Cafe Joyeux

We stopped in last week for the third time. This time we ordered the banana nut bread and a decaf Americano. This is a special place where most of the employees need some help. The supervisors are very patient with the employees and everyone seems to be super nice. A great experiment and I hope it works. We will definitely go again. Back again today after shopping on Fifth. Not busy when we arrived so we got a good table against the wall. We just ordered a hot chocolate. It was very tasty and CB not too sweet but it was Luke warm. Next time we will send it back to reheat.

Food was great! The crossaint was one of the best I’ve tried so far in the city. Noah was our server and he was the sweetest! Highly recommend coming here!

With a twist of fate I ended up in this cafe and it was a very wholesome experience. The egg and cheese bun was delicious (5/5). The coffee too (4/5)! But nothing came near to the staffs’ hospitality and smiles. It made my day! I forgot to click a picture of the bun. But here’s a picture of the coffee.

What a warm and welcoming spot! In the middle of so many corporate-feeling grab-and-go lunch spots in the area, I felt the difference here as soon as I walked in. It doesn't carry the same tension as nearby locations even though it can be bustling. Everyone on staff is kind and helpful, and the food is good quality--I recommend the chicken noodle soup and the brownies! I've visited twice so far, and I've told my entire office about it.

I was in NYC for a weekend and went here to get coffee in the morning. I got coffee to dine in and was so good! The service was also amazing. The latte came in a mug with milk art and a cute lego table number because they bring your coffee to your table. I forgot my purse there on the chair and didn't realize until I was about 20 minutes away. I came back and the team already found my purse and had put it behind the counter for safe keeping. I am very grateful for their kindness and honesty. The staff who worked the morning of 12/6/2025, I thank you so very much and you helped to make my stay in NYC something memorable!!!!

This place is simply amazing. Great food with a loving and attentive staff. If you're feeling a little disconnected in life, swing by this place and your heart will fill up. Humanity restored.

Good cause, very helpful and patient staff, good coffee, good service, environmental (reusable drinkware if you stay), very good-looking fluffy egg sandwich I will need to try next time! There are both indoor and outdoor seating. Note: despite the Lexington Ave address, the coffee shop is located on 52nd St, between Lexington and 3rd Ave, it is much closer to Lexington Ave than 3rd Ave -- hope that helps. It'd be hard to miss the bright yellow decoration.

Wonderful cafe with a wonderful mission. Every time I’ve visited I’ve had a great drink, a nice snack, and a lovely environment to sit and enjoy. Staff are so friendly and work really hard to please customers! I always look forward to visiting again. I notice that some of the reviews here have a nasty tone. If perfection is what you seek, there are many cafes you can go to instead. If you’re looking to have a nice coffee while supporting neurodivergent people in building their skills and confidence, then this is the place to be.

I went to this café in the morning and bought myself an almond croissant and a cappuccino. Honestly, the almond croissant was not the best croissant I've ever had before and the cappuccino was OK. The service was okay too. The ambience was great for a casual coffee shop. I like the color and the merchandise that you can purchase. I liked the natural light that came in and the solo seating available for working or reading a book. They have ample indoor seating available. I had my cappuccino and my almond croissant quickly before my doctor appointment. 10/10 coffee shop recommendation.

A rainy and cold day in Manhattan was not match for the brightness and warmth found inside Cafe Joyeux. Cute and unassuming from the outside this little spot is worth a visit. The cafe provides employment opportunities to folks with developmental challenges. The employees we encountered were friendly, professional and doing a stellar job. The cafe wears its French genetics in the menu and style. Offering delicious pastries, quiches, salads and barista coffees of all sorts. We sat and our coffee and food arrived promptly. The quiche was the stand out! Perhaps the best piece of quiche I've ever eaten. Bacon and cheese were the featured items and they shined. Delicious crust and firm egg filling rounded out the dish. The top of the quiche was nicely browned lending itself to extra crispy cheesy goodness. The quiche arrives with a simple mix of greens and a balsamic dressing. The place is typical size for a NYC cafe. Very clean, bright and welcoming. I wish we had one in Mpls/StPl.

Run, don't walk here. The food is delicious and the prices very reasonable- but the service and the purpose of the place should bring you here alone. Came for breakfast to find a bright welcoming cafe with a small but lovely selection. The egg and cheese bun is huge and delicious- and truly the best bargain in the city $7.00! Two normal eaters could easily share it! Go!

A cute cafe with an admirable mission. A partner suggested we have our meeting here since the original cafe we chose had no available seating. We were able to have our meeting which lasted an hour or so. Since I had another call I needed to sit in on I moved to another table ordered another coffee and a slice of cake and worked from there for an hour or so. If I was great to host a meeting Nd get in a few hours of work.

Cute little spot with tons of seating and good coffee. Able to get a coffee right away although and employees very friendly- recommended

I had an amazing meal here. The cappuccino made by Nick quality. Italian American approved. The lemonade is housemade. Its perfect. Not too sweet. Thanks Jordan. The chocolate chip cookie was top tier. Worth it. Great suggestion Diana. The food is cooked by the lovely Chef Ariel. Top tier staff. The chicken sandwich Joyeux was fantastic. Good cheese. The bacon egg and cheese quiche was out of this world. Will be back. The customer service here is the best.

I enjoyed a fabulous sandwich and salad and coffee! Freshly prepared and attractively brought to my table. My waiter was very pleasant and efficient. The cafe is big, bright, spotless and beautiful. I highly recommend this cafe to everyone and I love that they hire and train only people with disabilities!

I walked past this café, countless times and decided to stop in one day with my sister. It was a gloomy day and we decided to bring our books read eat a pastry and relax on a Sunday morning. This business is incredible! I love that their mission is to provide opportunities to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I used to work as a caretaker for someone with developmental disabilities and it would've been his dream to work here if he lived near a cafe like this. I would love to see this café expand locations throughout New York and in neighboring states. The service is amazing and the ambience makes me feel very joyful and happy!

I stopped in before work to grab a coffee and a yoghurt parfait, and was pleasantly surprised in my typical morning midtown rush, to have a lovely conversation with the man behind the counter. It was a nice reminder that in the hustle and bustle of the city, we all need to stop and take in the everyday moments. The cafe employs neuro divergent people. While service might not be the fastest, it honestly was a great way to start the day. The bright yellow walls also uplift the mood. Coffee was also good!

Walked into cafe joyeux on a random busy Wednesday morning just looking to get a quick bite on my way to work. The yellow colors were quite inviting from outside so I walked in and since I didn't want to do any of the regular chains I decided why not. Very bright and clean establishment with very warm staff. Then I noticed the sign on the back wall that noted that they promote inclusion of folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities thru training and employment. My almond croissant was really good and I had a very pleasant experience while there. They also have these really cool Lego block system to help identify what orders match to the customers.

Cafe Joyeux Lexington was recommended to me two times by my Coach Gary. It's not far at all from my doctor's office. Today I made a special trip to buy something to take home for breakfast. I quickly learned the drill to order. I ended up with a Chocolate Chip Cookie. I was surprised at the great price because I saw a sign that said Chocolate Chip Cookies $5. I paid $3.81 with tax. The employees behind the counter were very friendly and service was swift. They have bags of coffee for sale and other fundraising merchandise. The cafe promotes inclusion. I have a cousin that is Downs Syndrome so I was happy to see how busy this cafe can get. They have employees bringing the customers orders to their table. The only empty seats I found were at the window. I wasn't staying anyway. I was told they will have outdoor seating soon. I'm looking forward to eating my Chocolate Chip Cookie. I'll definitely post photos! I'm recommending you visit Cafe Joyeux Lexington, but get there early if you want a table seat!

We walked over seven blocks to get to this coffee place because the reviews were so high. And now that I visited I understand why, but I'm not sure they were totally honest. The key aspect of this place is their mission to include people with Down Syndrome or perhaps other disabilities, which is incredible and a wonderful thought. It's nice that they care, and built a business around it. However the proof is in the pudding, and that pudding is food and coffee, both of which were not great. It took 10 minutes to get coffee which was ultimately cold, plus the order was wrong because one of the ordered beverages was missing. I think the idea of the business is a good one, but they need to execute much better.

Such a cute cafe! Convenient location, right out of the 51st street E/6 subway; decent to-be-expected pricing for coffee in midtown ($5-$7); and a welcoming, relaxed and relatively quiet ambiance, great for networking, catch-ups, or some alone time. I ordered a chai latte for myself and a yogurt parfait for a friend. Service-wise, there were some hiccups here and there ie, the staff forgot my order, and the bathroom had no toilet seat. Still, I sincerely appreciated how responsive the staff were to my feedback on both counts. When asked about my latte (about 20-minutes after ordering), the staff very quickly owned up to forgetting and made my order. Similarly, when asked about the missing toilet seat, the staff apologized and said they were aware but unable to fix it. Food-wise, the chai latte was great: sweet and as expected. My friend also enjoyed her parfait, which looked like a dessert! Lastly, ambiance-wise, the cafe has a very relaxed decor and is great for casual activities, like coffee meetings, Zoom meetings, friendly catch ups, or a nice place to read or be alone. Overall, this was my first time at Cafe Joyeux, and what a joy it was! I would definitely recommend and plan on returning!

Such an underrated wfh friendly cafe! Staff is SO friendly, space is so big, clean, and beautiful. They also sell food here so you can really grind here for a long time. Highly recommend!!

5/5 in concept and supporting inclusive hiring of those with developmental disabilities! Love this business and concept so much for that. When coming here, you need to keep all of that in mind, and be kind and forgiving with the experience. The baked goods were solid when originally made, but my ham and cheese croissant was served freezing cold. My hot latte was also served very cold, half spilled into the saucer below it. I couldn't drink the latte as it was, but I didn't have time to ask for it to be heated up.... so I ended up just putting my plates aside and leaving. I still want to support this business, as the staff was so nice and I so want to support them. If you temper your expectations, all should be well...

Great food and great service. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. We loved the quiches, broccoli soup, and lattes.

A joy and magical new spot that employs young people with disabilities. It's so cute and they have delectable everything plus soups and salads. Want to do a deep dive here and excited to pop by for a visit. Soups are $7 with a baguette quite a bargain for the neighborhood.

Oh my what a loving and vibrant spot to get yummy treats and coffee for a great price! Had no idea the backstory and was surprised in a lovely way w the amazing service and cheerful environment!!

The employees at this place are a disaster. The person I tried to order from didn't know what herbal tea was. How does someone work at a cafe and not know that? The manager explained it to him. Then she said they had no herbal teas on the floor, but she would look in the supply room. Nope, no herbal teas. How does a cafe not have herbal teas? So I order lemonade. The first employee does not know how to separate glasses from a stack. Manager helps him. He then spills ice all over the table, and proceeds to spend a full two minutes pushing the cubes together into a heap and then sweeps them - off of the table - into the glass. This place just sucks. Avoid.

My experience was excellent! Breakfast was quickly served and was delicious! I loved cafe Joyeux mission and concept. Service was very good, our server Ethan was great and gave us useful recommendations. Coffee was fresh! I also loved ambiance. Definitely recommend!

I came across this place for the very first time and intrigued by the name, I went inside to get a coffee. I automatically knew that this place had unique workers. The place had such energy and the color ambiance were on point. I have yet to try the food and pastries which means I will be going back. It is amazing that we have such a place that can employ people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and give them a chance to be a part of the community.

#1 Thank you to Katie for being SO sweet. As someone with issues myself, I appreciate the employees & what a wonderful job they're doing. I ordered a veggie breakfast sandwich. At first I was told they didn't have it. OK so I asked for something else but a different employee came out & told me , 'We do have it, I lied!' We joked a bit. I was asked what size lemonade large or small followed by 'We only have one size.' So I said, 'Ok that one!' My sandwich was delicious. The place is cheery! We should all learn kindness & patience & not be in such a hurry that we miss what is amazing all around us, like this joyful place & the employees who want you to like the food & want to make you happy. A lesson to the universe.

Omg this location is amazing it was clean and colorful and yes it's because I 1,000% support my community of those with disabilities! I've worked with youth with disability for over 20 years and this just melted my heart. I love to see individuals giving them a chance of life outside of their disability, not defining them nor belittling them because of something they were born with. Allowing them to strive, gain confidence, develop, etc, it's amazing. I can't wait to come back! The service was amazing of course! They want to make sure they get everything right, so they ask all the correct questions, they are funny, full of life, always smiling and just makes you feel good! The workers are so patient with everyone and I truly appreciate that! Thank you all for your hard work and dedication

Love the mission of this cafe! They have good coffee and the staff is great. My friend really loved her breakfast bun, so I need to try that next time. I appreciated the ample outdoor seating, which is needed by many people with disabilities still taking the pandemic seriously. The cafe and restroom were wheelchair accessible. I just wish the point of sale was a little closer to the edge of the counter because it was a bit difficult to reach as a wheelchair user and I had to have one of the people I was with tap and sign for me.

Yummy. Loved everything about this place. The staff and the food is delicious ! The egg bacon and cheddar sandwich on a brioche bun was so good.

Beautiful display of pastries to choose from which is very difficult because there are so many amazing options. Coffee was a Carmel macchiato that was tasty but not too sweet!

Keep in mind that the person who's taking your order is not a Starbucks-type barista. Speak clearly and perhaps a bit slower than our usual NYC rapid-fire pace. Be calm, patient, and smile. I met 3 friends here one morning and I believe all of us will be back at some point! The coffee (1 latte, 1 or 2 cappuccino, and 1 regular coffee with a little too much milk even though she asked for just a very little bit) was good. The croissants were very good. You order at the counter and they give you not a number, but a colorful Lego on a stick, so they can bring your order to the right table. The autistic child in my family happens to love Legos, so I particularly loved that touch; I guess he's not the only Lego-loving kid, lol. Go, take a load off, enjoy a break, whatever. It's an easy way to support inclusion for people whose options might be limited due to no fault of their own, and the people we interacted with seemed genuinely happy to be learning and serving.

Spotted this cafe as I was exploring Lexington during a lunch break. Went in to see what they offered and was greeted by lovely staff. I was pressed for time but wanted to order a treat so I got a brownie. ($5). Definitely will come back to try the coffee!

A gem of a cafe . I found this place by accident. It's a cafe that comes from France that trains neurodiverse staff - and they really do practice what they preach. I felt the warmth of the staff while I was there and they are also attentive. The space is comfortable and good for meeting friends or enjoying some time by yourself. The croissant was delicious and the grilled vegetable salad really surprised me with the balance of flavors and textures.

Very spacious WFH-friendly cafe that supports and employs those with disabilities. Everything I've tried on the menu has been tasty and relatively inexpensive, plus it goes to a good cause. An all-around gem!

The service is great, everyone was so kind and the ambiance is fun and joyful. My chai latte was warm, not hot, but that's my only complaint!

Nice spacious non-profit cafe, $8 for an iced coffee and dessert is hard to beat. The carrot cake is delicious. And they employ folks with disabilities to promote inclusion. Love it.

Friendly folks, delicious coffee and breakfast. Two of us had quiches and another had the BEC bun. All delicious!

Lovely cafe. Free WiFi. Seating. Wonderful joyful yellow palate. You will feel happy to come here. Oh yeah French inspired means things like croissants over bagels, eggs and quiche proteins, and hazelnuts over almonds in the yogurt parfait. Try this place Corner of Lex and 52nd

This place as great food and has very special and caring people serving you. I would highly recommend supporting this place.

Cafe Joyeux is part of an international chain of cafes that trains, supports and employs people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. They serve great coffee and tea beverages as well as light fare for breakfast and lunch. This location is on the ground floor of an office building. Although the address is 599 Lexington, the cafe is on 52nd Street. It took my friend and I a minute or so to find it because we were looking on Lexington. It is bright and pleasantly appointed. Each table has a carafe of water and several glasses. I thought this was a lovely gesture. I've never seen this before in any cafe. You go to the counter to place your order and they give you a totem to place on your table. The order taker was a very pleasant young woman. A few minutes later, an employee brings your order. There were about eight of us and the server got every order right. The young man was very responsive to our requests. My iced tea was as good as I've had at any other cafe and my friends said their coffee and espresso drinks were very good. One of my friends ordered a croissant which she said was very good. Another friend had an egg and cheese sandwich. Visually, it looked delicious. On a stoneware plate, the thick sandwich on a brioche roll was accompanied by a small amount of green salad. However, my friend said that it could have used more seasoning. I plan to return again soon and try some of the menu items. Overall, it was a pleasant experience and doing some good at the same time.

the veggie sandwich was amazing and cappuccino was solid. the workers are really friendly and kind. plenty of room to sit and a nice atmosphere. love it

Lovely cafe, clean cute and we had great service too! I love the Lego themed table numbers.

Nice people but the food lacks terribly. The salad was old that most of it was inedible. And no dressing but only balsamic vinegar! The quiche was mediocre and small portion. Coffee finally came but the temperature was lukewarm. I mean, what is this place??? Reviewers are good but really? Hard to believe they are on the same café. Maybe opening promotions. Will NOT return.

The cheese and egg sandwich is surprising substantial and delicious for $7. Nice staff, great indoors and outdoors seating.

Very fun and relaxing vibe. The service was prompt with smile on their faces. What a great way to start the day!

This popped up on my IG.. well of course I had to visit,, I never buy coffee and coffee places are ehhhh. Cousins asked about a favorite coffee place to meet.. What do I know??? Well here is a different cafe with good prices..The coffee, quiche, staff wonderful.. It is a great space, bright and cheery.. Recommend highly..we drank ate and felt so comfortable in the roomy space..

I accidentally discovered Cafe Joyeux and it has become a brunch staple for me. I love their business philosophy, the community service and the food. The staff is awesome, sincere and polite. The meals are tasty, well proportionate in size and the meals are well priced. The pastries are also delicious. My kudos to the staff.

We loved this place. The food is very good & the employees work incredibly hard to deliver great service. This is an outstanding mission that deserves support.

I really want to support a place like this that's doing good but it shouldn't take over a half an hour to get coffee and a croissant. And this is a Saturday! I can't imagine on a busy weekday morning. A lovely space with kind people, but don't go there if you're in a rush.

Start the day , make a difference ! Viva La France ! Joy to the World all the Boys and girls !

Just left from here, food, service, coffee and ambience wonderful! Looks like Cafe stays busy with lots of foot traffic, staff is busy and friendly! I will come here often!

A shoutout to this place from your neurodivergent neighbors on the West Coast. Props to you for giving the neurodiverse a place to work.

Came in for an afternoon snack so I can't speak to the coffee but the lemon poppyseed loaf was great! Big portion, not egg-y, and not too sweet. I really like that they list out possible allergens for each item but would love to see gluten free options for those with celiac. The vibe inside is pretty and feels very spacious. The staff was also super welcoming and polite!