Starwich
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Delis, Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Hell's Kitchen525 W 42nd St
(between 10th Ave & 11th Ave)
New York, NY 10036 (212) 736-9170
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Attire: Casual
- Delivers: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Wi-Fi: Free
5 reviews
New York, NY
"I have yet to wait on a line at this grocery, and the girls at the register are always so quick and pleasant! I have yet to experience the…" read more »
17 Reviews for Starwich
Free wifi. Other than that, I didn't have a good experience here. There is no AC and I advise not to get an iced latte. I pretty much paid $3.95 for water. I guess that's why you're suppose to get the sandwiches and not the drinks at this place.
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if there was a 1/2 star choice, i would give this place 4.5 stars - and the only reason for a 1/2 star deduction is the location. the joint is big, clean, simple chic decor, free wifi internet, and the coffee drinks are inexpensive. i got a breakfast sandwich that was excellent, albeit a little less than warm, but i wont slam for that. the space is casual, lots of fun chairs and couches, very laid back. i will be there again, and again, and again!
Everything good other Yelpers say about this Starwich is true. Free wifi, lots of space, decent food, etc. It would be a decent place to write if it wasn't so damn far from civilization. Still, even crazy too-far-from-the-subway neighborhoods need cool places to hang out.
This is a decent writing location and will work for groups. If you can get them all the way over here!
The perfect place for a $15 sandwich. Enough said.
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I spent a lovely weekday afternoon here squatting for several hours basking in the warm glow of free WiFi, and enjoying the company of my friend and colleague Sam.
I liked the cozy setting and the comfortable leather sofa where I parked my rear-end for hours.
The staff kept attempting to deliver items to me, repeatedly mistaking me for other patrons (either that or they were sending me a not so subtle hint to order something of substance).
When I did get around to ordering my lunch, I was paralyzed by the plethora of options for my custom made sandwich. I panicked, assembled what amounted to a haphazard assortment of items, and ended up being let down with my own craftsmanship.
I felt like the victim of the so-called "Paradox of Choice" (one of those interesting New Yorker type articles that got unnecessarily extended into a 140 page business book so that people like me would pay $13.95 for it). Consistent with the thesis of the book, due to the amount of choice presented to me, I was doomed to feel remorse and regret with my own choice, based on the "what-if" factor. As in, I wished I hadn't asked for cucumbers on my roast beef sandwich.
Sometimes you want choice, and sometimes you want someone to offer you a combination that is known and loved. Sometimes you feel like a nut, and sometimes you don't.
Minus one more star for having to dance with the kitchen staff on the way to the only WC on site. Awkward.
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Don't order salads for delivery. It comes very bland and they don't give you enough dressing. Sandwiches however are really good. They also deliver on time.
I see that my fellow Yelper and coworker Lily T. beat me to the punch- yes, we ate there yesterday for the first time at our boss' recommendation. The food was really incredibly delicious. I did five grain bread with artichoke hearts (of which there were too few), onions, grilled chicken, cucumbers (which I didn't order, but they were unobtrusive), and- the kicker, that makes all other complaints forgettable- camembert. Jkldkjfskdfj. I am a big fan of camembert, and it was fresh, delicious, plentiful, and the perfect amount of melted. It absolutely made the sandwich. And how cool is it to be at a make-your-own sandwich place where it extends beyond mozzarella, cheddar, and American? Awesome!
But it's not like this place invented camembert. And it's too expensive (the sandwich and a bottle of water brought me to eleven dollars and change- I was still hungry, so I bought a delicious but three dollar chocolate chip cookie). And the seating's awful- I sat on an ottoman of sorts. And I have bad enough posture as it is, so I am really not a fan of seating without a back to it. The service was pretty good, though- they were especially kind to a particularly rude member in our group (although I hope they spit in her food).
I don't know. Bottom line, it's a day later and my mouth is still watering, thinking about the cheese. But it was an eleven dollar sandwich, so that sucks. So I'd head back, but I don't think I'll make a point of it. But it's a nice place to eat before heading to Playwrights Horizons, or the Signature, or Theatre Row.
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yelp duped my sister into going to starwich yesterday, mostly for the free wireless but also for a chill place with decent food. i met her there and we were both pretty disappointed.
my sis is not on yelp but here's our gchat convo that followed our visit to starwich:
sister: will you give a review to starwich bc i thought the reviews were misleadingly positive and i dont have a yelp acct
me: do you remember the name of that sandwich you had?
sister: no, it had a stupid name
sister: say that the catering staff were like, bustling around and making it sort of unpleasant to be there
me: i'd say is that the bathroom is annoyingly inaccessible and the sandwich was oily and gross
(SIDENOTE: the sandwich was purportedly healthy with grilled eggplant, zucchini and red peppers open face with a slice of cheese and pesto. instead, it was an oily, heavy mess that made us both feel disgusting)
sister: also say that the make your own sandwich menu is too complicated
me: i mean, the employees seemed nice to me
sister: so then you are forced into getting a premade sandwich
yeah but they also put my muffin in a really wasteful to-go container and huge plastic bag without asking me
and the muffin was served on a disposable plate
and the coffee was given automatically in a disposable cup
which annoyed me
me: ok
and also, how much did things cost?
(ballpark)
sister: coffee + muffin was 3.25, sandwich + water was 11
overpriced
me: so, 2 stars?
sister: yeah
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I agree with other Yelpers' comments on this one. I had the duck confit sandwich. Was it good? Yes. Was it $12.95 good? Sorry, don't think so. The sandwich was actually kinda small and skimpy too. Yes, I understand that you're paying for quality ingredients and all, but still... Fill me up at least a little, ya know? The build-your-own sandwich seems like a better deal since you get to choose 5 fillings for $8.95. But does $9 for a sandwich sound much better?
On the other hand, Starwich provides another option to the Starbucks on the corner if you're in need of a quick fix before a show at Signature Theater. Unfortunately, it is a bit of a no-man's land once you pass 10th Avenue.
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Had to put in my two cents, since my coworkers already have. Everyone in our party was happy with their sandwiches, including me--they definitely pass my "good bread + good cheese = good sandwich" test. I "built" my own so that I could pair goat cheese (yummm) with pomegranate chicken and pears, but ultimately found the chicken to be sort of bland (or at least not like the beautiful dark dark red pomegranate chicken at Khyber Pass my taste buds were anticipating). It's a nice looking space (the big couches and communal table are a bit too cool for a sandwich place, perhaps), and I will give them extra points for them randomly projecting episodes of The Honeymooners on the wall.
But ultimately I probably won't go back here unless I'm in a big ol' rush before seeing something at Theatre Row or the like, if for no other reason than the steep price tag for a counter-service sandwich joint.
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This place has gourmet charm just oozing out of it. And I should know, because I'm sitting in it right now! Yay for meta-yelping! I suppose I should give it 5 starts just for being a place with free wi-fi so close to my apt., and I certainly can't complain about the food - delicious, inspired, fresh sandwiches and salads. Build your own or try one of their signatures. But there's something about the space here that doesn't quite hit the mark. It's like it's too big for its own good, so it always seems empty. Rather than three gynormous leather couches, I'd rather see a few more tables...But I'm being picky - I like this place a lot. And the staff couldn't be nicer.
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For starters, this place has free wi-fi. Which, in and of itself, warrants a glut of stars. But it's more than just a consistent internet connection.
They have coffee. They put it in those oversized coffee mugs with saucers, and it's not bad. Not great, but not bad.
They have good (if a little pricey) sandwiches. Plus, you can create your own sandwich -- just mark off an order form and they'll make it the way you want it.
They have very friendly and helpful staff. It's almost as if each of them owns part of the business. I had one of the employees ask me if I wanted a refill on my coffee (which they did not charge me for), and then he asked whether I wanted the raw sugar packets or the regular sugar packets. You wanna know what that is? I'll tell you what that is... that's good service.
They have tables AND they have leather couches. So, whether you're feeling button-down businesslike or smoking-jacket* cool, you have a place to sit down. Personally, I almost always feel smoking-jacket cool, so I usually opt for a couch. And an ascot.
They have chargers for your cellphone.
The only thing this place doesn't have going for it is a great location. It's on 42nd, but it's almost to 11th Avenue, so it's out there a bit. But if you are in HK and looking for wi-fi, you've struck gold.
Please note: There is no smoking in Starwich, in a jacket or otherwise.
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I suggested this place (which I had never been to) to grab a bite before a play we were seeing. Who knew what a treat we were in for? Customizable upscale sandwiches and salads. And, it had such a cool dining area, I wanted to steal everything and take it home with me (or I could just live there...). 3 out of 4 of us went with customized choices, while I got a standard menu option (the soft shell crab sandwich). There were two short rib sandwiches in different variations and a customized salad. We were all satisfied. Too bad we coouldn't say the same for the play...
ate here last night with my fellow yelpers Chelsea J and Alli K before we went to the theater. the food was very tasty -- i ordered the duck confit sandwich, they both made-their-own -- and the staff was indeed very nice. i have to agree with Sam that the place seemed empty and definitely needs more tables (our plates were on our laps), but the main reason for my giving this place only 3 stars is because of the prices. yes it's a quick pre-theater bite, and yes our meal was good, but i think $9-12 is exorbitant for a sandwich. i suppose that's times square for ya and i may go here in the future, but only as a last resort.
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I like the sandwiches from here a lot even if they are pricey. I have tried a few and made some of my own and they are all good quality if not always the pairings I would make myself. Once I got the wrong stuff on a sandwich and they not only remade it for me I got an apology and 50% off my next one which was nice. It's a decent place for a slightly splurgy lunch in midtown. I don't really understand why they have a giant $$ Flatscreen monitor though since it just display's their logo and a tiny video of the prep area. Seems like a waste
Thi swa sby far the best sandwich I have had anywhere in the city ! You can choose from a list of ingredients, right down to type of bread to fully customize your sandwich, and you really can't go wrong ! All of the ingredients are so fresh, tasty, and oh did I mention amazing! There is a cute communal dining room table & couches to settle in with your AMAZING sandwich, or AMAZING Soup & one of the newspapers hanging on the wall. Definitely worth the trip from anywhere in the tristate area
It doesn't take much to make the mundane into the gourmet, but it's amazing what a difference the little things make. Starwich is fresh, clean, pleasant, and totally customizable - you get none of the mess or slop you might associate with a typical sandwich deli. It's worth the few extra bucks - I've never been disappointed.
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