Effy's Cafe

Finally! A real spring day to enjoy. Sundrenched blue sky and temps in the low 70's. No way am I sitting inside today.

Effy's Cafe is a perfect little neighborhood spot to take in the fresh air with thier outside seating and full front opening windows.

Had to kick back at a table outside for a healthy breakfast wrap. The Energy Wrap is a great way to start the day - eggs, sauteed spinach, smoked turkey, and cheddar cheese. Had them make it with egg whites and a spinach wrap. Along with a few cups of coffee I was energized and fueled up for my noon workout.

Every neighborhood should have a go-to spot like this.

Nice employees.
Good food.

Ordered middle eastern breakfast a d husband order shakahuka... Both very good, very big, very yummy.

Would definitely go back- if in neoghborhood.

Friendly people. Looked clean, too.


Only downside- a little slow BUT small kitchen so you should expect that. Cook was great too v

A good place to get a decent meal, fill you up, and be able to sit around and work unbothered. Nothing more than that.

* Rise & Shine Wrap - 2 stars
(Egg whites, avocado, Brie cheese and tomato. $5.95)
I feel bad that I told my friend to order this when she couldn't decide, mostly because anything with avocado catches my attention on a menu. However, the wrap itself was stale and it looked like they filled it with like one little piece of each component. I.e., the wrap looked pretty empty, as if it were about to cave in on itself.

* Shakshuka - 3.5 stars
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PRPSlKMbyIm0z-tyF5-ApQ?select=XDitTv7CGoqYJMfV-fNGRA#XDitTv7CGoqYJMfV-fNGRA
(Poached eggs in a secret stewed tomato sauce served with hummus, tahini, Israeli salad and pita bread. $7.95)
Now this was much better! This was like a deconstructed breakfast burrito/ middle eastern starter all rolled into one. The egg/tomato stew was really flavorful, fresh, and filling. If I'm being picky, the raw veggies weren't super fresh and the pita could have been softer. However, still enjoyed this dish overall.

It was okay, not a quick breakfast, coffee was average, food was average
I personally would not go back

***UPDATE AS OF 4/22/11: Effy's has reopened! Woo!***

Effy's is currently closed for renovations. It's a solid option for the area, and although kind of expensive for what it is (a similar joint in my East Village 'hood would charge at least a couple bucks less for the same thing), it's dependable, tasty, and has plenty of options for any time of the day. Service is eh, though. Slow and kind of awkward, particularly when the guy at the counter is the one employee that really, really doesn't know a word of English.

There's really not too much like Effy's in this particular part of the UES, so I effin' hope they open back up again soon!

This place has a great vibe. All the windows were open which was great with the fall crisp air flowing in. They have free wifi so lots of people doing work on their laptops. But also a few families stopping by on their way home from school.

Their iced coffee was good. I had it with skim milk no sugar and it was perfect. Not bitter and not watered down. I had the crispy falafel wrap. It wasn't very crispy since it was accompanied by a creamy sauce but I'm not complaining because the sauce was good. The veggies inside were really fresh and crisp.

I sat by the window people watching on the upper east side. Good stop as I waited for my ride home.

Despite the mediocrity of our wraps, it was still a good day for me and Beth V.

I wanted to like this place. I like the concept of cafes with espresso and hipster decor, wifi, and baked goods.

We ordered whatever was on the big board outside: egg white wrap with avocado, tomatoes, and brie. They cut them in half. Mine came out cold on one half. It was also weird to have hot egg whites with cold avocado. Meh.

Despite the unfortunate wrap, I could see myself coming back here for the salmon on bagel (I'm a sucker for lox and lox-related items). Maybe I'll pretend to study or work on a presentation for a creative job I imagine myself to have.

We came here 4 or 5 times during our stay in NYC last winter. We were staying in the neighborhood so it was great to come again.
It's a good Wifi spot and the service is super fast !

We tried lots of stuff on the menu. Bagels, sandwich, yoga breakfast, french toast, granola, smoothies and juices. Every time the food was delicious. And what I loved about the hot drinks its that you don't have to wait them to cool off a bit. It's hot enough but not at a boiling point like in starbuck!

I was a bit disappointed though by the size of the granola. I've tried the yoga version and the regular one, each time it was a bit too small.

Also you have to know that you won't find the regular breakfast here. Recipes are more original with a Mediterranean background. Which is OK when you know it but my first time I wanted a basic 2 eggs, bacon and cheese sandwich on a roll and I didn't get it so... Now you know ;-)

The place is nice and cosy, I just loved the wooden bench. They have a terrace in the summer that might be nice but as we went in winter, I can't tell really.

Also they only take cash, so be prepared ! This is always something disturbing for us European as we are used to use our credit card all the time.

I will definitely go back again for the food, the WIFI spot and the low prices as well !

I stopped by for a late afternoon sandwich. I got the #4- eggplant, hummus, and Israeli salad. It was so delicious and very unique. I could have had every sandwich on the list!

In addition, I really like the service here. It's hard to find in NYC great, fast service but also friendly staff. It's a delicate balance, and Effy's pulls it off well.

Effy's feels homey.

The most annoying part is the small space to order food, which is a little too close to a table. However, I love everything else about this cafe. Next time, I will stay and people watch.

Friendly staff, very attentive.

I loved the outdoor seating and the free wi-fi, that was definitely a plus!

I ordered the Shakshuka for breakfast. It was just "ok" to me... nothing that really sticks out.

One downfall is that they only accept cash.... now-a-days people rely on credit/debit transactions.