Ceci-Cela
55 Spring St
(between Cleveland Pl & Lafayette St)
New York, NY 10012 (212) 274-9179
- Nearest Transit:
Spring St-Lafayette St (6)
Prince St (R, W)
Bowery (J, M)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
45 Reviews for Ceci-Cela
- overall rating: 3.5
- a bit claustrophobic for my taste
- nice selection, nice presentation, tends to be crowded, especially at the ordering counter
- recommend: fruit tarts
- great carry out boxes
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A pretty small but intimate patisserie. There was a wide selection of pastries and cakes. All very pretty, and the Napoleon i got was very delicious.
Being such a small place, i would assume it gets pretty crowded on the weekend. Goodluck trying to get a seat.
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Once upon a time many, many moons ago, in foreign lands and in an age where happiness was a simple daisy and misery was a broken crayon, I had the lucky chance of tasting the best eclair in the world.
I was only a kid then -- and perhaps a late bloomer since broken crayons still made me sad at 10 -- but my mother knew that cultivating the taste buds is an art whose practice should begin early.
So, in an attempt to enrich us in the matters of chocolate, there we we were (my mom, my sister, and I) on a Satuday morning at the beautiful patisserie in our neighborhood in Athens, Greece. My mouth dropped open upon witnessing the marble countertops, the shining floors, the flawless arrays of dessert encased in glass.
I was a little girl in a palace filled with sweets, and my first choice was the tempting eclair. Mouth already open, it was easy to stuff the thin, long pastry in all at once. I still remember that sensation -- the taste of the sweet icing first, inviting you to bite further into the soft dough until suddenly the softer, bitter chocolate filling at the heart of the eclair becomes a mouthful of sky.
I've had many eclairs since that day, although none reached the level of that first one. I was never surprised by the fact; I figured that it was that natural high you feel when you first fall in love, that illusion that nothing could ever be greater, that stays in your mind as the unreachable exemplar of future encounters.
Until just a few weeks ago -- now many, many moons after that gracious first day -- I found myself working in SOHO, looking for a chocolate fix at lunchtime. Thanks to a friendly companion's suggestion, I walked into Ceci-Cela.
No marble countertops lined the walls, and there were no elegant glass cases filled with beautiful pastries. Ceci is simple: Narrow and whimsical, the room only fits two small cases that hold just a few kinds of desserts. The fruit tarts looked appetizing, but as soon as I caught a glimpse of the eclairs, I had to try them. And to my grateful surprise, they tasted just like my first experience. Because, going beyond expectation, these eclairs break through that first-love illusion and deliver you the promise.
My wise companion also often says that it's better to be a specialist than a generalist. I think he's right. I can't speak for its other concoctions, but when it comes to eclairs at least, Ceci-Cela surpasses specialist status and touches upon that of a master.
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I had read mixed reviews and discussions on both Yelp and Chowhound about the pastries at Ceci-Cela, especially the croissants, which apparently were contenders as NY's best croissants.
I wanted to settle this argument myself decided to go there on Sunday afternoon. I wanted a table, but since the place only has about 7 tables, there was a 20 min wait, which I guess wasn't so bad.
The place is dim and cozy, you want to stay there and eat your pastry and drink your coffee, but then you see the line forming right in front of you and feel rushed to leave. I imagine it's not always like that.
Anyhow, I was determined to get the croissant, but when the waiter came around with a little strawberry tart for the girl sitting next to me, I just couldn't resist. The tart was delicious: the almond crust just right and the cream and strawberries sweet and satisfying.
Despite being full, I had to do what I had come there to do, and that was to taste the croissant. I ordered it to go but the very friendly waiter stopped me: "you know, we have chocolate almond croissants baking right now and they should be coming out shortly." But of course I had to stay and wait for that! True to his word, the chocolate almond croissant came warm, buttery and flaky.
I asked the waiter if they bake every day at around the same time, and much to my dismay he informed me that it depends. Whenever they need a fresh batch, the pastry chef downstairs makes a new batch. Boo for me, as I was determined to schedule my visits around their baking times. Hopefully some of you guys will be lucky enough to be there when a new batch of pastries comes out!
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I went here for a snack and loved the place. The croissants are delicious. My friend and I saw an order for another table, the sandwiches and Frasier looked really good. Definitely coming back to try that.
The reason I gave it one less star is because the hot chocolate wasn't very tasty. But all in all, this place has fantastic pastries from what I can tell. Definitely try the almond croissant!
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My soy Chai latte was pure sugar no spice, and not very nice! My friend's hot chocolate made from melted fudge was far better-but the poor dear's eclair was dry! My mixed fruit tart was better than her eclair- but far from superb-neither item was fresh enough! The cramped space kind of smelled like bug repellent ...yummy huh?....instead of freshly brewed coffee and pastries! The service was slow but cordial enough. I have yet to try the almond or chocolate croissants they are known for. I think I will stick to Tompkins square bakery when I am in the mood for an almond croissant- they are heavenly-besides I refuse to waste anymore calories! Now I have to take an extra spin class this week and for what? For subpar victuals? That's just insanity!
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This is such a cute patisserie. The pastries are very good, not as good as Payard's, but comparable. The lemon tart was bursting with freshness and the crust was crumbly. The croissants were very good especially the ham and cheese. They have fresh lemonade and delish tarts. The place is very cramped, than again I've never sat in to enjoy there baked goodies.
what a cute little bakery! we actually ended up getting one of the petits fours boxes, which had some amazing little treats (the lemon tart was so delish!). I was disappointed that my delectable little macarons were only available in huge boxes (3 at a time i can do, 15 not so much). instead i opted for the pistachio flavored madeleines and an iced mocha. the madeleines were yummy, i never would have thought of adding pistachios to them!
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Stopped in here the other day in between various stops on a shopping excursion in SOHO... we were in search of dessert (Pie, specifically), after a snack earlier in the day at Epistrophy. We saw this charming Patisserie and stopped in. Very small and elongated, we took seats in the back , in a tiny room that can probably sit maybe 16 people at most. We ordered strawberry tarts and delicious French Lemonades. The place irked me a bit because it was awkwardly quiet - no music or anything, but it was pseudo charming, especially as a brief repose from the holiday shopping insanity outside. All in all, great wares, but not so sure it's a place you'd want to plan on going - good for a brief stop in, but that's about it.
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their almond croissants and sandwiches are absolutely delicious, but their sit-down service is awful!
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Always a must-stop when in NYC for a chocolate almond croissant or an almond brioche. Though, sometimes, it's nicer to get a box of goodies to go.
Service at the front counter is as terse as ever, though the sit-down service seemed a bit warmer compared to past visits. The "dining" area is small, very cramped (especially in cold weather when everyone has coats), but I suppose that just adds to the charm. Haven't been impressed with their other pastries, but the espresso items are good.
Would be a 2.5 or 3 star place, save for the croissants...
Their truffles were some of the BEST I've ever had - at $5 for 6 pieces, they'd better be. :)
Everything looked enticing!
Amazing smells. Okay taste.
My favorite thing here is the chocolate croissant, only because it's got 2 strips of chocolate filling here instead of the more typical one.
Otherwise, everything else I feel is so-so. The quiche is dry and the quiche pastry is even drier.
Service is usually very slow.
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Hold me down... There is so much in this small French cafe that I want to put in my mouth!
Though at times useless (in a French kinda way) the (FRENCH) staff are pretty friendly and manage the, at times, lengthy cues of salivating customers with efficiency. They didn't know what an "escargot" was and after a lengthy conversation I went to the cabinet and pointed at what I wanted. The French translation for the pastry that I was eying off was............... "danish". Good grief.
All the pastries are exceptional and I recommend their sandwiches and baguettes too (I particularly enjoy the Brie and ham). All this and they know how to make a drinkable coffee!
This is definitely the place to hit when you've been trawling the stores in SoHo, Lafayette St or Nolita and you need a quick refuel.
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Though at times the lines at this little french patisserie can be daunting, getting a cake (I recommend the black forest cake), pastry, or even a tiny bag of pistachio madelines or Langues de Chat at Ceci-Cela is always worth it. By just simply walking through the doors, I always find it hard not to leave with a sampling of everything. From the almond croissants to the linzer tarts to the fruit danishes (pear danishes rock!), I am always mesmerized by the vast selection of this patisserie. Although the staff can be brash at times, it's only because they want to keep the lines as short as possible. This is a definite visit if you're in the area.
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Order:
fruit tart
Cappuccino
Chocolate croissant
Then do it again.
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My favorite croissants in the city. Favorite Favorite.
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Freshly baked, flakey on the outside, soft on the inside, their croissants are probably New York's finest.
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great french pastries. I like the Financiers and the croissants. The coffee is real good too. They have a few tables in the back. The location onChambers St. is closed , but Spring St. is the original location and still going strong.
As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. After years of indifferent or rude service, the new staff at Ceci Cela does its utmost to welcome you with the widest possible smile, and the most gracious attitude.
Ceci Cela is known for its almond and chocolate croissants and cheese Danish, but that reputation had long been sullied by unfriendly and inattentive service. Not to mention the cramped quarters --- small backroom with only a few tables and narrow hallway such that two people can barely pass each other between the wall and the display case for the pastries. Whenever a line starts forming it's an uncomfortable experience.
They are famed for their Raspberry Chocolate Mousse cake --- but freshness is a recurring issue with their pastries. Best to have a cake made to order for a special occasion.
In my macaron search, I've often had to return empty handed from here. I inquired whether this was because they were really popular, to which the girl at the counter smiled, "No, it isn't as if we have people come in every hour asking for them". But, I see that more as an issue with macarons not getting their due popularity in New York - as opposed to an issue with Ceci Cela per se.
Once, I was able to get a whole box of small macarons (One dozen for $15). I liked their soft and chewy texture (without being crumbly) but wasn't thrilled by the fillings. They had Chocolate, Coffee, Raspberry, Pistachio, Vanilla, and maybe Eggnog (not sure, so you can imagine how boring the filling would have been). I'd rate their macarons: 3 stars. Not amongst the top few purveyors of macarons in the city, but also not the worst.
There is some debate amongst the baked goods connoisseurs as to who makes the best chocolate croissants in the city --- often the name of Ceci Cela comes up tops. But, in my humble opinion that honor goes to Patisserie Claude --- the perfect croissant is warm, flaky and nicely browned on the outside with layers upon layers of soft buttered dough on the inside. Claude has that down to an art --- sample it best early morning. On the other hand, Ceci Cela's croissants not only have a lot less chocolate, but are also dry on the inside. Good, but not sublime (3 stars)
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this place is such a gem!! the seating area in the back is initmate and not too loud, their chai latte is off the hook, their large espresso (double shot) is 10 times more than what you would get at starbucks (and it's hot too), and the little cakes, pastries, croissant, breakfast sandwiches are delicious!
however today as my friend and i ordered the napolean and chocolate cake, we were both disappointed with the dryness of the chocolate cake and the unbreakable top layer of the napolean. they've had their better days...
service is good, however the back can get a little crowded and sometimes there is a wait.
Just walk in and gaze at the dessert disply, it's gorgeous and mouth-watering to say the least. Ceci Cela is a bona-fide french patisserie, you'll allllmost feel like you're in Paris, until you hear a Long Island accent.
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Though not on my planned list of stops today, when passing by Ceci-Cela, I remembered that dessert reviewer extraordinaire Atif had done a review of it so I popped in and got a chocolate croissant for a taste test-- purely research. I agree with his assessment that it was indeed too dry, and coming from a chocolate lover not quite chocolatey enough. On top of that, $3 est trop cher pour un croissant sub-par. (That's why I don't teach French!)
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Lovely little French Patisserie.
When in SOHO/Nolita, I always try to grab my all-time-favorites like almond broiche and chocolate almond croissant at CC. Their cafes (coffees) are also very good.
This evening, they were playing some great music from Amelie Poulain, and now that I'm home - exhausted - at about 9-ish on a Friday night, I think I just might have to pop the movie and sink into my ever plush couch...
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Small french patisserie/cafe with a lot of character. The small sitting area is a real find through all seasons, it's not immediately apparent when you enter Ceci-Cela but when you do discover it, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Pastries are uniformly good, highly recommend the financier and the croissants. Staff might display some attitude at times, really depends on who's there. Despite that, the cafe remains one of the favorite places to be alone with a book and sink into a quiet, contemplative state amidst the throngs of Soho.
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I went with a friend just this week to grab a "quick" lunch in their cute tiny back room. We ordered a ham and cheese croissant and a bacon quiche, a double esspresso and a tropical green tea. The food was great, I wish I had that quiche while I write this. The croissant was buttery and warm and flaked just as you'd think it should. The espresso did the trick and they sell Harney and Sons teas which I'm a fan of.
I'll definitely go back. But will I plan out more than an hr to eat a snack? Yes. The service was way way too slow, maybe it's to keep that European vibe going. We had planned to also order dessert but we ran out of time. It had gotten very crowded when we were leaving so I couldn't even take something to go.
I love the French decor and I'm really kicking myself for not getting something sweet.
Next time.
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Pretty good french bakery.
The coffee and croissant were very good, but not orgasmic [as I was expecting]. To my taste, the coffee beans are too dark roasted [coffee a bit too bitter], and the croissant was too dry on the inside [the perfect croissant should be flaky on the outside and soft on the inside].
All that said, it's otherwise a delightful french bakery. I would go back to try the other pastries, and the mousse cakes in the window look delicious!
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Ceci-Cela is one of the coolest little places in Nolita. The prices are great - atmosphere is quaint and yet hip - this is a great place to talk with a friend over coffee or grab a quick lunch.
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Ok its true the service is hit or miss, depending on who is working the counter (cross your fingers and hope for the tiny cute girl), but in my opinion the cheese danish is worth the hassle. So is the almond brioche. So is the chocolate croissant. So is the financier. So is the....
*drool*
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i' ve been here only twice, but will keep going to try new things during my lunch break. everything i've tried makes my mouth extremely happy. coffee is very good, desserts are very good (i like eclairs), paninis are wonderful (get them toasted). prices are also reasonable. small cafe in the back. i am not sure what people mean by snobby service because both times i've gone i've talked to at least four different employees, both french and american, and they were all just fine by me, some even very smiley. anyway, it's really yummy food and a refreshing little place in the middle of commercial manhattan.
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The service may not always be great, and the space itself can get a little tight during busy times, but they have wonderful croissants (especially their cheese danish) and delicious pastries in general. It's location in the heart of Nolita also makes it a great snack stop after an afternoon of shopping...
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Ceci-Cela is one of the best French patisseries I've been to outside of France. Every time I'm in New York, I TREK to this place and just stand in front of their dessert case with my mouth hanging open and drool spilling out for, like, five minutes. When I finally am able to collect myself, I usually pick out one of their fruit tarts with this delicious glaze that always looks perfectly done (I particularly like the one with currants -- if they're in season) or something chocolatey.
My sister and I tried to bring back some desserts to California from this place, but it didn't survive the plane trip. After takeoff when the stewardess handed us the standard bag o' peanuts, we just looked at each other then reached for our Ceci-Cela takeout boxes. We decided that if our family didn't have any of these desserts, they wouldn't know what they're missing.
But they're missing out. Ohhhh, they're missing out.
[The only problem with this place is the service, which tends to be on the snobby side. It takes a few visits to get used to it, but the desserts are so good I'll put up with the abuse.]
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There's another one on Chamber St.! It has a more open atmosphere than the one on Spring St. The croissants (both plain and chocolate) are awesome and buttery. The prices are quite reasonable, especially for lunch.
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Warning: If you hate snobs, do not read this review.
The most important thing to note about this little bakery, situated on Spring just east of Lafayette, is that its pastries are infinitely better than those at Balthazar, which is on the other side of Spring on the other side of Lafayette, about thirty yards away. (I was going to say a hundred times better, or a thousand times better, but I really mean infinitely: Balthazar's pastries are basically on par with those at Au Bon Pain.) Once in a while when I'm feeling skinny, or sad enough to self-indulge, or just when the weather feels right, I get a plain croissant from Ceci Cela for breakfast. It flakes all over my desk as I try to eat it (no wonder my office has mice), and the inside is soft and buttery and delicious. It is the closest I've gotten in New York to a real French croissant. [This wasn't always the case: Le Pain Quotidien had delicious pastries when it first opened about eight years ago, but now that its business model has begun to imitate Starbucks's, the quality has gone way down.] I haven't branched out to other pastries--though I think I once had a bite of a delicious pain au chocolat--but they all look pretty good and authentic.
There's a lovely little space at the back of the bakery where I guess people can order real food and coffee and things. I think there might even be outdoor space; this is SoHo, so think tiny tables, tiny chairs, tiny people. But crawl space is the new breathing room! so Ceci Cela is trendy.
I give this place four stars because it'd be nice if I could also buy my coffee here. The coffee they make isn't bad, but it also isn't so good. The other reason for the fifth star's absence is that there is this simple sandwich they sell, brie on baguette, that is sometimes delicious and sometimes crappy. I've gotten it with stale bread (at a bakery, I find this unacceptable) and, worse, with rather tasteless brie. I will say, however, that someone I work with eats this sandwich every day, sometimes for breakfast and sometimes for lunch. I find this palatal flexibility impressive, and for some reason I like seeing this sandwich on his desk every day when I walk down the hall. It's better to look at than to eat, though.
As for the staff, I can't tell if I hate them because they have cool haircuts and work in a trendy French bakery in SoHo or like them because they are nice. The latter would be the more normal thing to do, but what can I say.
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I'm drooling just thinking about what to say. I used to stop here on my way to work (in a diabolical move, it is located at the top of the Spring Street subway station). They have amazing pastries, and I just noticed on my last visit that there's a lunch room in back. It's probably good, too. I just had an almond croissant that was so moist and almondy that it didn't matter they'd been left in the oven too long, because it had just caramalized the entire surface. You can also buy orange juice shots for 50 cents a pop, which makes me smile.
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Delicious pastries and lunch! I was only in New York for 5 days, and I ate here three times.
'The' (pronounced 'thee') French bakery- oh yes, you know the smell. I live with French people, and they live for this bakery. The smell of freshly baked croissants teases my nostrils as I pass by. The aroma is orgasmic, the kind that you can only hope to find when walking along a street in Paris. Yet, here it is, on Spring Street, inviting you in to all its wonders. Have a croissant or two with some fresh squeezed orange juice. I have only ordered take out, but there is room to sit and eat here and take in the aroma for as long as you feel like spoiling yourself.
A cozy little patisserie -- the fruit tarts, financiers, croissants ... they're all a lovely post-shopping (or pre-whatever) snack accompanied by a caffeinated beverage. Sit in the back and rest your tired dogs while nibbling away at your buttery pastry.
my friend lives right next door to this cute patisserie and his apt smells of butter and delicious goodness 24/7. it's amazing i only went to this place once a day. tasty pastry and really simple, good sandwiches.
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Quaint french pastry shop on spring st in soho & they have another branch on Chamber st. by battery park city.
I found my favorite cake there ... their Raspberry Chocolate cake!! Not too sweet, not decadent, not overwhelming, not heavy ... just enough chocolate genoise & vanilla cream w/ fresh raspberries to give it a tart twist. Tres magnific! they also sell it by piece if you want to just try it first. However, I've noticed sometimes their stuff isn't always fresh ... so the edges are dry ... so look for it in their display cases and be the judge of it. My other fav treats are their croissants, madeleines and petite fours. They sell pre-boxed 16 individual petite fours that make a great gift to bring over to a lunch/dinner party. A FUN surprise besides buying a cake! But I'm not too fond of the service :( ... they're not very friendly and attentive plus the spring st shop is a narrow hallway ... so the line is awkwardly formed each time it gets crowded. Never sat down to eat @ spring st shop but the chamber st shop is a bigger shop and plenty of tables & chairs to relax in.
Price range for pastry $5.50 - $6.00
http://www.ceci-celapa...
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