I'm an idiot but beyond the old hulking gantries, there's not much sense of history along the LIC waterfront with so much being new and glassy. What the Little Chef has built with the Little Cafe though has given me and my family a sense of place--a bakery, a cafe, a takeout restaurant, a catering service--that we go back to again and again.
She's Filipina American but beyond the pork dishes, you could hardly tell given her effortless skill in whipping up a cupcake or Guinness stew or cornbread with maple butter or brisket or matzo ball soup or whatever it is she wants to make for this community she loves. We love her and her cafe in return.
But, please, stop being so good at everything. I'm getting quite thicc and not in the right places.
I had their Thanksgiving turkey dinner and it was literally the best turkey I've ever eaten in my life. The sides were great too, but I was so impressed by the turkey. It was perfectly seasoned and moist. And I am super picky, so you know it's good. I'm dreaming about it right now. Plus, the owner and the workers are so generous and lovely. Definitely check out this spot
I'm a native NYer that moved to the neighborhood 2 years ago. This is the first place that I can truly say I love in my neighborhood. You've got to love the service with a smile that The Little Chef Diana gives everyone. I'm partial to the mini muffins and the iced coffee; it always hits the spot post my weekend bike rides.
They also do meal planning here and have some great treats for all the different holidays and occasions.
Some of the best bread pudding EVER!! Simply delicious!
And today a scrumptious Halloween cupcake! 😋
Got the adobo and eggs breakfast sandwich this morning. It was really good and a healthy amount of food. Perhaps too much because the adobo sauce was leaking out of the sandwich and there was so much in the sandwich it was hard to pick up. So I ate it with a fork. Good problems to have I guess.
Also really enjoyed their bread pudding!
Little Chef Little Cafe catered my daughter’s 2nd birthday party for 40 people and they made everything so easy. The whole process was incredibly straightforward and low-stress, which is exactly what I needed. They worked within our budget without issue. We had a variety of sliders, crostinis, pasta salad, and green salad (and of course their delicious cupcakes, which they added our themed toppers to!). Everything was delicious and our guests raved about the food and asked where we got it. Thank you Diana and team!
We ordered ten "Brookies" individually wrapped for party favors and they were a hit! Perfect sizing, absolutely delicious and something everyone can enjoy. I also called Diane (owner) not knowing what to order and she recommended these so I really appreciate her guidance and help! Love this place 💙
I had the delight of enjoying food from Little Chef Little Cafe last week and it was absolutely spectacular. Nothing like a delicious butternut squash soup to warm you up on a cold and wet day! Diana and her team make food you want to bring home and share with your family. Would strongly recommend her cafe!
This space serves DELICIOUS food with a warm and friendly staff! It's extremely clear that the Little Chef really cares about the customer experience and making food from a space of love. 20/10 would recommend! If you find yourself in the neighborhood, make sure you swing by!
Most favorite coffee place in the neighborhood! There is nothing better than to find a place that is pet friendly, loves your dog and served amazing food and coffee. Staff is super friendly, and always remember your order!
The lattes are delicious, the coffee is perfectly roasted. The toasts, waffles, muffins, chicken adobo and chicken salad wonderful too!
If I could give 5* stars I would!
Little Chef Little Cafe is a gem in the neighborhood! Chef Diana and her team served free meals during the pandemic and has been so supportive of other businesses here in LIC. Everyone on her team is so friendly and kind! The adobo rice bowl and waffle sandwiches are amazing—you can’t go wrong with either the chicken or pork options! Just the right balance of flavors with the pickles and garlic rice. The pumpkin spice latte in my opinion is the best I’ve ever had—not too sweet but with yummy warming spices. Today I had the kale chickpea soup, which was new to me, and it was soooooo good—the subtle coconut milk flavor, mildly spicy, and chock full of yummy vegetables. My husband ordered it for lunch, and then I had to immediately order another bowl to have at home for dinner. Thanks for making our neighborhood a friendlier and more welcoming place to be! We’re cheering you all on!
I visited this location last week as I
was starving and it was referred by a
friend. I ordered the antiox salad
with chicken, chicken soup and
treated myself to a gluten free
pumpkin muffin, all referred by the lovely woman who took my order. There were a lot of good selections. I sat in my car and devoured everything and then went
back to buy 4 more muffins for my
family. Only 3 made it home. Love
this place and this Brooklynite will definitely come back to visit when in LIC.
I love this little outdoor café right off of Vernon Blvd in Hunters Point LIC. There’s only a counter to order from and outdoor sidewalk and street-built covered seating (thanks, COVID), so there’s no indoor seating or access to a bathroom unfortunately, but it’s still a quaint little café that serves up small bites, baked goods, coffee, juices, and smoothies. I usually order a breakfast sandwich on an English muffin and a large iced coffee and a little bit of mango habañero sauce on the side to spice it up a bit. Delicious. They have dog treats on the counter where you order from, which my little pup has come to look forward to (as do all the neighborhood dogs apparently as I watch them pull up to the counter lol). I would definitely recommend stopping by here to take a break from the day, sit in the shade, and enjoy a small bite and beverage.
The cutest hole in the wall in the neighborhood! I absolutely love the vegan pastries they carry, especially the peanut butter bark. Every time I walk by, they have something different and I always pair it with coffee. Highly recommend.
Always great - but what I love more about Little Chef is the catering and participation in community events. The Cafe is not just a take out or delivery place - they really immerse themselves in the community and are a part of it providing cooking classes for kids through a partnership with local programs and helping with fundraisers. I have had them cater events with a group that had specific allergies and dietary needs and Diana M created a great menu that everyone could enjoy. I really appreciated the time she took to learn about the group and create a menu that suited their needs while being absolutely delicious. So dont let the menu fool you, Diana loves to experiment and can work through to the satisfaction of any stomach!
And the Brookies are a guilty pleasure.
We first encountered Chef Diana when she had a pop-up at a local brewery many years ago. On that day, we fell in love with her adobo, and since then have enjoyed her treats from catered events to meal prep and many cafe visits in between. Little Chef Little Cafe has awesome rice bowls and toasts, creative bread puddings, and other delicious snacks made daily. They even have treats for pups! Maybe most importantly, Chef Diana is a wonderful human being who truly cares about her customers and her community and we are always happy to support her business.
Came here for muffins and a coffee and ended up leaving with a best friend and a blueberry muffin recipe.
Diana (the owner and chef) has created the best muffins (super moist and good sized) I’ve ever had.
Not sure if I was drooling or the two bites it took for me to finish my food, but Diana was kind enough to share a recipe with me.
Needless to say, I’ve been a customer ever since and Little Chef Little Cafe is worth the bike ride from Williamsburg.
I heard about this place recently for their Valentine's To Go menu and was very excited to try it out. I was able to pick up Valentine decorate-at-home kits for our family. The cookies came in their names and hearts and included piped icing and a lot of adorable sprinkles.
The sugar cookies even without the Icing were delicious! Our kids had so much fun decorating and enjoyed eating their creations.
I can't wait to go back to try some Filipino cooking!
Open now with safety measures in place. Please support your local businesses!
If you’re at Hunters Point working really hard and need a hearty lunch, this place is it. I took a break from studying and found this humble food stand and saw that they had adobo rice bowls and I had to try.
Y’all, this was fire. I savored every second of this meal and I really appreciated the vibrant flavors this dish had to offer. The pulled pork was so juicy, and the pickles added the perfect amount of acidity to the fatty pork. I requested some hot sauce and they provided mango habanero, which provided just the right amount of heat that I was craving.
It’s so hard finding good Filipino places in New York City, let alone in Long Island City, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this little gem. You will certainly catch me eating back here again!
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