Little Collins

I dropped in for a snack and picked up a few things:
Coffee — I’ve had a few flat whites and mochas from Starbucks, but they don’t even come close to the coffee at Little Collins.
The Convict — Toast with vegemite. What in the world is vegemite? All I know is that it’s dark brown and tastes like butter. At least it does at Little Collins.
The Smash — Avocado overload with a kick. I can see why people rave about it, but it’s not my cup of tea.
The Big Dill — I’m in love with this breakfast sandwich. The dill, mascarpone, and chives spread really brings the flavors together.
The Sweet Uncle Fred — Sadly, they were out of their signature banana bread by my 3PM snack run, but I shall try again another day.
When I walked up to the cashier, I first asked for a Flat White and paused to take another look at the menu. He asked if that was all, and then I asked for the Mocha. And then the Convict. And then the Smash. And then the Big Dill. And then the Sweet Uncle Fred. Totally worth every penny.

I’ve been wanting to try this place since it’s just around the corner from where I work. I notice that it’s always packed here if you walk by late mornings til afternoon.
Today I stopped by around 7:45am and there were couple of people already there. The baristas/​workers are super friendly and nice. I got my usual Americano (no milk/​cream or sugar) and the raspberry and ricotta muffin to tag along with it. The muffin was still warm and it was delicious!!! So moist, fluffy and not overly sweet. The Americano, although the size of the cup was small, was on point as well! It was smooth without any bitterness or after taste.
The place is tight so if you’re wanting to sit down, go early or go knowing you may have to wait for a seat to open.
I highly recommend fellow coffee lovers to stop by here. I’ll definitely be coming back to try their breakfast and lunch menu as well!

Some of the best avocado toast in NYC. A generous portion for the cost, you leave feeling like you actually ate breakfast. A really good breakfast or lunch spot in the area!

What a lovely lunch spot. I love the short ribs sandwich and the flat white coffee really spot on.

The sheer fact that I continue to pay $ 4 for a flat white that lasts me five sips on almost a daily basis is evidence enough that they make really good freakin’ coffee and espresso drinks.
Thank god they have stamp cards.

(to the tune of «Heads Will Roll» by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
God, I like bread.
Gluten til I’m dead.
Spreads on toast.
Spreads on toast.
Spreads on toast,
beyond the door.
Sipping on some pressed teas
Aussie vibes on everything
The coffee’s flat white.
Feels like home.
Dripping with some fresh honey
Dishes got mouths watering
Vegemite completes the mood
Feels like home.
(My tum cries out
Get in my mouth
My tum cries out
Get in my mouth
My tum cries out,
OH NO!)^2
God, I like bread.
Gluten til I’m dead.
Spreads on toast.
Spreads on toast.
Spreads on toast,
beyond the door.
Ok, could only take that so far without getting into specifics. But this Midtown gem is the ideal spot for a quick breakfast date or a luxurious morning on your own with a personal pot of tea. For a few moments, my hunger was sated by the delicious Australian accents of a handful of the employees, but the grumbling soon overpowered the g’days. We went for savory and sweet, nabbing an avocado/​feta smash and a toasted banana bread with whipped ricotta. This combination just knocked it out of the park. The bits of banana bread that really crisped up were my absolute favorite, and the liberal coating of pepitas and crushed reds added layers to the avocado mash.
For about $ 20, we each got a dish and a hot beverage, service with a smile, and ear candy to boot. Would revisit in a heartbeat.
Warning: the lines can pile up close to opening-​of-​offices, so leave yourself some time or take a midday break.

I am a huge fan of this place!
This place is really small yet really popular– it serves great foods and gets crowded really easily!
I came to this place for a Sunday Brunch, and the moment my friends and I walked in, the restaurant was packed with people. The staff told us that the seatings are first-​come first-​served based. We waited for a couple minutes, and luckily we were able to sit right infront of the window.
We ordered smash (a avocado toast), big deal (which was a salmon sandwich) and a sweet uncle fred. Eating the smash was like eating a piece of joy. I loved it. I became so obsessed with the smash that I started to follow its recipe and make my own avocado toast even at home! Other two dishes were fabulous as well.
All the staffs were very energetic, polite, and even professional.
Foods are great, staffs are great: little collins is great.

This is a tiny place but quite cute. The food was delicious! The seating is very limited but it’s possible to find small high tables for 2 people along the wall. Overall it’s more of a takeout place. Brunch was very good but menu is limited!
1. Cappuccino and coffee: Very good. It’s pricy but nothing out of the ordinary for this area.
2. Corn fritters: Delicious. Sweet corn pancakes basically with a load of avocado and tomatoes on top. A must get.
3. Bacon ragu: poached eggs with a nice bacon concoction over it. There is a side of toast with mushrooms on top. Also very good.
4. Almond croissant: pretty light but well made.

This place is amazing! Perfect cute little spot with the most friendly staff! Delicious breakfast options, or lunch. They had a menu for both. I got breakfast, the Big Dill sandwich was absolutely Amazing. It was on a yummy multigrain bread, with smoked salmon, dill cream cheese, and scrambled egg with more dill mixed in. It was so delicious, the dill was strong and perfectly blended in the cream cheese & egg.
I also had a flat white, which was strong, creamy on top, and beautiful presentation. The flavor of the coffee itself was amazing.
Highly recommended! It’s small and seating is tight, but everyone must love it cause the place was packed! Yum yum yum

Best coffee in UES/​Midtown area!
I order my daily drip with soy milk from here, and occasionally some brunch to go (huge fan of the avocado smash with an egg on top, as well as the coconut PB&J). The vibe is always chill and friendly, but can get super busy as it has been gaining popularity.
Tip — they don’t take credit for transactions under $ 5

This place is so small and so popular! I came here with my boyfriend for a quick brunch on Saturday. It was so packed we couldn’t even find anywhere to sit. We ended up eating standing by the coffee counter. The food was so delicious that it didn’t even matter that we were standing. He got the smash which is bread with avocado on top and pine nuts and other ingredients. I got the avocado Benedict which is exactly as it sounds with salmon on the side. Can’t rave about these enough!

Little Collins cares about your coffee. They even take the time to make latte art when it’s busy.
Got a flat white with soy and a pick me up for breakfast. The latte was great and the bread on the sandwich was perfect.
Even on a Saturday morning this place was getting busy. Luckily we beat the rush that was rolling in at 8:30.
There are 2 – 3 seats around the bar, 2 that face the window, and a couple high tables for two. This place doesn’t seat a lot of people and when I came for lunch before it gets really crowded. But people here are usually conscious and will leave when they’re done.

Little Collins is few blocks away from my office, so I went there for lunch last week and ordered Avocado toast and flat white. Neither one was special. Very mediocre I would say.
They had an awesome special though that day, the kale and carrot salad with buckwheat. Looked fresh and delicious. Wish I tried that instead of my dry, tasteless Avo toast.
The staff is nice and friendly.
Next time I am going to have Uncle Sam sweet bread and hope I will like it.

The best avocado on toast I’ve eaten. I’ve become so obsessed that I stole their receipe and do my own every morning.
The banana bread with ricotta and fruits is also to die for. And the coffee is really good.
This place is really really small (10 seats) but it’s really worth waiting. The perfect start of day before visiting New York.
Great service.

After taking a sip of some less than desirable coffee nearby, I just had to throw it out and find myself a better cup of joe. Little Collins has always been on my list of cafes to visit and I was only a few blocks away. I was a little intimidated by the crowd around 2:30PM. Lots of people coming in to grab a quick lunch and some afternoon pick me up coffee. I put in my order for a soy latte and the smash and managed to snatch a seat. Thank goodness most people ordered to go!
Coffee was superb. I also sat right across from the baristas and watched them do their magic. The avocado toast was delicious and fairly priced at $ 6.50 (considering most places charge ~$ 10 and can charge an extra couple dollars for a sprinkle of feta) I love the avo and feta mash, not to mention the generous portion piled on the toast. The heat from the chili flakes is just right and the pepitas give a nice crunch.
The experience would be more enjoyable if the café was less crowded. Even though I had a seat, there was the constant rush of people coming in and out, and people waiting for their orders. I’ll definitely try to come back during other hours.
The staff is also super friendly and helpful. It’s nice to get good service even when the café is crowded and piled with orders.

One of my favorite coffee spots in the city! I like the vibes and simplicity of the place. The baristas talk to you like you’re old friends and really go above and beyond to make you feel welcome. Also, the smell of coffee is pure heaven!
The only downside is that there are not many tables — Their tables are also small and only seat around 2 – 3 people max. I went there with a group of 4 on a weekend afternoon and after waiting for quite a while, we decided to split up because it was crowded and it didn’t look like we were gonna get to sit together anytime soon.
Keep in mind that they close very early for a weekend (4pm). My group stayed there till they closed (we were the last ones there) and the baristas actually offered their remaining pastries for us to take home! They gave us a choice of what to take and encouraged us to take more so that we could save some for breakfast the next day. It was a really pleasant surprise and a great end to an amazing experience!

Stopped into Little Collins after my morning run, and despite feeling rather sick and cold I still had a wonderful experience at this hip café. I arrived at the store around 7:55 and there were already people loitering around outside for it to open. When the lights finally turned on and the door unlocked we all rushed inside and by the time it was 8:10 every seat in the rather small establishment had been taken.
I had initially wanted to come to Little Collins for the avocado smash toast, but that morning I was in more of a sweet mood than a savory mood, so I wound up ordering a flat white with two sugars and the Sweet Uncle Fred. I was seated right near the espresso machines so I was able to watch them make my order as well as get a pretty clear view into the kitchen. After a relatively short wait I had both my coffee and my toast.
The flat white was perfect. Not only visually, but it had been made brilliantly as well. Smooth and creamy with the perfect froth. It even came with a cute little complimentary biscotti. While it wasn’t the best biscotti ever, it was free, so that made it taste delicious. As for the Sweet Uncle Fred, it was pretty much perfect aside from the fact that the banana bread had been toasted so far it was a bit burnt. But other than that, wonderful. Fresh fruits and the perfect amount of honey, plus, a whopping portion of ricotta cheese. Wonderful.
My only issues with Little Collins would be the burning of my bread and the fact that the baristas were a bit rude. Also, very limited seating and no wifi. I would definitely come back again though, maybe for one of their savory options.

Stopped by Little Collins for a midday snackie & this place was jumpin’! And for good reason!
Not a lot of room to sit but there is quick turnover so if you’re looking for a small table or counter space, so refreshments can be enjoyed on site, it shouldn’t take too long
Iced lattes, Smash Toast & Sweet Uncle Fred were our choices for this visit & the whole experience cold’t have been better
Staff super nice & laid back. Coffees were refreshing & not a hint of bitterness & this was with no sugar added — props for your cold brew!
Smash Toast was the Mr’s surprise hit — he took pics, he wrote down the recipe, he made notes & immediately duplicated it when we got home… the feta, avocado & chili, all mixed w/​the pumpkin seeds perfectly on the dense, multigrain bread… delightful!
The Sweet Uncle Fred was a genius combination — toasted banana bread w/​ricotta & strawberries & drizzled in delish honey… yum!
Can’t say which was better as they were so different & good — but I can say we’d get the exact same things at our next visit & you’d better believe there *will* be a next time & a next & a next…

I remain firm in my belief that an avocado toast is the original basic Instagram dish (its star power has waned slightly since the coming of the Fuku fried chicken sandwich and the Voodoo bacon doughnut), and have, until now, refused to shell out $ 8 for something I could just as easily make home. Step 1: toast a piece of bread. Step 2: beat an avocado to a sad pulp. Step 3: fry an over easy egg. Step 4: bask in adulthood which, thus far, has consisted of many cereal dinners.
But Little Collins makes a mean avocado toast. It’s got chili flakes, pepitas, and feta. I topped mine with an egg, and made myself savor that beauty for a good 20 minutes. I even went ahead and ordered a cold brew (even though I’d rather drink just about anything else than coffee).
To score one of the coveted 10 seats in the house, you’ve got to lurk and hover and not go during weekend brunch times. People were generally pretty good about leaving as soon as they were finished, though there were three girls who alternated between gabbing about their Saturday plans and staring at their phones, long after they had drank their coffees and cleaned their plates. The service is nice enough to not ask you to leave, but for the sake of other customers who want to eat in, please be considerate.
NEXT TIME: sweet uncle fred, big dill sandwich, PB&J with coconut flakes, flat white.

Unbelievably crowded. Hardly any table or seating space. Food was really good!!!
We tried The Sweet Uncle Fred and The Smash. One sweet and one savoury was the perfect way to start the day.
If only this place were a bit bigger, you would definitely enjoy your meal more.
Pro tip: Get an egg on that avo smash (runny yolk of course) and you will be happy you did.

Fantastic place. Great coffee. Excellent breakfast and brunch. Really worth it. Small place so come soon.