Kolache Mama

CLOSED. I passed by yesterday and the interior is all emptied out! WTF?! Life isn’t fair! What is this pain in my chest? Is this what it feels like to get dumped, or just from the dozens of kolaches I’d eaten from there every week stabbing me in the heart? I might have just been dumped for the first time in my life. Love sucks, because this is what it does to you. First Bayan Café, now this?! I can’t take this anymore. No, Kolache Mama– I’m breaking up with YOU! I hate you I hate you I hate you! GO TO HELL!
No. I love you. I miss you. Don’t…go…*sobs*

The morning after my mom arrived from Texas to visit me in New york she said, «Hey, lets get some kolaches for breakfast.» She was completely amazed that no such thing existed in New York – until now.
These soft, little buns classically stuffed with cocktail sausages, cheese, and jalapenos or filled with fruit are the one thing I truly miss from growing up in the Lone Star State. So I was really excited about getting my kolache fix without having to travel more than a thousand miles away.
I got the cherry and cream cheese. They also offer some unconventional fillings that just looked a little too «fusiony» for a Czech pastry. First off, these were a little larger than the kolaches back home, which means you either get a mouthful of bread or a mouthful of filling but never both. They are also a little harder than what I’m used to and missing the streusely topping they usually have. But in the end, I’ll take what I can get. I’d suggest every New Yorker come here just to try a kolache out. Bagels be damned, kolaches rule!

What the heck is Kolache? Oh, the logo looks cute and there’ s food, let me take a looksie. Best decision EVER! Czech/​Slovak for pastry with filling. My definition: YUM in a bun.

Found out about Kolache Mama when I got invited by a friend to go to the launch party for it in late September on top of The Roosevelt.
Got to taste quite a bit of the savory ones that night. Got to taste the Reuben. That seemed to be the most flavorful one of the night.
When I was back in NY for work in early November, noticed that the actual store opened up on the way to my office so I decided to venture in for breakfast. 2 for $ 5 was a pretty decent price. The kolaches are pretty filling for me. I got a blueberry and egg/​cheese one. I felt the bread was just average with the egg/​cheese kolache, but a good complement for the blueberry one.
I’d say it’s a pretty decent place for something super quick and something pretty cheap. Next time I am back in NY for work will need to try another sweet/​savory combo.

people would be attractive to this place if you visit the store or just click the website. i was attractive to it the first time i lay eyes on those breads and i was thinking something different in a city that has everything. the website layout colored is pink — just like the attractive ‘hello kitty’; the baked goods look delicious but be warned for the price of $ 3 or more, the bread is not uniquely delicious. it makes me mad to buy for something not totally fabulous after all. first, the bread was hard, not soft and fluffy. the taste is nothing to die for. the gels, toppings, sauce whatever you call them are — like those you can buy from dunkin donuts or asian bakery. i’m familiar with asian bakery so i think i know that KM is not all that. (also, italian pastries… see my next review). if you think this is the best you ever had, then, you are really have not have any of asian or italian pastries to compare with. go do yourself a ‘flavor’, explore more before you decide to be the fan you profess to be. wherever KM is originally from (europe emigrated to texas and now nyc) or call themselves in foreign word, they are not really impressive or fantastic. unless they lower the price of their products, they are not really worth the money when i can buy the bread similarly at any bakery shops. In conclusion, KM is lovely to look at at first, but that’s about it! au bon pain, any one?

This place with its Hello-​Kitty-​type logo has been taunting me and my under $ 2 morning breakfast routine — bagel w/​cc or a Danish from my coffee cart guy.
Today was the day my routine was broken.
The blueberry kolache immediately took over my will power. Suddenly, a celebration in and all around mouth. Blueberries were the hosts of that party and Rick James was the guest of honor, bitch.
Sweet & freshly baked, fluffy all around with some crispy flakes, it was the first time I had a kolache. What an amazing pastry invention that is!
Now take some blueberry jam and dump a crazy amount on top. At least 2 napkins and a probable trip to the dry cleaners-​worth. What a concoction! I don’t think I have ever raved about a breakfast pastry before.
I would have given it 5 stars but $ 3.26 after tax was a little steep for me.
Other than that, damn Mama! You got me twisted for your kolaches.

At 2 for $ 5, this is my go-​to lunch place when im feeling thrifty. My faves are the rueben, the texas dog, and twice baked potato. You’re basically taking familiar meals and placing them in delicious sweet bread that compliments the strong flavors. The bread reminds me of asian bakeries.
My only real qualm is that this place really needs to figure out how to heat their foods better. I feel like it ends up being ahit or miss. The last time i went for a twice baked potato, my cheese was cold and hard. Upsetting.

Sooooo the kolaches are here! Watch out waistline, this could seriously be dangerous. The bun alone is a deadly force to be reckoned with, slightly sweet and the perfect chewing texture. Next, the fillings, and there are plenty to choose from!
My recent favorites include the reuben (take amazing reuben, insert into kolache) and the baked potato (which is something along the lines of baked, stuffed, cheese covered, sour cream and chives and then kolache). At 2 for $ 5, you can go there RIGHT NOW and try them both! OK, maybe it’s a bit late now, I don’t know when you’re reading this, but you should probably go check it out.
Freebie note: they’ve been giving away a lot of samples outside around the store, mostly during the midtown lunch rush, if you’re lucky and time it right, you can score a free kolache!

You do have to heat them up when you get to the office OR you can ask them to do it for you in store. When I went, the guy offered to warm mine above what it was already stored at.
Warmed, the baked apple is as good as it gets for breakfast.
I did some research and stumbled on their YouTube video.

Dear Kolache Mama,
This could be the beginning of something very special. I have dreamed about kolache goodness in New York for so long now. Then one day I wandered through your door. Could it be true? Real kolaches in NYC?!
I started with the jalapeño, cheeese & sausage. This was a really a big mouthful of sausage. While some people might enjoy that, I was overwhelmed by meat and underwhelmed by the best part of kolaches: the crust. Please, oh please, make it more like the light & fluffy goodness I know and love from Texas!
In any case, I will be back for more!

What the heck is Kolache? Oh, the logo looks cute and there’ s food, let me take a looksie. Best decision EVER! Czech/​Slovak for pastry with filling. My definition: YUM in a bun.
I got the breakfast kolache with bacon, scrambled eggs and cheese. It was not hot, so I threw it in the microwave for a couple of seconds and brought it up to tummy satisfying temperatures. If you buy 2 it’s for $ 5 (reg $ 2.99). I should eat one because I need to watch my intake, but with a deal like that, who cares! I got the baked apple and it’s deliciously scrumptious.
The nice, friendly staff who opened the store at 6am recommended the peach amaretto eventhough she claimed that the apple is just as good.
I know I just got my breakfast from them, but I feel like going back for lunch now. Yikes.
A store to just order, grab and go. There’s no seating area. No problem. I’ll take my dozen to go next time for a price of $ 30. POW, WOW!

i am eating a breakfast kolache as i type this. it isn’t hot or especially flavorful — if it had been served on an airplane i would think, ‘wow, this is pretty good for airplane food’. i haven’t tried the other kolaches so maybe they are better. the coffee is good.

I can vouch for: bacon, egg and cheese, twice baked potato, combo nosh (hummus/​couscous), lemon curd and sweet cream cheese. Mmmm, cream cheese…

It was thrilling to have my first NYC kolache, as I have missed them since my move from TX. If you have not tried one, Kolache Mama is a great first! The folks are nice, and truly eager to please. The dough is delicious, and the fillings are tasty and innovative. I prefer more traditional kolaches (jalapeño and sausage, etc.), and these were delish! The sausage with the cheese filling was a wonderful complement to the bread. They are also a generous portion! At home, I usually eat two kolaches for breakfast, but here, I couldn’t even finish one! It’s definitely worth the price. For under $ 5, you can get a (huge!) kolache and a cup of coffee — what a great way to start the day.

I will be the first to admit that perhaps I am not the most qualified judge of kolaches. First of all, I’ve never had one before, and hadn’t heard of them before I caught wind of the Unilocal buzz for Kolache Mama. Secondly, when I stopped in this morning, they were giving out free breakfast, so I’ve been laughing giddily and singing my «free food» song ever since. You’ve been warned: I’m probably biased.
That being said, two kolaches and one can of pineapple juice later, I’ve got nothing but good things to say about Kolache Mama. Basically, Kolache Mama is like Dunkin Donuts, if Dunkin Donuts served only one plain bread-​like donut with a whole range of sweet and savory toppings. The menu is divided up into three sections: Meatie Mamas, Sweetie Mamas, and Veggie Mamas. Since for me breakfast is all about the meat and the sweet, (aka bacon and maple syrup), I skipped the veggie kolaches and sampled one kolache each from the first two categories. I found the basic kolache dough used in both my selections to be deliciously bready and slightly chewy. I ordered the Reuben and the Peach Amaretto, and it speaks to the versatility of the dough that it was such an equally perfect vessel for such dramatically different toppings. Though I have yet to explore the bulk of the menu, my first impression is that this is an extremely strong concept, flawlessly executed.
The Reuben was topped with a generous heap of corned beef, sauerkraut, and swiss cheese, a sprinkling of caraway seeds, and an underlying layer of Russian dressing. It was bursting with flavor, and the combination of ingredients, particularly the caraway seeds, seemed extremely thoughtful.
The Peach Amaretto may have used canned peaches, but when you’ve also got freaking amaretto and MARZIPAN, who cares? The kolache dough kept this treat from being unbearably sweet, despite a generous sugary crust. Also, did I mention the MARZIPAN??? (The menu calls it an almond paste, but I call ‘em like I taste ‘em.) I was so so delighted!
Both kolaches were fresh and looked beautiful. As for the service, everyone seemed happy and excited to be there, and they were not at all stingy with the free breakfast! What an unexpected treat! I will certainly be back!