Cheeni

What a find. This fairly small casual restaurant has Indian street foods, dessert treats and delicious drinks. We had Chop (a croquette of spiced potatoes) and Phuchka (small deep fried shells filled with chickpeas, potatoes & onions) and a salad. All were outstanding. The staff is so helpful and friendly. The next morning we had to come back to try their lattes and got a rose pistachio pastry to go. Definitely will return.

Had a delicious breakfast here - so much to choose from! Really enjoyed the cardamom & plum pastry, along with the masala egg & cheese sandwich we split. Delicious drinks, cozy atmosphere, and super friendly staff… excited to come back for wine / dinner soon! Highly recommend, this is a hidden local gem.

Love this new neighborhood spot! I’ve had their great coffee before but finally tried the food and YUM. The Kati Crunchwrap is so yummy!! Decided to work from here today and the vibes are great for work (they play a lot of Lady Gaga, so of course the vibes are great).

Delicious bites & fun drinks! The staff were super friendly to give us recommendations since we weren’t super familiar with the menu. The food was full of rich spices and very gooooood! I also ordered Masala Coke, which was a fun twist on coke. My new fav restaurant!

I tried 3 dishes, a couple drinks and desserts in recent weeks and I think the flavor palette I enjoyed indian food growing up or the ideas in my mind on what fresh ideas on what indian food could look like now didn't play out when going to this establishment. For me, all the flavors felt off. The outdoor seating is a bit dangerous to place drinks on and outdoor chairs are a bit small to sit.The food/drinks while aesthetically pleasing... but the flavors were over-powering or mixed in a way that made the whole experience of the food not very enjoyable. If the flavors work for you, I think you'll enjoy this place. If not, don't try lots of stuff on the menu just to convince yourself that it was you.

Every. Single. Dish was amazing I'm gonna have to come back for every menu. Came for the dinner and was blown away. The phuchka, peyaji, keema, and the tea-ramisu were all incredible.

Love this place. I’ve come here for dinner a few times, and love how inventive and tasty the food is. My favorite items are the crispy paneer salad and the lentil pav (pictured). But also the chop (pictured) and the phuchka (devoured too quickly). All the desserts are amazing, but my the mango pavlova wins for me. Plenty of vegetarian and even vegan options. The house made nonalcoholic options are all excellent. The mango lassi is a fragrant version of the lassi you grew up with, and the aam panna is a super unique drink with a spicy/tangy punch to it. Not to mention that the vibe inside is super trendy but also relaxed. I’ll definitely be back again for dinner and drinks, but also need to visit for breakfast and lunch asap, esp for the pastries and paratha-based egg dishes!

Spicy! Crunchy & Delicious! Loved the flavorful breakfast over at Cheeni so much that we came back for dinner the next day. Highly recommend, go support this new spot!

Cute little cafe in Stuyvesant Heights. This was an unplanned visit because I had to drop something back to A and was here enjoying some of their coffee and baked goods. I end up getting their cappuccino and their blueberry ricotta pastry. It was decorated with crystallise sugar on top and had a nice crunchy texture on top and super moist in the inside. It was good. Didn't take a picture of the pastry since it was half eaten already. I would come back again to try other things.

This is my new favorite local cafe!! Everything about this place is so awesome. The cardamom plum pastry I had was delicious, the chai was beautifully spiced, the decor and seating was cute and comfy, and everyone was extremely kind and welcoming! They allow computers, have a bathroom, and don't play music too loud--and it was relatively empty and easy to get a seat--so this is the perfect place to get some work done while enjoying some treats. Can't wait to come back and try some food from the full menu and check out the patio space!

Cheeni is a great new spot on Tompkins Avenue. Good food and great atmosphere. Worth stopping by if you are in the neighborhood.

Excellent and beautifully presented food, really nice people, refreshingly relaxing setting

Cheeni is that rare spot you can't neatly label - part café, part bar, part restaurant, and somehow perfect for pretty much any time you want to eat or drink. There's zero pressure if part of your group just wants drinks, though you'd be missing out if you skip the food. My favorite dishes were: Chop - incredibly delicious croquettes Peyaji - sexy cousin of the onion ring Tea-ramisu - like the original but with masala chai and cardamom cream instead of coffee The space itself feels both relaxed and personal. The seat cushions are wrapped in the owner's mother's repurposed saris, and I particularly loved the bathroom vibes. There's also great outdoor seating. Highly recommend this new neighborhood spot!