Royale Cafe and Pastry

It’s impossible to ignore it as you pass by — the hot pink-​ness of Royale just shouts out at you to enter. As you enter, you realize how tiny and cute the place is. tiny meaning there’s almost no seating, and cute referring to their selection of miniature baked goods/​sandwiches/​snacks, all of which made me want to reach my hand over to pet them, but unfortunately not to eat them. i imagined that their tiny storefront must imply a huge back kitchen with toasty ovens and buttery pastries overflowing with juices from fresh berries.
«are there more being baked in the back?»
«uh, we don’t bake here. these all come from some bakery in Red Hook.»
some bakery?! how can a bakery not only make its own baked goods, but care so little where its products came from? crushed!
Royale, you’re a hot-​pink mess.

So we are walking down 6^th Ave and we see a sign that says COOKIES! Who could resist? After a disappointing experience at another local bakery, we ventured in and ordered some.
The «Garbage» cookie was actually the furthest thing from garbage that we purchased. It was pretty good. The Oreo cookie sandwich, however, was gross. I only took another bite because I was buzzed and trying to convince myself that I didn’t waste my money AGAIN today. But, alas, the second bite still tasted like shit.
The oatmeal bar was not that good either. Best part was the jam in the middle, but the oatmeal part was far from homemade, which is what anything with oatmeal in it should taste like. Overall, not a good experience.

A lovely tiny cupcake store with cute girly bright pink wall. It’s more like a take out place just like Magnolia, there’s just a small counter top so don’t expect to find tables and chairs. The cashier girl was so helpful and kind, she explained to me all the flavors very thoroughly. I tried the Sweet/​Salty Cupcake, which had a nice moist chocolate cake covered with light chocolate flavored icing sprinkled with sea salt. It was good, but it’s not amazing like Sweet Revenge’s «Fleur de Sel» or «Not So Dirty». Sorry I keep bringing up Sweet Revenge every time I compare cupcakes, but it’s hard to beat that place!

i’m into it. the place was cute and the girl working the counter was super friendly. their cupcakes weren’t labeled, so she cheerfully went through all of them for me. i got the red velvet and the peanut butter. both were flavorful and had thoughtful garnishes on top (a frank’s red hot on the red velvet, peanuts on the peanut butter). the cake was a little dry, but maybe it was just because it was the end of the day. for $ 2 a cupcake, you can’t really complain.

This week I uttered the phrase «You don’t know it yet, but you and I are going to be best friends forever» two times.
Both times I meant it.
The first time was to a little maltese puppy named Bubba whom I hope I meet again because we’re new besties and all.
The second time was to the worker here at Royale because she was so personable and delivered me the most amazing turkey sandwich of my life along with an oatmeal cookie that tasted like the cure for racism.
Over time, I’ve tried almost all of their baked goods because I am so disciplined and health conscious. While I am not the cupcake queen, nothing from here has ever dissapointed. A safe and solid 4 stars from this girl and yes it’s also because the walls are hot pink.

This bakery/​café is a favorite with my coworkers. We buy the cupcakes frequently. They’re reasonably priced for the area, and very good. Sometimes they will have some unusual flavors also (like using raw salt with chocolate), which is a nice change from the mainstream.
The to-​go sandwiches are also pretty nice — the ingredients are fresh and the price is reasonable (again, for the area).

This is a very small, but cute place. The girl working there when I went was super nice and helpful.
I was so bummed, because I went there to buy cupcakes (made by baked in brooklyn) — but they only had two left! So i bought those and a few other things (that I read about here on Unilocal).
PISTACHIO CUPCAKE:
Light, moist vanilla-​like cake with a light pistachio-​y frosting. I liked it a lot. It’s a smaller cupcake… a one-​person cupcake (whereas a Crumbs cupcake is a two-​person cupcake).
OREO CUPCAKE:
Chocolate cake was very good and moist. The oreo filling frosting was light and yummy too.
CHOCOLATE CLOUD COOKIE:
I heard a lot of great things about this, but I wasn’t a fan. It has a unique texture — kind of chalky and airy.
SWEET/​SALTY BROWNIE:
I actually did not like this at all. It was pure mush and had a funky taste. Maybe mine was old?
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP LOAF:
This was just ok. I’ve had a better loaf at other places. It was also a little dry. Again, maybe it was old?
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE KRISP BAR:
This was good, but I couldn’t eat too much of it. One bite was enough for me. It’s like a rice krispy treat layered with a thick layer of peanut butter and chocolate.
I plan on going back for the cupcakes (I still need to try a bunch of flavors!). But, I won’t be getting any of the other items. Just the cupcakes.
Nothing was bad or anything — I just want the cupcakes.
One thing I always note: where the goods are kept.
A lot of cupcakes places are kept in a cool and/​or refrigerated place and behind glass enclosures. I like this, because it ensures freshness. It keeps it at the right temperature (especially with cream cheese frosting) and keeps things like dust and bugs out.
Some places just keep everything out in the open — on countertops and such. I am weary of these places, because how many people come in and out of the store — coughing, sneezing, spitting? Not to mention — gnats, flies, roaches, etc. And the cupcakes are kept at room temperature. What if the frosting goes bad?
Royale is one of those places that keeps their goods on the counter. So maybe that’s why my loaf was dried out?
But despite that, it was an overall nice experience.

I haven’t tried anything else, but based purely on the cupcakes, this place is a homerun. Not too big, not too sweet, but completely indulgent and rich, the sweet/​salty cupcake is incredible. I don’t much recommend the vanilla/​plain cupcake. While the frosting was delicious, the cake itself was more muffin-​y than cake-​y. Still moist, but perhaps could have been sweeter.
I love this place and I’m so happy it’s local. It’s really cute inside and the people that work there are helpful and sweet.

I like how NY-​centric this place is. They have Gimme! coffee, which is really yummy NY-​based coffee company. That and Baked products (based out of Red Hook) make me think they’re pretty cool. Although I do kind of feel that bakeries should be baking their own stuff, rather than carrying someone else’s. so I qualify Royale as a coffee shop rather than a bakery.
The owners are very nice and sweet, which always makes me much friendlier towards businesses. Also, the décor is fun but not over the top. It’s got a good look to it.
My only complaint is price. a breakfast sandwich and iced coffee were $ 7. I can get the same thing for about $ 3.50 in my nabe in brooklyn, so I probably won’t come here too often.

Today we traveled to West 11^th Street and 6^th Avenue to finally try Royale Café and Pastry! We had a blast getting to know one of the owners, Nicola Mejer. She was so helpful and generous, making us feel right at home. Royale opened in March 2008, and it’s been a hit with it’s local customers from PS 11 school next door. In fact, Nicola’s daughter and classmates have taken school trips there to learn about food. All of their baked goods are brought in from Baked in Brooklyn. Nicola and the staff today helped us choose what to try; not an easy task. They serve a variety of sandwiches, soups, cakes, breads, cupcakes, cookies, muffins, biscotti, whoopie pies, homemade oreos, homemade granola, and even coffee and espresso. You can see why it was hard to choose! So we decided to share a Salty/​Sweet brownie, Chocolate Cloud cookie, Peanut Butter Crisp bar, Sweet/​Salty cupcake, and Oatmeal Cookie Sandwich. Don’t worry, we got a to-​go box:-).
Salty/​Sweet Brownie: Extremely fudgey and gooey center, this brownie is one to try! Once you bite into it, you can see the glorious amount of fudge baked inside. Fleur de sel is sprinkled on top of the brownie to add the salty taste. Fleur de sel meaning «Flower of Salt» in French is hand harvested and a most revered salt. We have had a hard time finding a brownie in NYC that deserves attention, but Royale’s is definately worth it.
Chocolate Cloud Cookie: Nicola explained to us that this cookie could be compared to a molten chocolate cake you may find at a restaurant. She also said it was a cross between a brownie and a cookie. The outside of the cookie was crackled and crisp, with almost a flakey layer. The inside was thick, moist, and cake-like…exactly like a brownie. This cookie is very rich and for extreme chocolate lovers. It would be great with a cold glass of milk.
Peanut Butter Crisp Bar: OMG! Don’t waste time reading an explanation. RUN to Royale and buy it ASAP!!!
Sweet/​Salty Cupcake: This was a recommended «must-​try» by the staff, and we found out the reason. It is a chocolate cake topped with a mound of silky and light chocolate frosting. The cake was soft and fluffy with a distinct chocolate flavor. The edge of the cupcake was harder which delights the overall texture. Fleur de sel sprinkled atop the frosting, added a salty explosion in our mouths.
Oatmeal Cookie Sandwich: Baked from their delicious homemade granola, comes two thin cookies sandwiching buttercream frosting. The cookies are chewy yet crisp, and chocked full of oats. This cookie is very sweet due to the granola and buttercream combination. It has a hint of cinnamon as well giving off a cinnamon coffee cake taste to our palates. It’s unique and different; a sure hit with the kids. This homemade oatmeal cookie sandwhich sure beats the Little Debbie ones you find in the grocery store!
We had such a blast at Royale Café today meeting the owner and staff, and tasting the many glorious goodies. The décor was so cute and inviting; this bakery draws you in from the street. We even got to meet Nicola’s daughter who arrived after school for a special snack. What a lovely and pleasant surprise. We will be back!!!

Home Made Marshmallows.
Yup, they got ‘em but not for long. I’ve only tried the peppermint marshmallows and yum. My friend had a flat mozzarella, tomato, grilled sandwich and it was delicious and reasonably priced.
Need to come back for more.
Just feels so pink and homey! Gotta love it as a safe haven.

Try the Salted Caramel cupcake that they sell from Baked, the famous bakery based out of Red Hook. I am not typically a fan of chocolate cupcakes, but this one was absolute perfection. It was moist chocolate cake with a gooey caramel center, and frosting sprinkled with salt that seems to melt just before the first bite makes it to your mouth.
The service is friendly, and the space is small but cozy. It’s best to sit down and grab a quick dessert rather than to plan to sit there for hours.

So I was really excited about this place – I’ve been dying to try cupcakes from Baked in Brooklyn, and now I could do that without having to haul to another borough? (I’m lazy). Too bad it was a big ol’ fail.
The first thing I noticed was that the sandwiches listed on the menu board are $ 7.95. Yikes. On the other hand, cupcakes were $ 2, no tax, which seemed reasonable compared to other bakeries milking the cupcake fad. Too bad that everything was downhill from there.
Nothing’s labeled (aside from «cupcakes, $ 2») so I had to ask the cashier what specific flavors they were. I also noticed that as he spoke, his spit was flying all over the baked goods, which aren’t in a case (only behind a glass shield).
Anyway, it was a toss up between the red velvet and the chocolate with the sea salt caramel. Being a sucker for sea salt caramel anything, I went with that. Sad.
I first tried the frosting, which was nicely piped on, but turned out to be a huge, hard blob of oddly cocoa-​flavored buttercream. The cake was moist-ish…but turned out to be really crumbly and fell apart all over my shoes. The whole thing was next to impossible to eat reasonably, and ended up sitting in a hard lump in my stomach.
Nope. Won’t be coming back here. Also, there’s something creepy about a «bakery» that doesn’t actually bake anything.
Tip: Bake your own. Or go to Sweet Revenge in the West Village for a real cupcake.

beaten down with a cold, unable to taste anything, i almost skipped walking in royale. it would have been my mistake as this tiny, pink bakery in the west village melted my heart.
upon entering, i busied myself with ogling the baked goods on display, sighing at the cupcakes that i wouldn’t be able to properly indulge in, and informing my companion that he would be purchasing a pumpkin whoopie pie. as the lone employee on duty, the owner took a few minutes to assist us. i didn’t mind, royale’s large glass windows let in ample sunlight and the shop is positioned for convenient people watching. in exchange for the wait, he graciously comp’ed my red velvet cupcake, neatly packaged two pumpkin whoopie pies, and then offered us samples of the regular chocolate whoopie pies. i was smitten.
though my tastebuds didn’t work that day, i can still attest to the perfect crumb of the chocolate whoopie pies — just the right amount of chew. the frosting on my cupcake was fluffy, rich, buttery — i shoved it towards my companion: «is this as good as i think it is?» and he nodded in agreement.
royale is owned by a co-​partner in the esteemed baked bakery in brooklyn, a convenient location to be near the owner’s daughter, and all the baked goods come directly from baked. while i only half-​sampled the goods on my first visit you can be certain i’ll be back to try the rest!

I was going to give this cute mini bakery a try after a tasty meal at Sammys but when I saw their ridiculous prices and tiny selection of goodies I decided to get some awesome muffins across the street at Jefferson Market at a fraction of the price instead. Not sure how they think their baked goods are worth what they’re charging but I guarantee it can’t possibly be good enough to be worth it.

gooood cupcakes. watch out, though, they’re messy!
they’re also smaller than the cupcakes at the more popular cupcakeries, but that’s totally ok with me. who needs a muffin-​sized cupcake anyway?
the buttercream frosting makes it feel more adult– it’s not that über sweet frosting you got all over your face as a kid. its a mellow, creamy frosting you got all over your face just the other day.
they also stock a bunch of amazing looking desserts and pastries, but ive only had the cupcake so i can’t vouch for any of that.

It’s the size of a postage stamp, so don’t expect to linger for too long, but Royale is perfect for a quick coffee pick up or a sweet mid-​day treat. Plus, they’re right by my therapist’s office, so whenever I have a good session (or a really crappy one), I can reward myself with something yummy! (Note to self: talk to therapist about reward/​punish relationship to food…)
Coffee is Gimme! So no need to linger there. Gimme! = good. What I especially love is their «oreo» — two freshly baked, not too sweet chocolate cookies with a thin layer of frosting spread in between. They are dee-​lish! You can have all the nostalgia with fresh-​baked goodness and without weird chemical emulsifiers, HFCS, and all that junk. They do the same with oatmeal raisin cookies, too, if that’s more your speed.

Hot pink colored confection of a bakery doesn’t actually bake anything. Royale sells goods made elsewhere and the best of them come over the still free Brooklyn Bridge from Baked in Red Hook. Baked does amazing things way over there and sells to some food spots in Manhattan. Royale sells a variety of their cupcakes, I had the dark chocolate with chocolate buttercream and salt on top for $ 2 bucks. Dense, divine and delish went the flavors in my mouth. More dense than a Magnolia or a Billy’s with super rich flavor. They also sell the spiced brownie and lovely classic chocolate layer cake for $ 5 a slice. Teas and coffees and a few seats to gobble up the goodies. The «Baked» goods are the star of the show here.

How does this place not have any reviews? It’s cute, on a busy corner and their cupcakes are gorgeous. It’s hard for me to imagine that someone could walk by without wanting to try one.
The woman behind the counter was very friendly and recommended the salted caramel. After tasting one I wish I had bought more. YUM.
I walked out with a dozen cupcakes (at a reasonable $ 2 each) and tried the oreo, vanilla with chocolate frosting and salted caramel. All were good, though I think the chocolate frosting won out over the vanilla. Both frostings had a great smooth consistency, but I thought the butter flavor was a little too strong in the vanilla. It was better refrigerated than at room temp because you couldn’t taste it as much. The chocolate frosting was great either way.
Both the vanilla and chocolate cakes were crumbly in an angel food cake kind of way — not too dry but not moist. They had a nice flavor and were complimented well by the frosting.
Even if you’re not in the mood for a cupcake, they sell some really tasty granola from Baked (they sent me away with a tasty complimentary sample — I will definitely be returning to buy a bag) and also had a chocolate coca-​cola cake at the counter that was calling my name!

Have passed by this place a few times and had always wanted to go but was either in a hurry or it was closed. The bright pink walls and fancy/​cutsey desserts always drew my attention. In addition they sell Gimme! coffee! I was so excited about the Gimme! coffee and being able to buy it on the west side of town. I bought bag of espresso beans and the very friendly and helpful barista also gave me a shot of it to try on the house! I didn’t try any of the sweets that day but I am sure I will be back. they also had some yogurt parfaits and different things that looked good. I recomend giving it a shot. I read somewhere they were looking for baristas with 2 plus years experience and who knew how to run the manual machines so the espresso is good stuff. Quality beans and quality made!