Communitea
Categories: Desserts, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: Queens/Long Island City47-02 Vernon Blvd
Long Island City, NY 11101 (718) 729-7708
- Nearest Transit:
Vernon-Jackson Aves (7)
21st St (Van Alst) (G)
- Price Range: $
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Wi-Fi: Free
- Alcohol: None
15 Reviews for Communitea
Communitea has a friendly staff, wireless internet, there's always people in there but its never packed. They have a great menu, and bring your laptop because there is free wireless. I found it a great place to go and study.
The Wimbledon iced tea is my fav.
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Juston P: I'm not so sure about your positive review of the baked goods! The brownies tasted completely boxed, and not even the good, mushy boxed type at that.
On the one hand, the idea was enticing . . . afternoon tea? I'm in.
On the other . . .
The place felt industrial and like some weird cult--I felt like a tourist in Germany: out of place, and no one particularly wanted us there.
The 3-tiered tea platter was:
(1) Over-done (over-sized doilies? Really)?
(2) Home-ade looking. The sandwiches weren't cute tea-sandwiches, but were made on store bought sliced bread, cut into fours, with un-ceremonious stuffing globbing out on the sides. The baked goods were kind of flavorless and dry
(3) One tiny cup of tea per person?! Come on!
On a whole, it was fine, looked and tasted like something I'd make. Which isn't to say that it was BAD, but not worth $20.
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My friend and I had made a trip to L.I.C. to see the a few art galleries. Much to our dismay, all three of them were closed on the Tuesday we decided to stop by. At a loss, we just decided to walk around a bit.
We stumbled upon Communitea and decided to give it a try. We got there at 2:30 (afternoon tea is served 3:00pm-6:00pm for $19.95), and so we decided to rest our legs and chat for a bit while the scones (they make them fresh!) were put in the oven.
We were served a three tier of plates; Atop was the scone - still hot from the oven - with clotted cream and raspberry jam; in the middle was a light but delicious hummus, tomato, and avocado sandwich on dark bread which was cut into four pieces. Below that was the plate of sweets: sliced strawberries, cinnamon 'cigars,' brownies, and a piece of homemade cobbler we could not get enough of.
We went with a green tea and had our pot refilled four times free of charge.
It definitely lives up to its name; the place is definitely a 'neighborhood' spot. A local baker drops off baked goods on Wednesday (fresh) and then leaves extra dough so the people at the tea room can make their own as demand requires.
The people that worked there were very helpful and went beyond the call of duty (offering us other sites we might see while there, giving us directions to the closest subway and ferry, etc). The other patrons were equally as nice, and we actually ended up sitting long after our tea had run out to talk with two random strangers; one of which rode his bike to Communitea every day from Astoria, and the other lived in L.I.C.
All in all, it was a very pleasant experience, and I'll definitely be visiting again in the future.
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I would have loved to love this place. My girlfriend and I trekked out after reading about it in TimeOut. So, why 2 stars?
- Service: we ordered the tea for two combination at 5:45pm. The offer ends at 6:00 yet the server balked at the order. That scene from Falling Down came to mind, only I was in a neighborhood coffee shop.
- Decor: the enormous plate glass windows and 15 foot ceilings with medium-heat lighting makes the place feel more like a gallery than a coffee shop.
- Tea: a $20 tea combination and we get a tiny pot of tea and glass cups?
- Food: the food was the best part, actually. Aside from the dry cookies, the brownies, scones, and jam were tasty and fresh.
- Screaming baby: really, lady? You just had to bring your infant to fill the enormous space with jet-engine wailing? No, Comunitea did not lose a star due to this mother's judgement.
As a neighborhood place, I can see the appeal. But if anyone is considering making the trip due to TimeOut's coverage, I suggest you pass. There's nothing special waiting on the other side of the river.
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I love Communitea. It's a perfect example of what LIC could be - a quiet place to take a break, catch up with a close friend, enjoy a nice cup of coffee or tea and the sunlight.
There's plenty of seating and light coming in through the huge windows. Communitea's become quite popular and with the free wi-fi, it's become a little harder to find a spot to sit.
I don't like really coffee, but I enjoy the coffee here. It's always fresh and delicious, and I like the big bright mugs. Also, I appreciate that the stirrers are made of biodegradable material rather than plastic.
I've only eaten here once, so I can't say much about the food. I can tell you that the peanut butter sandwich is delicious! The peanut butter is very creamy and the added honey makes it amazing, though kind of messy.
The only thing keeping Communitea from five stars is the service. A few times when I've come across life-loathing employees, who stare off into the distance before responding to "Hi. Um, excuse me...?"
And yes, this is where they film "Brooklyn" scenes of Gossip Girl.
You know you love me.
XOXO,
Lani
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Kind of mediocre coffee, but I think their specialty is tea anyway. My friend had a reportedly pleasant iced green tea. We found a checkerboard and played 2 games before realizing how useless playing checkers is on a beautiful summer day. Honestly, the most exciting thing about this place was when we figured out it was the filming location of the "Brooklyn" coffee shop in Gossip Girl. ("I knew I recognized that chalkboard!" my friend said.) Which in turn led to our epiphany that playing checkers was the least of our time management concerns. We promptly took our leave.
...I realize I make this place sound kind of blah, but on the plus side, it is a nice little stroll from P.S. 1 if you're thirsty and don't feel like spending $5 on a Folgers iced coffee from the museum's cafe.
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One of my favorite places to sit and read in the city. I work near here so I'm really excited that this area is starting to become so cute, this block in particular. I love the Turkey Apple Cheddar Panini. Haven't tried the salads yet, can't speak for the size. The soup is great, too. But this is for sure one of those places that you can feel good about just sitting and eating and reading, drinking a great cup of tea and enjoying the day.
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When I walk in here I'm guaranteed a smile. Sometimes it's from the owner Kafiya or her adorable baby Micah or the toothless grandma sipping her tea or a hipster cutie peeking over her Sartre novel. Somehow the weight of New York City life dissipates in this bright space with it's expansive windows and warm mugs.
Come to munch, the food is simple, healthy and tasty.
Come to drink, the tea menu is substantial and coffee solid.
Come to work, free wifi and a welcoming seat.
Come to chat, soft jazz, Beatles or soul plays in the background.
Come to find me grinning, whenever I'm in town.
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This hip teahouse leads the LIC trend with an excellent variety of tea, coffee, baked goods, soup, sandwiches, and salads. With free & fast wifi and lots of electrical outlets, this is a popular spot to get your day's work done -- whether it be graphic design, schoolwork, or programming. Because the owner, Kafia, is a recent mother, the place is also popular with families with young children, especially in the evening.
This place can get crowded at times, but there is almost always a seat available if you're willing to share a table. Power outlets are another question, but if they're all taken you can always use the buddy system.
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very cozy place. I love their selections of Teas. and I can't be more happier I live right next to it.
I agree with the other reviews, it is very popular and hard to get a seat. especially with a lot of free lancers, I guess the WIFI is a huge deal. but I can't complain I am usually there on weeknds as I have a regular job. I like the menu on the wall very stylish idea. I do suggest making the salad portion on the menu a real salad not 5 leaves. My friend was wondering if this is a salad. But for $6.95 I guess that's what you get.Love the place.
I have always found the name of this place a paradox since it is filled with free lancers on laptops sitting at two-tops (alone) with ear pods in their ears daily. Still, it is a necessary watering hole for the hood and the natural light that floods the cafe will cast you as one of those java junkies too.
I really want to like this place... Long Island City is difficult right now because the services have yet to catch up with the neighborhood (having to go to Manhattan to visit a drugstore is still a pain, and the one deli that sells household stuff is more expensive than whole foods), and I would love a place which I can visit each weekend to read the Times and have a Machiatto. The setting at Communitea is very aesthetically pleasing. Natural light floods the room and the menu on the wall is a nice touch, and the two stars are based solely on the aesthetics of the room. The two times I have visited Communitea the service has been horrible. The staff is more likely to scowl at you as they take your order than to smile, and they act as if making my order is a chore. The concept that I would like to leisurely drink my coffee as I read my paper seems foreign to them, as consistently my "to stay" order ends up in a to go cup. Both times I ordered breakfast and each time I was disappointed. The quiche was bland and luke warm, as was the egg sandwich. There is great potential in this place, but they need to focus on the basics like food and service... Hopefully they will come through, and here is hoping that they do...
Seriously, three hours after eating here and two hours after originally posting this it now feels like there are razor blades in my stomach. I hope this gets back to the owners. They have a great concept but the implementation is less than can be desired.
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Great place
Well lit
plenty of seating
and they have wifi!
When you walk in you'll see people chilling with their computers
They have tons of magazines and newspapers to read while you eat.
Best bet: The Chicken Curry Sandwich!
Love this place
It's what coffee/tea houses should be!
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I really like this place for coffee/breakfast, but unfortunately it's very popular, meaning it's hard to get a seat. But if you do there's free Wi-Fi, a nice selection of teas, and quite an extensive menu. Great place to stop after a yoga class down the street.
This is a cute Tea & Coffee shop in LIC. Like the name - I think it really describes the place to a T - a cafe frequented by locals. Nice airy space with ample seating and definitely seems like the type of place where you could sit there with your laptop for a few hours without being hassled. Big, fresh looking salads and paninis - although their baked goods didn't look at that tempting to me. Will be back next time I need a caffeine fix and a snack.
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