Indie Food & Wine

Food is cool. I’ve eaten here a handful of times and the Buttermilk Chicken on the brioche bun never disappoints. Best eat is facing the window and people watching. Also a really cool place to bring your laptop and get work done.

I loved this cafe, and went twice during my short visit to NY. Highly recommend! It was quiet, cool and welcoming and the iced latte was delicious. It was a little hard to find the location from the street. The sign is really small, so I walked right by. Here's what the entrance looks like.

Went there few times with friends - marvelous place. Food is AMAZING, service is fantastic. I got Duck Confit, and Avocado salad. YUMM

Perfect place for a low key drink or quick meal before a show. Not a huge place, but a decent number of seats with very reasonable prices considering the location. Finally, although I only tried the desserts, from what I tasted, the food is quite good. Definitely will be coming here more often.

I had the Bibb salad with chicken. Delicious. Only thing negative was the leaves were very large and had to cut them many times to have acceptable bite size portions. Not a major complaint but being completely honest. The service, taste, freshness, amount, price, quality - all excellent. I'd go again and recommend it.

Whatever establishment chooses to follow this one has some big nice shiny shoes to fill! The greatest staff, the most delicious chocolate chip cookies, and the food is better than everything within 3 blocks in all directions!!! So sad to see Indie close. I know it’s well-loved by everyone nearby, I wish some of the locals would have passed out flyers or something..!

This was my first time eating here - I ordered the turkey sandwich, while my friend ordered the proscuitto/cheese plate. The food was fine until I bit into a piece of wax paper in my sandwich. I didn't lodge a complaint because my movie was about to start, so I threw the rest of my meal away and decided that was that. An unfortunate waste of 14$ due to lack of attention to detail.

Excellent casual place to grab a light dinner before or after Lincoln Center events. Food is fantastic, the service is quick and friendly, the wine and drinks list top notch and reasonably priced. Oh, and really great food. Did I say how much I liked the food? Check it out.

I had the best meatballs. Tastes exactly like Fiorellos and very reasonable. (3 meatballs for 10.50) . Ask for same bread for the table and make yourself a delicious meatball sandwich. The eggplant parmigiana is outstanding As was the Caesar's salad. Located Right across from Julliard. The best part was our server. Her name is Gabriella. What a gem! Sweet, kind with a killer smile. Very rare in this city. Very casual the way i like it.

I've been going here for years now, ever since it opened. It started as a table service place, then turned into a number system free for all, and now it seems to be back to table service if you want to sit down (take out options still available at the side counter though.) I've never felt compelled to review this place because it never moved me -- it was fine but nothing to write home about. But for some reason on this most recent visit something just kinda snapped and here I am. I'll start with the good: the convenience of this place is stellar if you're on your way to a movie at Lincoln Center. The menu has a nice variety, the cocktails are solid and the service has always been pleasant and very quick. The problem here is the quality of the food for its prices. Like, I just paid $17(after tax) for a Caesar Salad with no protein in it (extra $8 to get chicken, which would make it a $26 salad after tax). The portion was meal sized, but for what amounted to iceberg lettuce with bottle-tasting dressing (anchovies they boast but I saw none) and nothing else to justify its ridiculous price (there wasn't even pepper on this, let alone more than 5 croutons) I feel pretty ripped off. It's not like this place is fancy by any means, it feels roughly equivalent to airport dining in both disappointing taste and prices. It's not that the food is BAD (bland, maybe...), it's just an obvious cash grab -- and don't talk to me about movie theater prices, because a $17 salad with nothing in it is way beyond that. Even more laughable is how they have an $12 mixed green salad on the menu which probably has more in it than the Caesar does. I love Lincoln Center but man, if you're gonna act like a real restaurant then step up the game or step down the prices.

This is where you wanna go for some lite bites before your show. The menu has just the right amount of variety to get you satisfied before your main event. It's a great choice because it's located right in Lincoln Center. Reservations are encouraged. The three couples in front of us were turned away as we approached the host. It gets pretty crowded in there so we did right making that Rez on Open Table that morning! The entrance to this cafe is located INSIDE the Paradisio Theater. We lost 15 minutes trying to find it. There in 1 gender neutral restroom located outside across from the cafe (also INSIDE the theater entrance). It was okay to use but not the cleanest. We ordered the Mixed Board for 2 and a combo Soup and Sandwich. We chose the Tomato soup which was EXCELLENT and not salty. The sandwich was a meatball parm where we requested just a sprinkle of cheese (yes they do that!) The host was wonderful and astute to assisting the waitstaff who seemed overwhelmed with the influx patrons coming at once for all their shows. All in all a pleasant experience.

NOTE: This is based on my experience today ( 11/2/24 ). And it is what I experienced with one server, can't speak for other servers or the establishment as a whole. Also, WARNING: this is review is LONG and more about lack of service... Not good service. At the least the server I had was inattentive. Had to flag down another server for attention. When I arrived I was told to sit anywhere there was an available table, which I did. I waited for several minutes but no one came with water or menu. The place was relatively busy but not full and I was eating alone. I wanted to wash my hands, but was waiting to at least put an order in but still no menu or water. I finally stood up and walked to a server asking about the bathroom and whether I should just grab a menu from the outside kiosk ( entrance of the restaurant). He then asked if the server who seated me brought menus, when I told him I wasn't technically seated, but rather just told to "sit anywhere the was availability", and had been sitting waiting, he replied, " that's strange" and informed me that menu would be brought when I returned from the bathroom. Bathroom- it has a coded door ( which I wasn't informed about) and there was an elderly man with a walker trying unsuccessfully to gain access. I tried to help him, but the code he had wasn't working. I walked back into the restaurant to get help and encountered the first server who had waved me in to sit wherever and before I could even ask about the bathroom code, she started asking me about my order. ( um excuse me...I didn't even get a menu, how would I know? And don't assume what my question is..) I told her that I was helping someone trying to gain access to bathroom which I was also in line for and asked to verify if the bathroom code the elderly man had was correct. She then gave me the correct code and asked me again if I knew what I wanted to eat. I replied, " I would need to see a menu to fully decide that and I never got one" and walked away to go help the elderly man who was still waiting at the bathroom. I finally get back to my table where there's water and a menu. Food: I ordered an Avo Toast with egg. It was underwhelming. It came with greens which is nice, but I wished they had put the dressing on the side. It was drenched with some balsamic/chia seed type dressing. I also didn't realize the Avo toast came with a salad to which I would have informed them no tomatoes ( I'm not super allergic but tomatoes mess with me). There were tomatoes. I just pushed them aside and steered clear from them in my plate. Honestly, I should have sent it back but I was so hungry- between the wait to get a menu, then the bathroom code situation, then finally ordering, I just gave in, knowing I'd be able to at least eat some things on the plate. Also ordered a matcha latte and couldn't drink it. It was watery- I like my lattes to be creamier texture and it didn't even have a true matcha flavor, maybe it's the mix they use? It was more like 'essence of matcha' in a watery mug of milk. I could even see the milk fat separating. Back to service: I noticed the server who had waved me in was actually seating other customers who came in after me...menus and water were brought in a timely manner, in fact some were seated with menus at hand. Maybe after my interaction with her, she became more attentive? Who knows...but she also passed my table several times and never checked in on how everything was, whether I needed anything else from the menu or if I wanted my check. Meanwhile she was a chatty Cathy with other customers. I basically stood up at my table and started gathering my belongings as a signal that I was ready then she walked over to me. If I could give no tip, I would have, as I truly don't feel like I received service for what I'm paying for. I felt unseen in this restaurant meanwhile watching other patrons being attended to. Sure, they were larger groups, but that shouldn't be so. I did leave a small tip out of integrity knowing that someone prepared the food, the people bussing tables, etc. But honestly didn't feel like the server cared. This place is located very close to my work and I've frequented their kiosk for morning pastries. This was my first time coming to sit down and dine inside their restaurant. I now know to stick to the pastries. The only thing I can personally recommend is their kiosk/take out window. There are plenty of other places nearby that I'll go to and can recommend.

Cafe Paradiso is a decent option for dinner before a concert being located right beneath Lincoln Center Plaza. The food is decent Italian with reasonably sized dishes at an affordable price. Service was quick and friendly, and the ambience was quiet despite all tables being fully seated.

Please make sure to ask for a receipt printout and check your bill carefully!! My daughter & I stopped in for a quick bite during our visit to Lincoln Center today. We decided to share the margarita pizza (16.50) and their green salad (12.50). When it came time to pay the bill, the waiter came over with his handheld payment terminal with my bill amount of $44, not including tip. After I paid, I I realized that the numbers didn't add up. I asked the waiter to bring over a paper receipt and that's when I saw that I was charged $25 for a salad that was $12.50. I know that mistakes happen, but the restaurant was not particularly busy, and we ordered only two items. Nowhere on the menu was there a salad worth $25 so I'm not sure how the waiter can inadvertently enter the wrong price. Although the waiter returned with an apology, somehow it didn't seem sincere and I got the feeling that I was being deliberately deceived. Needless to say, I won't be returning.

It's pretty perfectly situated for what you want before going to any of facilities at Lincoln Center. The food is reasonably good, the staff is friendly and the price is fair. Just don't expect a high-end dining experience as the menu is quite limited. If you want to go absolutely make a reservation people come pouring in by about 6 PM and poof by 730 the place is empty.

They changed the quinoa salad, now just a lump of quinoa without much else, it used to be delicious. The other menu items are meh. Ok for coffee or a drink but no to the food. Advice: this place, they are cutting back on quality

The atmosphere is cosy and cosmopolitan brasserie. Very inviting. Crowded but to be expected for a Friday evening before the opera. My husband ordered a parma sandwich of sorts and enjoyed it. What I ordered, never arrived to the table. I ordered a veggie sandwich with melted cheese of some sort. Instead I received two thin slices of focaccia bread. Wait! Did I find a leaf of arugula peeking out between the bread?. No, it was actually half of a leaf. The cheese seemed to be present as if the bread was used to clear a knife used to make a prior sandwich. I supposed I should have asked for a bread basket instead of ordering the unsandwich and saved $15.95. Then again, I guess I was paying to sit there sans consuming dinner.

Its basically a slightly upscale Italian flavored diner. Food is fine as is service and the prices. Certainly not a destination but good to grab a quick bite if pressed for time in Lincoln Ctr area.

That beet salad is out of this world! Simply the best. And service is impeccable! I'd recommend this place wholeheartedly!

I want to know how Tuscan bean soup is canellini beans with carrots and celery in a watery chicken broth? And also $6.95 with a campus discount? This place always disappoints. So expensive. Mediocre quality food.

Unfortunately, though this café is centrally located and could be a real asset to the area, it's so extremely hit or miss that it's not usually worth it. The pastries are dense and dried out because they sit on an uncovered shelf (not sure for how long). Coffee is fine, except for cold brew- went today and am pretty sure I was served a cup of undiluted concentrate. It was so acidic and bitter it was truly barely drinkable, even after plenty of simple syrup and milk. I really hate to be a bother in retail environments, but it's worth noting that the baristas didn't offer a new drink, a refund, or anything but a shrug when I brought this to their attention. Pretty disappointing for $6. Really unfortunate that most of my experiences haven't been positive. Here's hoping the future brings better quality control and better beverages!

Very good eggplant parm. Decent sized portion, good sauce and cheese. Comfortable ambiance. Service was fine. Glad it's there and will certainly return.

This is a dependable, pleasant and affordable neighborhood gem. The food is very good and the service--today, especially, from Jay--is excellent. You can have a nice conversation here without shouting over the other diners. My only preference is that the hot food and drink be served hotter in temperature so it doesn't cool off so quickly.

This was my go to cafe with good food, good service and a relaxed atmosphere. However, on 11/23/24, I met a former colleague to see a matinee at the Lincoln Center Theater and then we went to the cafe for a light meal. When we arrived the person (Latino, heavyset gentleman) at the front says he has a table but that there are many reservations. He then abruptly asks,"how long is it going to take you to eat?" My friend and I were pretty surprised by the question and I said that this obviously depends on a lot of factors. He lead us to a table and said that in an hour he'd need the table. In about an hour's time we had finished our meal and we were drinking water and chatting with a friendly patron eating alongside us. The same employee approached us and abruptly announced that "you have to go". We were appalled and my friend told him " you are very rude". We paid our bill and asked for the name of the manager. This man indicated that he was the manager. I told him that I needed the name of the person he reported to and asked for his card. He gave me the card I requested. Since we chatted a lot with the gentleman dining next to us, we knew that he has no reservation, arrived 20-30 minutes after us and did not face any of the rude behavior we experienced. He was embarrassed for us. I think that in this particular season, as highly educated and mature African American professional women this really stung. I'm part of a small group of women of a similar demographic who patronize the cafe regularly after events in the area. I shared my experience with them yesterday and said they encouraged me to post this review and that we'd have to find another restaurant. We really didn't need this right now.

Great find if you are looking for someplace to go in the Lincoln Center area. So nice to go out and eat good food while not breaking the bank! We had the quinoa salad, tuscan vegetable soup, and a meatball parm sandwich and all were nicely prepared and delicious. Near to all the Lincoln Center events and not a big place, so probably best to make a reservation. Love the low-key atmosphere too. Will definitely return.

I have no words to describe how good it was my experience at Cafe Paradiso. For starters, the ambiance is cozy and elegant. The staff is so nice, from cashier to waiters. Very receptive and welcoming crew. And the food was really amazing! They had a great variety of gluten free options without losing flavor. My favorite was the quinoa salad with salmon, such a refreshing dish, tasty and very good looking too! If you're looking for a great meal at a great spot for a good price, you should make Cafe Paradiso your next visit!

I really enjoyed Cafe Paradiso! They had an expansive menu, quick service, cute inside, and really friendly staff. Everything was extremely reasonably priced too. I had only gotten a glass of Prosecco but I really had a nice time. They came around offering us warm chocolate chip cookies, which I thought was sweet.

Cafe was hard to locate and lacked clear signage. Cute place and atmosphere but management falls short. ordering is awkward. coffee was 3/4 full and asked for a full cup. was told it was machine generated and hot water could be added? What! Diluted watered down coffee? Lousy coffee. Breakfast menu closed promptly at 11.30 so forget having breakfast if a friend arrives a bit late. told they closed down morning breakfast. thought it was self service picked up glass of water, napkins and spoons. One bright side to this mess are good pasteries needs better customer service and management to operate this cafe. D+

What a find! Coming out of the Met Opera House, we were hungry, and it was raining, so it was a total surprise to find this cute and comfy cafe right there! Unfortunately the place was totally packed (and being across from Julliard, they also give a discount to students). But we noticed that they have a To Go shop right next to it with all kinds inviting brioche, danish and other delectables. After a 3 hour opera, I wanted FOOD! So I opted for the half sandwich and cup of soup for $16! I chose the chicken salad which was very light made with dill, and had thinly sliced cucumber and tomato on a freshly made focaccia bread. This was DELICIOUS!! I immediately regretted not getting a full sandwich!! I also got a creamy tomato soup which I haven't tried yet cuz I'm on the bus going home!! I'd definitely go back when I'm in the area to try other things. The only downside is that due to the popularity of the place you have to wait awhile for the food - even to go.

Everything was delicious, but my personal favorite was the mushroom pizza I will definitely return and recommend to my friends

Very good food, friendly atmosphere, reasonably priced, terrific presonnel. Casual and varied menu - salads, sandwiches, pizza and quiche - something for everyone; well priced. A favorite pre-concert, pre-ballet, pre-movie restaurant. A filling but light repast. Fast service - in and out quickly. Try it, you'll like it! reservations are a good idea

Best coffee in the area, great breakfast options, and well-located next to one of NYC's finest cinemas.

Food was 30m late, bread was moldy, then by the time we ate the food was cold. The portions were also small. Waiter was unfriendly, did not really give attention to tables.

I ordered a salad with salmon. The dressing on the salad was way too tart and lemony, the salmon was fine. Except when I finished it, I noticed there was a hair on the plate - clearly not fine because it was dark black and my hair is white. I did tell the waiter. His comment was "oh, sorry." It's fine if you're only having coffee, or pastry. Or even a glass of wine. But for a meal - I don't recommend it. There are lots of other places in the area that have better food and are clean.

Cute casual café to grab a drink or bite before or after your plans at Lincoln Center. The espresso martini is especially delicious! And the staff is super friendly and accommodating even when it's busy.

Nice place, good food, but the coffee-in whatever form- is always lukewarm. Never hot.

This place is very annoying and I will not be back. Cafe Paradiso it ain't, more like Cafe Adjuta. I have been here several times for breakfast because I live in the neighborhood. The food is just ok, but it is a convenient spot for a quick bite to eat if you live nearby. Absolutely terrible service is the norm. This morning was the last straw. We arrived at 10:45 am, and waited patiently behind two pairs of alter cackers who took their sweet time ordering items from the breakfast menu, because they needed to debate every item on the menu before ordering. Hey, no problem, I was happy to wait and let my super annuated neighbors take their time. That's what nice people do. Besides, there was NO ONE IN THE RESTAURANT, so it's not like we needed to rush to get a seat or anything. Literally, not a single table was occupied. When we got to the front of the line at long last at 11:03, we were told "sorry, we stop serving the breakfast menu at 11, so you can't have the oatmeal." (I am betting they had plenty left, given that no one was there when we arrived). At that point, I turned to my companion and said, let's walk the extra 4 blocks to the PickaBagel, and that is what we did. Had a nice egg sandwich on a bagel too. Go to someplace other than this dump when you are in the neighborhood and save yourself the irritation of dealing with real jerks. No wonder no one was sitting in the restaurant at 10:45 on a Sunday morning!

Gaston its very good in customer service. It is very polite and so professional when you ask a question about the food in the service store. Thank you Gaston the food was so delicious..

I wanted to get breakfast this fall morning and found this cute cafe. Great ambiance, good service and scrumptious food. Loved being there!

Food and service were adequate but they are on the list to take Hilton Rewards -confirmed by Hilton- and they did not take. Also, I never got a copy of the receipt texted to me.

Cafe paradiso has very big shoes to fill, and unfortunately hasn't been making much of an effort to fill them. I'm sure there's a feeling from the management side of stubborn attitudes from the Lincoln center staff and patrons as well as those from Juilliard, but there is a reason for that - Indie was a cafe with heart, kindness, attention to detail and a genuine care for the customers. They had high quality food, coffee and wine, prepared with integrity and offered with presentation and a smile. I work very nearby and have occasionally (twice, so far) succumbed to ordering something from Cafe Paradiso. Just the other day, I ordered and went to pick up my food and there was complete disarray. There was a cart in the kitchen, right behind the pastries that was obstructing the viewpoint to make eye contact (an essential to picking up pre-ordered food for the many folks who are on a tight rehearsal schedule) and also shielding the staff from the customers, allowing for side chats while there were five-six customers in line hoping to be taken care of. I had to stand in the line for this pre-ordered food, and noticed as each and every customer in front of me had a negative experience. Someone tried a pastry; it was unceremoniously plopped into a bag in front of the customer and handed to them with no care. The customer actually raised this issue and the young lady at the register just shrugged and mumbled something. Repeat this with every person in line, as I saw in my ten minutes inside and you lose the customers who have loved this space for years. Furthermore, the last time I ordered from here, I grabbed a soup ( a pre-made soup!) and had to wait 18 minutes for said soup and therefore was almost late to my rehearsal. A soup to go is typically an item selected due to time constraints, not a luxurious schedule and a laid back attitude. There need to be some adjustments made here to the back of house staff, the tetris in the small workspace, the timing of order completion and the care given to these customers. Otherwise, they (we) will not come. Maybe asking Indie to consult on these issues would be useful for fireman group, since they don't seem to be sure how to manage this beloved, friendly space. And for crying out loud, bring back the good coffee. It was Irving Farm, and it was vastly superior.

100th birthday with tickets at Juilliard and of course Paradiso is perfect. She had a delicious Quinoa salad and we asked for bread. We got it promptly; hot and delicious. I had the Lasagna Bolognese; very good. Serving size was perfect. Carmine's uptown would have been bigger but Carmine's is not at Lincoln Center. With excellent timing, without being asked, a waiter brought Tiramisu with a candle. All together very gracious service and tasty food.

Great location and ambiance. Really good coffee. I went twice in a week. My first morning experience service was great. My second in the afternoon was a little slower. All in all a hidden gem.

Made the mistake of going back here and it's somehow even worse. Just poor quality food and worse service. They've now had a few months to get their act together in the area of serving customers but there remains about a half dozen people standing behind the counter, few of who do anything besides stand around looking at their phones or nothing at all. Went in to meet a couple of friends, got a coffee which was slammed down in front of me. Asked for milk and had no acknowledgement other than another container slammed down in front of me. Folks, this will be my last review here, but it's interesting that other people have felt compelled to write multiple times to downgrade their first reviews. We've all given the management here multiple chances and it's still sliding down. Go to the Independent Cafe -- it's around the corner across from the Plaza and next to Rosa Mexicana in the Atrium. Everything is better there--food that's not reheated but made fresh, coffee is brewed or pulled and not from a machine, and staff is warm, friendly, and well-managed and trained...unlike most of the people working here.

Had the lasagna. It was very tasty and very affordable. Under 20 dollars cant go wrong with that. Ambiance is nice and service was quick. Would definitely recommend.

Terrible food, incompetent kitchen, indifferent and irritated service. Their days are numbered. Management does not know what it's doing. It's time for someone else to take over the space.

Extraordinarily well staffed café in the Film at Lincoln Center building offers nice soups and sandwiches; a great, inexpensive place for a pre-event bite, very attractively decorated and lit.

I work in the area and thus go to Cafe Paradiso often out of convenience and sometimes necessity. I hardly ever write negative reviews, but I have a lunch meeting at CP today and am already dreading the task of trying to find something to eat there that isn't absolutely horrible. Every drink or food item here has been almost inedible. Many of the waitstaff are very kind--it's not their fault. But the food is beyond terrible and overpriced. I am hoping to high heavens that there is a kitchen overhaul if this place remains.

Excellent food at a reasonable price. The manager Johnathan was extremely helpful and sweet. Will definitely visit regularly.

Great little place before any event at Lincoln Center. Coffee was great. Food looked good. We had a sticky bun and red velvet cupcake. They were good. Overall if I get to Lincoln center early I would go here again.

cute casual spot for a light lunch or dinner - grab and go pastries/coffee Full food rundown and photos on the blog https://eraenvogue.com/new-nyc-eats-cafe-paradiso-lincoln-center/

I never review restaurants, but I had to today. I spent $18 on FOUR raviolis from this place. Four. The base price for their burrata ravioli is $14. Okay then, these must be great! I was so excited to eat my ravioli for lunch. I open the bag and see a miniscule container. How did they fit all the ravioli in there? I open the lid... Four. Four raviolis. For $14. Four average-sized ravioli. Not huge ones, not full of wagyu beef or sprinkled with gold leaf. Please don't waste your money here. I don't care how artisanally made the ravioli is, I am actually embarrassed that I purchased this dish. Bring back Indie???

Good for a quick bite before or after a film. Food tasted good. Decent prices although portions are on the smaller side too. Never really ate at the old place (Indie Food and Wine) so can't really compare them.

Very convenient to Lincoln Center and Julliard but the food is nothing to write home about.

Tasty, pleasant atmosphere, but too expensive. $20 after tax for a half focaccia with prosciutto just seems a bit much to me.

I found myself in Lincoln Center today and stopped into Cafe Paradiso to grab a bite. It is a small, but attractive space. I ordered an Italian Combo sandwich, and an Iced Tea. The sandwich was very fresh, and very tasty. My Iced Tea was tasty as well. My bill was $20.70, and the value was $19.00. Thank U next!

I have eaten here twice with friends, and in the future, I will avoid this place. Portions are very small. Also, when brought to the table, the warm foods were lukewarm and we had to send everything back to be reheated. Both times I ate here were prime time. The restaurant was empty. Why did Lincoln Center force Indie out? Indie was so much better than this place. I will wait until Indie reopens at another location, which, I hope will be very soon.