Life Cafe

I like many others am sad to see this place go. I remember following my Dad who was wearing his iconic stetson hat eastward from Greenwich Village to what he called «a hippy restaurant». The East Village which was a bit forboding back in… gosh…1986? 1987? It truly was the only thing going on and we sat outside in th darkness the glimmer of a candle in one of those red candle holders at a one of the tables on 10 Street. I have no recollection now of what I ate though it was surely something vegetarian. It was the «exotic location» and the fact that my Dad even knew about this place that blew my mind. (This was a stretch for him) For those complaining about the service being too slow well, for us locals that was part of the appeal. A place to be slow in the busy bustle of Manhattan in a corner of the universe called the East Village. It was a hang out spot where you wouldn’t (in general) get rushed out. After doing a gig at The C-​Note (rip) for Howl! back in 2003 or 2004 this is where I went with the bevy to just eat, laugh, be cool with slow service.
I personally never had a bad meal though my choices consisted of Life Salad, Nachos, Veggie Burgers and the sweet potato fries. Memories of photographer Shell Sheddy having her tribute to CBGB’s closing there and how cool the Life Staff were both happy and proud to pay tribute to Hilly’s legacy. Jeannie Hopper munching down salad talking on the cell phone, various mini celebrations for more photo shows honoring the musicians that grew out of the hood or just that meeting with a girlfriend I hadn’t seen in way too long. David Life original founder with first wife departed to create JivaMukti Yoga School where there is another great café for all you veggies and vegans looking for clean tastly organic foods. Things pass away they pass away, they do. So many things gone like Brownies, The Fez, Time café, CBGB’s, Bouweurie Theatre (now Prada), El Bohio, Amato Opera, Coney Island High… seize the day, make good memories, love your life.

Sad this place closed. Went in the summer of 2009 (sorry for delayed review — starting on my 2012 resolution of giving back to Unilocal instead of just taking) and got the pre-​fix brunch. It included a cocktail and was only about $ 13 bucks so great deal and the food was OK. The best part was the scenery in the garden where we were sitting. Hope they open back up in time for the summer!

Closed? Are you effing kidding me!!!
True story time: Life Café was a staple in my life since… that shitty play Rent was advertised on poorly copied flyers they’d paste in the windows.
That’s right goddamn that play (I’m trying to figure out where I can find the page so I can review it, but do a search for «Rent» in NYC and you can only imagine). I blame Rent for making Life go from a pretty cool spot to stave off a hangover on a late Sunday afternoon at brunch (god, the service was always shitty, wasn’t it?) into a place for glossy locked and bright eyed young ‘uns to experience the so-​called and long lost bohemian NYC lifestyle. Newsflash: it was gone long before Rent hit the stage in the mid 90s. Hell, it was barely still around in 91 when that play takes place. (Did I mention how much I HATE THAT PLAY!!!) I recall the «Rentheads”-dear god– would sit with unbridled excitement at an adjacent table while there I was under the haze of a lousy bloody mary and bitter coffee, waiting an hour for my food to finally arrive. Don’t even get me started on the tofu stir fry. But at least they had vegan stuff when there wasn’t much around.
Life Café *was* an institution. The service sucked back in the day but then they tried to make it better once it became a tour bus stop. The food pretty much was edible or it sucked. There were decent specials and then the prices became ridiculous, can’t blame ‘em, but I still kept going right up until I moved out of NY 2 years ago.
Here’s to the memories.
God, I’m old.

Why is it that we never appreciate something until it’s too late?
Life is a funny thing. I actually went here last year when I was visiting New York. Yes I went for Rent, I’ll admit to be a Renthead. I wanted to see the restaurant that had become so infamous. I wanted to go in and check out the vibe the café had. So I stopped by on a quiet afternoon.
First I really like the décor, and I loved the painted on Life magazine covers on the front of the bar. I loved the Rent section (obviously) but I didn’t sit there. I felt silly for taking pictures, but I’m sure the staff have gotten used to that. My server was friendly, and the food was fine (I got the eggplant parm). Overall the vibe I got here was good, friendly, relaxed.
I took a couple postcards that they had in the washroom — one for me and one for my friend who is also a Renthead. I know they have another location, but I hope they are able to reopen the East Village location, so other people/​Rentheads can experience the original Life Café.

I’m sad to hear Life is closed, but not really surprised. A recent Villager article–
–they say it’s temporarily closed; we’ll see. The scaffolding has been over the space for over a year now, and reportedly really hurt business. The place next door, Ninth Street Espresso, is probably doing better because people almost always need a place to park their dogs when they run in for their caffeine fix, and the scaffolding gives them an extra place to tie them.
I hadn’t gone here for a few years because truthfully there wasn’t much for a vegan to eat. Typically the menu would feature a lot of meat and cheese and have a token vegan dish in case someone vegan was dining with friends – although, fortunately there was the famous vegetarian chili. Naturally you can always get pasta or a salad, and, I hope, work with the kitchen on veganizing an existing menu item. For breakfast you could get a tofu scramble, but it was much more expensive than the eggs-​and-​toast breakfast special. (And «a glass of orange juice the size of your pinkie” – no, that was from a Frank Zappa song.)
I hadn’t eaten here in a long time, but I’ve been a two-​blocks-​away neighbor for about 20 years and this was a pretty iconic place. Not only were scenes from the much-​hyped RENT filmed here, but the place was founded by real junkies from the hood, man! How romantic! I did always like the découpaged LIFE magazine covers decorating the place and was glad they never really renovated. And Life did receive a Proclamation from the city a few years ago.
Actually, I knew Life had its financial ups and downs for a long time; Kevin from the now-​defunct Superior Copy would tell me that Life’s business had fallen off, and thus their orders had fallen off – and this was in the 90s. I’d like to see them reopen, and if they do, I’ll certainly go there. Promise.
[ETA: I met the owner outside the other day while I was waiting for the 10^th street bus; they definitely were forced to close by their sh*tty landlord – DSA Realty – because of his neglect, a lintel fell off the window of the building next door and a «Police Line – Do Not Cross» tape was drawn around it while a construction crew removed the debris. Life straddles two buildings and so has two landlords, who hate each other; the buildings suffer for it.]

«What brings the mogul in his own mind to the Life Café?» — Tom Collins from «RENT»
“Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets
In midnights, in cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife
In five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, a year in the life?“
RENT — «Seasons Of Love»
RENT was used and referenced in this café for selected scenes of the musical and movie. Jonathan Larson the creator of «RENT» whose photo and bio are displayed along with the cast listed register books, among other movie and Broadway musical memorabilia.
Following Sunday morning’s service where myself and two women who of good faith with an amazing aurora, gathered for brunch. With great disappoint, I never saw the musical or movie and sadly is no longer running on Broadway. The food was good albeit my classic burger was messy but filling to hold substance. Service is attentive and efficient. Price is reasonable to segue the struggling young adult scenery with the overall movie/​broadway plot which greatly accommodate patrons in today’s ailing economy. Life Café perfectly suit the vibe of East Village, Alphabet City.
Learn from yesterday
Live for today
Hope for tomorrow
Be the change
Enjoy life!

One of the worst brunch experiences I’ve had recently. Or possibly ever…
The vegan scramble I got was a tiny portion of maybe 4 chunks of tofu, and some chopped green bell peppers, spinach and tomatoes. The hash browns I got on the side were very mushy and limp, without any crunchy edges that’s almost necessary to make hash browns taste good. The food was edible, but definitely not unlike what you can find at any typical diner. The bf’s steak, eggs and grits with gravy were just average at best. The grits was strangely gummy and pasty, reminiscent of Elmer’s glue. Not that I’d know what Elmer’s glue tastes like…
The restaurant was also extremely out of shape and old. There were cracks on the ceiling, flies were circling the dining room and the restroom was absolutely disgusting. The only redeeming part about the meal was that the waitress was nice, even though service was slow.
Damn, I just wish we weren’t so hungry that we actually settled for this place blindly.

outdoor seating and a garden space.
amazing brunch!
Choc chip pancakes are tasty.
good people watching.
always a crowd.

Big fat meh! The bloody mary was gross. It came in layers, and when I hit the pure vodka layer, I nearly puked. It was basil-​infused vodka. God, what were they thinking?
I ordered huevos rancheros, and got a greasy plate of goop that will haunt me for days.

I seriously fell in love with this place.
Maybe its the magical combination of cozy spring weather, sunshine, soft wind, an awesome camera, and the company of an even more awesome friend — but Sunday morning brunch was one of the best experiences I had since coming to NYC.
After an adventure in Stuy-​town (we almost got stuck in a swamp! more on that later), my friend Travis and I strolled around the East Village looking for a café with outdoor seating so we can bask in the sunlight.
This little place on the corner of 10^th and B was pretty busy, which usually means the food is very good, so we went and seated ourselves.
The cute waitress with tattoos and bracelets brought over the brunch menus. For $ 15 dollars, you can get a big-​portioned meal with your choice of a mimosa, bloody Mary, Screwdriver, PLUS coffee or tea. I ordered the Huevos Merida which had guac and toast while Travis ordered the Huevos Rancheros.
The food was delicious and the drinks were refreshing. The waitress was super attentive without being overbearing. She brought us hot sauce when we needed it without us even having to ask.
Across the street is a playground/​park so you can observe the athletic villagers while you gorge yourself on cheesy-​carby concoctions.
Did I mention you get complimentary cornbread? Pure awesomeness.

I had a first date over brunch here last weekend. The date gets at least 4 stars, but that didn’t have a whole lot to do with the Life Café. The food was pretty good, the atmosphere was nice and chill and the service was very satisfactory. But $ 14.95 for 3 pancakes with berries and 2 cups of coffee? It seemed high. Maybe it’s because the food is all fresh & organic and whatnot. Maybe it’s because they think, «You’re in the home of La Vie Boheme and you’ll pay whatever the hell we want you to pay.» Maybe it would’ve been less noticeable if I’d thrown back a few mimosas.
Like I said, everything was fine and I left full and happy. I just feel like I could have gotten the same brunch elsewhere for less money (and without a cab ride across town from my place in the West Village).
Also, I know they technically have outdoor seating, but when I went, there was scaffolding on the building, dousing the outdoor area into chilly shade. It’s a pity, because it was a gorgeous day.

The foods okay and the prices are what you would expect for the East Village. Some dishes are better then others, def look at other customers plates to figure out what you want. The french toast looks boss, but the other breakfast and mexican themed food I’ve had there was pretty boring. Service is subpar and the place gets a little loud when full.
I do not give a shit that some dude wrote «Rent» here. NYC is like four hundred years old, there’s plenty of meaningful history elsewhere.
This joint is just a generic restaurant with a bar.

One of my closest friends will kill me when she sees this review of Life Café. I’m sorry, Katie.
I’ve dined here on several occasions the service always being spotty, down right terrible or mildly decent.
If you have a Rent-​head friend who insists on dining here, here’s what to order:
–Avocado, tomato and brie (ask to swap the Swiss) on whole grain. Plain fries. The sweet potato are funkified.
–French toast and bananas (it’s better than getting 4 and 40 out of your hedge fund manager, truuuuust me)
Don’t order:
–Huevos Rancheros. I hear that is devastating news since it’s mentioned in a Rent song. Sorry, dude. Gave me wicked heartburn.
–Cobb Salad. They definitely do not wash their greens, naw mean?
–Bloody Mary. This was like slurping on hot sauce. No bueno.

I’ve been here many times. Every time is better than the last. I have yet to experience anything less than perfect there. The service is quick, the meat is always cooked the way I ask it to be, and the portions are larger than Life (pun intended).
Every other Wednesday, they have live comedy (awesome), and if you’re around for happy hour during the week, you get a free cocktail with dinner. I can’t complain. The sweet potato fries are delicious, the outdoor garden area is romantic, and the grilled swiss avocado tomato sandwich on 8-​grain toast is my favorite.
There’s a cozy vibe inside that makes me all warm and fuzzy. La Vie Boheme.

Not the worst Brunch experience I’ve ever had but this New York City, brunch has got to be the most readily available meal around that there’s no need to eat somewhere even near sub-​par.
I got Eggs Benedict which were really simple and lackluster. They looked like I had made them in my own kitchen. The potato side looked/​tasted like it came off the truck and was just heated up. Is this is a restaurant or should I just go back there and cook things myself? It was like the place didn’t even care too that everything looked schluby on the plate.
There’s a distinction between making something cute, homey and quaint and being dated, blasé and disinterested. And it’s not even a fine distinction.
The place wasn’t cheap, more on the 13 – 18 dollars range and the waitress was telling me about «hot skater boys» out of nowhere. I realize we’re right by the infamous Tompkins Park but (Sigh) when did being cool become infused with random and grungy. But I guess that’s a lesson for another day… today’s lesson avoid Life Café go to Ave A. eat at Yuca Bar.

To be honest, this brunch experience started way low and ended very high.
I had a reservation for noon for 8 people, and we were asked if we were interested in sitting in the garden. Not knowing any better, and assuming we would be sit sooner if we said yes, we said «yes.» But, wow, was it a bad idea — at least initially. The garden was enclosed but had cracks in the casing. Plus, the heat lamps had just turned on. So, most of us kept our coats on the whole time. (To be honest, I’d say only by the time we had eaten did I feel warm enough to take off my coat — which I didn’t do.)
Our waiter — not going to lie — was so chilled out that some of us thought he was stoned…
However, we had great service — after we waited about 10 minutes — and the brunch menu is to die for. The food was great — definitely some of the best potatoes I’ve had in the city — and they did not skimp on the alcoholic brunch drinks.
I would definitely return!

This review is based on over 14 years of going to Life, mostly for happy hours and late dinners. Life Café, even with its Rent-​connections, is a genuine neighborhood bar restaurant with plenty of locals coming in and out at all hours. The best thing about life if that you will never feel rushed or feel any pressure to order too much. Not only are the servers and bartenders friendly, the overall atmosphere is hip, laid back East Village. During summers, things get better with their plentiful outdoor seating. I almost forgot to mention that the music is never too loud and you can sit here for hours carrying on a good conversation.
As for the food, there is nothing extraordinary, but I tend to enjoy the sweet potato fries and bread pudding. Everything on the menu is good and passable and very reasonably priced. My decision to give it 4 stars is as much for the atmosphere as it is for its food! I guess I’m a Lifer!

I have been wanting to try Life for a looooooooooong time, especially since I’m one of your hardcore Rent-​heads. (I saw the show 5 times on Broadway before the farewell and I met Anthony Rapp at an invitation-​only screening of the movie before it hit theaters.) So back to the restaurant…
The service was great, everyone had a smile and a wonderful sense of humor. The food was perfect. Will definitely come back soon for another meal. Rent + good food + friendly service = the good Life.

One word extra-​life-​size-​vegan-​nachos… ok maybe that’s more than one word. THey’re delicious. Also they have really tasty hot apple cider in the winder time.
In the summer I recommend the margaritas. Also there’s the sidewalk seating, although the walk by traffic isn’t quite as exciting as Ave A or Ave C, but fun anyway!

I walked into Life Café without first consulting Unilocal.I know, I know, but we were hungry and the place looked pretty busy. We had apparently caught the Saturday brunch crowd.
The venue was pretty cute, open with something of a hip happening vibe. Our waitress was friendly and quick quick quick. No complaints about service.
We took a look at the menu and were pleased at the pricing. Brunch items came with your choice of alcoholic brunch drink and coffee/​tea/​soda, all for $ 13.95. Considering that my last New York brunch at Pastis required that much dough for one single (delicious) bloody Mary, I found myself ogling this deal. So far, so good.
Unfortunately, the drinks were gross. My bloody Mary was vodka flavored with tomato and fast-​melting ice, and my roommate’s mimosa followed a similar formula. Worse, my soda arrived in a glass that had not been properly cleaned. I’m not particularly fastidious about that kind of thing, and I drank it out of laziness, but there was a strange something or other on the inside of the cup that we never really identified. I hope my body is not hosting a foreign life form as I write this review.
For our meals, we split a vegan scrambled and a power breakfast. The scramble came with miso-​marinated tofu, veggies, mushrooms, brown rice, and toast, with some sort of hummus-​like sauce on the side. The power breakfast consisted of yogurt with honey, fruit, and homemade granola. The food came out suspiciously fast. In my experience, when your order appears in front of you with Harry Potter speed, what shows up is never that appetizing. Life Café did not provide the exception. The power breakfast was pretty good, with nice chewy granola, but I think it would take a great failure of a restaurant to screw up a parfait. The vegan scrambled was close to terrible. For all its components it was bland and lacking in texture. I had no desire to eat any more after the first bite, and though I persevered in case it improved, we came nowhere close to finishing that plate.
I do wonder if we just ordered the wrong item, but with all the other options in New York, I doubt I will ever find out — just as I will never find out what vile substance I ingested from that dirty glass.