad next time.

Great first time experience today for lunch. Had the avocado and egg sandwich with a side of kale salad. Very good prices and great food. Definitely returning again! Really like the setup and atmosphere.

So I came here because the name sounded dope. It’s your average run of the mill coffee shop serving overpriced food. I got a BEC+LT, which is exactly what it sounds like. I paid over $ 10 for it, and was highly disappointed because I expected more. It was just an average sandwich nothing special. If I’m going to pay more than $ 10 for a sandwich it had better be some fancy ass organic sandwich or else it’s just not worth it! I decided not to try their coffee because of the prices. Don’t come here if you don’t want to spend $ 15 on a cup of coffee and a sandwich-​even the tourist delis don’t charge that much for their food!

Finally got a chance to check out this place on a rainy Saturday afternoon. We were craving a nice, light brunch, and I desperately wanted coffee, so Blank Slate we went.
This café has a very modern/​hip vibe, and a friendly atmosphere. When you walk in, there’s a small little ‘marketplace’ of fresh goods that you can also purchase. There was a small wait, so we got a coffee and waited for 5−10minutes until the counter at the street-​window opened up. Our waitress put a number placeholder at the counter for us and let us know we could go order.
I got a latte which was tasty and my friend got a hot chocolate, which she loved. We started with their traditional avocado toast and it was delicious — the honey was a nice complement with the avocado. It was also pretty smooth and creamy, not chunky at all. It was pretty good, not the best I’ve ever had, but this one was different. I had the truffled goat cheese sandwich, which included eggs and mushrooms on a lightly toasted foccacia bread. The bread was very airy and wasn’t overly chewy/​doughy. The sandwich was pretty good, albeit a bit dry, so I added some hot sauce. My friend got the garden vegetable sandwich and that was really good. The alfalfa sprouts gave it a nice crunch and the hummus hit the spot.
Overall, a very nice place to pick up a quick light bite to eat, fresh coffee, and good service.

This is a café who doesn’t specialize only in their drinks, but their food as well. Their honey chili toast was delicious at a costly price of $ 7, but it opened up my eyes to possible food concoctions that I can make at home for hopefully a fraction of the price :3.
On a Friday afternoon around 2pmish, Blank Slate was filled with a semi loud buzz and I can already safely assume that this is not your sit down and study type of café. It’s more of a catch up over light brunch and enjoy another’s company place. I came on a particularly warm day and they opened up the front windows which was extremely refreshing and made me want to sit and relax there for hours with a book to read.
No tip required, but they have smiling wait staff cleaning up your plates and delivering food to you. They have a tip jar in front of the cashier — which they deserve plenty of! They also accept CUPs app over here, so if you want $ 10 off your plan and a free any sized drink for signing up — use my code [QAVZB] #shamelesspromo. I decided to use my freebie on a viet coffee (:

If you tell me there’s avocado toast on the menu, chances are I’ll go for it.
… along with a BLT with a fried egg, hardwood smoked bacon & aged cheddar, on an english muffin. A girl can’t live on avocado alone.
But really, Blank Slate was the perfect choice for a relaxed weekday breakfast. Bright, calm, clean interior, stellar iced coffee (plus I loved the glassware), communal tables, and a simple, yet really delightful menu. And OH, that avocado toast — why don’t I have that every day? A few of us shared an order so I snagged a corner and marveled at the masterful combination of avocado, honey and chili. Perfection.

I really liked the atmosphere of this place, but the food left something to be desired.
The café is brightly lit and features a good selection of healthy brunch-​y items. When we were here on Saturday around 1pm, there was a line inside with a 20 minute wait. You order at the counter and receive a number to bring to the table, and the food is delivered to you. There are etch-​a-​sketches around the place to play with while waiting, which I thought was a cute touch. One irritating thing was that the person that seated customers skipped over us completely, causing us to wait an extra 10 or so minutes.
We ordered the avocado toast, brussels sprouts and kale salad with chicken, and the steak sandwich. I know people rave about the avocado toast here, but both my boyfriend and myself did not like it. There was way too much honey soaking up the whole thing, and we didn’t think the chili flakes added anything in particular. Definitely not worth $ 7. The steak sandwich was very plain, with a good flavor, and the meat very hard to chew. The salad was the best of the bunch. They give you a huge portion and a tender, well cooked and seasoned chicken breast.
Not sure I would come back here given the long wait and the overpriced food. I think the salads are the best thing they offer, but you can really get a salad like those anywhere. I do see that they have a yummy-​looking s’mores dip, so maybe… just maybe I would come back to try that.

— Blank Slate Chopped Salad with Skinny Steak $ 15 (kale, arugula, pecorino, artichoke hearts, pickled spicy peppers, shaved fennel, toasted pine nuts, lemon vinaigrette) This was very delicious and filling. The lemon vinaigrette can be a little too sour so it’s best to get the dressing on the side. 4 STARS
— Proscuitto Sliders $ 10 (gruyère, arugula on mini baguettes) This was warm and tasty. The sliders come in 3. The proscuitto was a little bit too salty but proscuitto is supposed to be salty so I can’t really complain about that. The gruyère really helped make a difference. 4 STARS
— Deviled Eggs $ 7 comes with three flavors: traditional, spicy, truffle. The spicy one was pretty good. It wasn’t actually that spicy. 3.5 STARS

I ordered the Red Quinoa Cobb Salad.*
When it arrived, a towering and impressive mountain of greens, and it was fine. But as I ate a few bites, I realized there was something wrong. The Red Quinoa was there, the Salad was there… but they forgot the Cobb.
There was no bleu cheese, no avocado, no egg, no bacon, and no tomato jam. And really, those are the reasons I ordered the Red Quinoa Cobb Salad.
And so I did what I loathe doing, and I sent it back. It returned with all the things listed on the menu (except the tomato jam, which was nowhere to be seen), and hopefully none of the things listed in the South Park song.**
As much as I hate sending things back to the kitchen, I must say that Blank Slate handled this (and all other customer service issues) quite well. There were a few hiccups, which can be expected with a new place, but overall this is a great little place that we’ll definitely be coming back to. Especially since the avocado toast and the sweet toast (bacon, ricotta, strawberries) are all I want to eat now that I’m thinking about them.
Plus, they have Etch-​A-​Sketches.
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*I feel like the me of five years ago would be ashamed of this order. 2016 me isn’t ashamed of anything, despite having so very many things I should be ashamed of.
**

Search for the best avocado toast continues here at Blank Slate!
A very hipster café on the corner on Madison Avenue and 30^th Street. My friends and I arrived here around 1:00 pm during the weekend. It was packed! We were greeted by a staff member who was taking down names to seat new customers. Although there is no waiter service, you order food at the cashier counter and you will receive an order number to bring back to your seat then a staff member will then bring the food out.
My friend ordered the Smoked Salmon Bagel, my friend and I ordered the Avocado Toast. I got mine with a side of smoked salmon. The Smoked Salmon Bagel was big and stacked with cream cheese, smoked salmon, sprouts, and onions. It may require your fork and knife for assistance!
Avocado Toast came with mashed avocado spread on top of two toasts. There are red pepper flakes sprinkled lightly on top and honey. The toast was crunchy on the outside and soft as you get to the center of the bread. Avocado was nicely smashed with hints of lemon. I thought honey is interesting, for I have not ever seen that before in other avocado toast variations. Honey adds a nice sweet element to it but I thought it was a tad too much and they could go easy on it. My extra side of smoked salmon was a delicious addition to my avocado toast! Get it!

Blank Slate is the perfect casual first date spot. Here’s why:
— The menu offers beer, wine, or coffee, which is great if you’re torn between coffee or a drink.
— The variety of small plates, sandwiches and dessert allow you to vary the length of your meal, depending on how well the date is going.
— The ambiance is cute and has the perfect amount of charm, without being gimmicky.
— The food is reasonable priced for dinner and tastes good too!
— Highlights include: chicken sandwich with roasted red peppers, mushrooms, and arugula; smores dip. Skip the affogato though; it must have been sitting a few minutes too long because it was completely liquified by the time it got to me.

I’m always on the hunt for new lunch spots near my office, and Blank Slate is a great addition to the neighborhood food scene. This area is swamped with a ton of quick grab and go places and fancy schmancy spots, so it’s refreshing to have a casual sit-​down lunch option that falls in the middle. And, with plenty of light and healthy options to choose from you also won’t have to return to your desk in a food coma. Always a win.
Our group started off with a few rounds of avocado toast and whipped ricotta toast. Both were fantastic. The avocado toast was unlike any that I’d ever tasted before thanks to the addition of a sweet honey drizzle. My personal fave was the whipped ricotta toast, which was topped with a strawberry compote and maple glazed bacon.
For a main lunch entrée, they’ve got plenty of sandwiches and salads as well as some interesting small plates like meatballs and sliders. I went with a kale brussels sprout caesar salad with a lime caesar dressing, which sounded really unique. Overall, it was pretty enjoyable, I just would have preferred less kale and more fixings like sprouts, dressing, and croutons.
Despite a few hiccups in our order, the service was speedy and pleasant! Our server accidentally brought out an extra ricotta toast and added chicken to my salad when I had requested none. But, was very apologetic and of course did not charge us for the mishap. They’re still fairly new, so I’m sure they have a few kinks to iron out.
In any case, I’ll absolutely be back for lunch. Even if I don’t plan on dining in, I’d come in to pick something up to go. Next time I’ve got my eye on one of the sandwiches and the s’mores dip… mmmm.