Spiffy and simple, with a rather modern aesthetic, you might expect Antique Cafe to be called something else—maybe Chelsea Grill—to reflect its smart decor. Except for the classic Parisian café chairs and some Deco-like hanging lamps, there aren’t a lot of treasured heirlooms to be found around the place. That’s because Antique Cafe grew from a smaller place that opened 12 years ago to service the needs of the legions of antiques hounds who descended at dawn on the makeshift markets set up in the empty parking lots along Sixth Avenue. Those lots have all been replaced by luxury high-rises, and Antique Cafe moved into one of them seven years ago. The good news: The café is large, airy and brightly lit, and the building affords a generous space in back for a patio (heaven in the warmer months). The even better news: a modern kitchen meant an expanded menu beyond just breakfast bites. Lobster salad with mango, honeydew and frisée in champagne vinaigrette is just the dish to fortify you for serious shopping. Free-range chicken topped with Barolo sauce is what you might want when returning for something substantial in the evening. As for breakfast bites, how about full-tilt brunch? Buttermilk pancakes anyone?

Lobster salad
Free-range chicken
Angus burger
Crispy fried calamari
Sunrise special (scrambled eggs and smoked salmon)
*menu changes daily
view full menu here

Sit in the garden under bright red umbrellas whenever possible, or anywhere inside the warm and welcoming interior space.

Want to throw a party? Special dinner menus are available for groups of 12 to 24. Want to throw a party at your own place? Antique Cafe will do breakfast, lunch, dinner, birthdays, kids’ celebrations—you name it—for up to 100.

breakfast: Mon.–Fri. 8 AM–11 AM
lunch: Mon.–Fri. 11 AM–4 PM
dinner: Mon.–Fri. 5 PM–10 PM
brunch: Sat.–Sun. 8 AM–5 PM

$11 (veggie burger) to $24 (steak frites)
*wine and beer only