Maiden Heaven

This place is okay. I’m not in love with it or anything. I’ve come here a few times when I didn’t have time for breakfast at home. A lot of anal people come in and they make waiting for breakfast a pain in the @$$. The staff is efficient and they move as a unit, which is great for me because I need to get to work after all that waiting! A huge plus about these guys is that they have everything from a large variety of beverages, a salad bar/​hot bar, chips and little snacks for all your stomach’s needs. They do have a small bar stool set up by their windows for people who do want to eat there, but mostly people don’t, they have somewhere to be.

I normally have a breakfast sandwich from there. They are pretty fast with deliveries, but the phone service is pretty bad. I understand some people are not morning people or may dislike the job, if that is so my thought is always either quit or find another position but don’t take it out on me!

Bleh. I had a bacon egg and cheese on an English muffin and it made my stomach hurt. They also over charged me for it. The special said $ 1.99, but she charged me $ 2.15 plus tax. Initially, she charged me $ 3.15 for the sandwich until I mentioned the special. I didn’t say anything the second time because I was in a rush for work and I didn’t want to deal with it anymore.

Quick and easy. Food was nothing special. Ordered a panini and smoothie-​they just heat the sandwich on a press. That smoothie was really good though-​drank it all before I even got back to work-​so thirst quenching when it’s about 90 degrees outside.

Great sandwiches and salads at a great price, what’s not to like? They also have a salad and meat buffet which is pretty good relative to other buffets.

This place was great for lunch but has been closed since last year.

I go here about two days out of the work week for lunch. They have to be one of the best deli’s I have ever been to. Be sure to try one of their specials they have taped up, you won’t regret it. I find myself craving this place. If you live or work in the area this place is a must eat! Unfortunately, by the time I get out of work they are always closed. I’m not so sure of their business hours.
On days when I need a lunch time nap I buy something off their buffet and head downstairs to get some quality Z’s at one of the tables in the back. It’s very quiet and has low lighting.

A deli that lies in Maiden Lane where in the passage of my travels, lunch bestowed upon me.
As I was paying for my food I surveyed the premises for seating which were only three stools against the window, and one worker was sitting on the dirty grim floor of the kitchen in total exhaustion or anguish. Can that be discreetly done in private? My small lunch of asparagus and peppers with onions totaled $ 3.95, sadly without the immediate enjoyment, ergo I opt to trek the long haul one hour train ride home.

My family and I were stomping around the city, arguing about where to have lunch. We were tired, crabby, and HUNGRY. Finally, I took the lead. Not even reading the sign, I stopped caring and just walked into the next sandwich shop I could find – this café was it!
One look at the menu and I was in love. :) Wraps, sandwiches, pitas, paninis, salads – you name it! They even have breakfast items. The vegetarian options are also fantastic. I was extremely pleased with my vegetarian wrap (which I was able to order on a whole wheat wrap – score!); it contained avocado, sprouts, AND hummus (among other things), which are three of my favorite ingredients!
Like most NYC eateries, the main level is very cramped, but there is quiet and comfortable seating available in the basement, and it’s much less hot and hectic down there!

I take my dog to doggie daycare next door so I stop in three days a week. They have THE BEST buffet I’ve seen in Manhattan. Vegetables, fruits, salads, chinese entrees, side dishes — everything is beautifully prepared and super fresh. They also have a very nice salad station where you can choose your own toppings and they make all kinds of sandwichs and have a great selection of sodas and snacks (chip, nuts etc.). Also very clean and a courteous staff. I HIGHLY recommend this place!

If you are in a hurry and in a budget, this place is hard to beat. I usually come here several times a week and I am impressed by the freshness of the salads and sandwiches as well as the care some of the guys behind the counter put into making the sandwiches. Good food, decent prices for lunch — a win in my book!
For my complete review of Maiden Heaven, please read my food blog at:

I have bagel mornings when all I want is a toasted whole wheat bagel with a bit of cream cheese and this is where I go for just that. Quick and cheap at $ 1.75, I am out the door to start another glorious day at work.
Come lunch time and I’m always wondering what I should eat. By default, I end up eating a turkey sandwich 80% of the time and by default, I always go to Maiden Heaven and request honey turkey on whole wheat bread with herb mayo, lettuce, tomato and avocado. I used to go to Café Tomato, but after having food poisoning one time (no bueno), I stopped going. So I’m glad that I found Maiden Heaven because it’s closer to work too. Plus, I usually pay around $ 7 for a refreshing sandwich and by FiDi standards, that’s pretty darn good. Me likes this place!
P. S. Maiden Heaven has a «B» rating but I checked the NYC restaurant health inspection website and less than 13 violations were posted, which really should then bump them up to an «A». Just saying.

I eat lunch here regularly from the hot food buffet. The food quality is way better than average. Everything looks and tastes fresh and the options are more imaginative and varied than typically found in delis of this kind. Standouts include the mushrooms in oyster sauce (sometimes served with chicken), pasta in garlic sauce, chicken w/​broccoli and grilled asparagus. The options rotate daily, which ups the variety quotient but can be challenging when you know what you like and have to time your visits accordingly.
The only negatives would be that the seating in the front is nice, but limited. The basement seating looks and feels like basement seating. Also, they don’t replenish the hot buffet dishes so once its gone, you’re out of luck.
Overall I highly recommend this place for lunch, specifically the hot buffet.

probably one of the most solid places for breakfast or lunch in the financial area. friendly service. anything you want, prepared exactly how you want it, whether it be a custom tossed salad, or gourmet sandwich. spacious hot and cold salad bars if you like to pick and choose from prepared foods. pre-​made wraps, paninis… alot to choose from. (they gotta work on their burger) … reasonably priced considering the quality and freshness of ingredients.

Beware… their sandwiches come in at just under 7 dollars and if you hand them your credit card, they will just add on whatever the difference is to make the $ 7 minimum credit card charge. Multiply this by 500 people served over the course of two weeks, and that’s an extra $ 1,200 they are making illegally per year.
L&T are extra as well. Wouldn’t suggest this place. I would rather go to the Subway next door for honest service.

I must have an egg, ham, and cheese on a toasted bagel from this place every morning or my entire day is shot. The head chef on the line knew what I tended to order within a couple days of frequenting the place, such that all I have to do is stumble inside, shamble up the counter, and do something that resembles a nod when he asks if I want «the usual».
I haven’t been there for anything other than breakfast, but the buffet is frequently tempting: Fresh fruits, cottage cheese, the usual healthy morning-​time fare.
Cheap. Good. Sustenance.

There are two kinds of delis in the city (what
calls Generic Midtown Delis). There are those that are generic (salad bar, udon, sandwiches, tubs o’ soup, etc.) and those that are generic but at least make some effort to differentiate themselves. Downtown that could mean a Korean food station, or «special» sandwiches. Maiden Heaven is the latter kind.
Let me start by saying that I don’t have lunch here as often as I should; it’s convenient on my walk to work, but like half a block too far for my lunch expeditions. Being fat and lazy (or efficient, read that how you want) I’m not walking the extra half block. Anyway, in the morning they have a couple of interesting and delicious, if not remotely healthy, egg-​sandwich concoctions. Sure you can shout «bacon-​egg-​and-​cheese!» at the grill guy, but try things like «Angie’s Breakfast» wrap with eggs, chipotle mayo and peppers, or the Mexican breakfast burrito with potatoes inside. There’s another one whose name escapes me but it has avocado… yeah not what you’d normally think of for eggs but it does work. Also, great coffee and cheese Danish. Yes, I’m fat, get over it.
For lunch they make a mean pastrami sandwich. No magic ingredients here, it’s just good. The sandwich specials have names (I’m a sucker for named sandwiches — it shows the deli guy put some level of effort into creating a menu) like «Mexican Milanese» (Chicken, lettuce, tomato, melted mozz, avocado, Bermuda onion, chipotle sauce) and «The Lawyers Hero» (basically a turkey BLT on a hero, but «bread can be negotiated»). I can vouch for those two, but everything looks good, and these sandwiches take turns on a whiteboard as daily specials (I think you get a soda with them when they’re on special).
Only word of warning: the paninis look good, and probably are, but they’re pre-​made, and I see them there in the morning… so I don’t know how fresh those are.

Looking for a versatile lunch? This is where you’ll find it. Maiden Heaven is a fresh, tasty collection of different kinds of foods. And everyday is a different treat. It’s one of those places where there is a buffet style serving area, and you just choose and scoop into your plastic container. 6.99 a pound. A little pricey, but more affordable than more places. And the food. Is. Good. Try the avocado salad. And don’t hesitate with the meat. It’s cooked very well. They also have jam packed sushi from time to time. So go crazy, like a kid in a candy store. But be careful, it adds up!