My family and I had an absolutely wonderful time here. We loved the food and we were grateful to support a business that’s doing such good in the world.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shakshuka VT GF
Lolin L.
Workers at Emma's torch were extremely friendly, from taking our order at the counter, to handing us our food and helping us clean up. This is an order at the counter and sit down kind of cafe. Their kitchen is opened until 3pm. Late afternoon on a Saturday, all their tables were full. We got an order of fries, crispy chicken sandwich, a waffle breakfast sandwich which is a weekend special, and a latte. Their latte had a dark espresso flavor that balanced well the amount of milk in a latte. The waffle breakfast sandwich is made with a sunny side up egg, Canadian bacon, cheese, blueberry compote? Sandwiched between two quarters of a Belgian waffle. I was thrown off by the blueberry but it actually was such a nice touch that balanced the saltiness of the Canadian bacon. Definitely more of a knife and fork job but I enjoyed every bite! Crispy chicken sandwich was made with a juicy crispy chicken thigh and refreshing slaw. The fries are dusted with some harissa seasoning I believe. Very crispy. We both enjoyed our meals a lot! Will definitely be back. Loved the mission of this place as well.
Sogol B.
Great service and food!! The avocado toast was very fresh and the seasonal marzipan latte was amazing. Love the mission and will be back in the future!
Francesco B.
Very limited choices and what they offer on the menu sometimes is not available (they run out of yogurt). Also, the muffins they sold me were as hard as a rock, clearly bad, and jave been sitting there for days. A food establishment that sells stale food and offer things they don't have certainly is not a place I'd recommend. There are much better coffee shops to go to in the area, I wouldn't go here again
Rachel Brady
Professional, friendly, and delicious! They have gluten free and vegan options too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lilia Vero
Emma’s Torch is all times favorite. Originally I chose them because it’s a non profit providing education for refugees but as a restaurant they are really good at cooking. Avocado toast or salmon tartine, baked goods, pancakes and grab and go items – everything is delicious. Most of the times cooks bring the food and the warmth, the smile and the excitement on their faces are truly a highlight of a visit. The only thing is that recently they started using only disposable dishes and cutlery even for to stay orders. Though biodegradable still there is nothing better for the planet like actual dishes and of course the feeling of eating from a paper dish is different. I hope this can be changed. Best of luck, favorite cafe in Carrol Gardens.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black-Eyed Pea Hummus V GF, Hummus and Pita, Avocado Toast V
Vlad Voloshin
We were looking for a cafe with a nice ambiance and walked into Emma's torch. I loved that tea and coffee were served in real cups (not paper plastic) Avocado toast was very nice, but I wish we could use non plastic cutlery. Team was very friendly.. overall great place ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado Toast V
Chrissy M.
Wow great food and service. Kitchen is only open until 3pm but they have pastries and whatnot for after. It is a cozy little hidden gem for a good cause. I'm so happy I finally tried this spot ! Excellent cinnamon bun!
Margaret L.
Lovely spot for a coffee or a bite! I happened to walk by on a Sunday afternoon and had to go in because the courtyard looked so inviting. The hawaij spiced hot cocoa was served in the cutest mug. Hawaij is a spice blend used across Yemeni cuisine in dishes like soups/curries/coffee, and I loved the extra dimension it added to the hot cocoa. I actually ordered a second cup for the road. The staff were pleasant and happy to answer questions about the menu. Quick shout out also to the culinary training program Emma's Torch has for refugees - such a great cause and makes me feel good to patronize this business! This would be a great spot to get some work/reading done in the daytime, since there is plenty of seating both inside and outside as well as wifi and a restroom. I didn't try any food but plan to on my next visit. If it's nice out, definitely sit in the courtyard and enjoy the view of the Carroll Gardens brownstones stretching down the block.
The egg and cheese on a biscuit is next level ? and the staff is pleasant, but you need some honey and lemon for tea!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
ally atchison
Came here for brunch on a Sunday, no wait and fast service! Order at the counter and find a table, there was plenty of seating in the cute outdoor courtyard. A nice vibe and attentive staff. They don’t accept tips as they are a nonprofit, so coming here is a great way to support their mission. The food is excellent, and one of the top restaurants in the neighborhood. I had the French toast that comes with a sweet blackberry compote so you don’t need syrup. And I tried the red pepper feta and egg sandwich which had a nice flavor. There are healthy options for vegetarians, and I can’t wait to try more dishes!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sasha Dorje
Quiet little café with fantastic seating options and an amazing mission. Almost invisible on Smith Street. Excellent coffee and fresh baked goods. Please stop by.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sarah B.
This is my second visit to Emma's Torch. The first time I kind of wandered in, but this visit was deliberate. What's not to love? It's chill and charming, the food and drinks are good, the prices are extremely reasonable, the staff is terrific - and the mission (to train refugees and asylees and trafficking survivors for careers in the food and beverage industry) is exemplary. How great is it to spend a bit of your restaurant budget in a place that is actively making our world a little bit better every day? IMO, pretty great.
Highly recommend the Hawaij mocha, it’s sooooo
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My family and I had an absolutely wonderful time here. We loved the food and we were grateful to support a business that’s doing such good in the world.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shakshuka VT GF
Workers at Emma's torch were extremely friendly, from taking our order at the counter, to handing us our food and helping us clean up. This is an order at the counter and sit down kind of cafe. Their kitchen is opened until 3pm. Late afternoon on a Saturday, all their tables were full. We got an order of fries, crispy chicken sandwich, a waffle breakfast sandwich which is a weekend special, and a latte. Their latte had a dark espresso flavor that balanced well the amount of milk in a latte. The waffle breakfast sandwich is made with a sunny side up egg, Canadian bacon, cheese, blueberry compote? Sandwiched between two quarters of a Belgian waffle. I was thrown off by the blueberry but it actually was such a nice touch that balanced the saltiness of the Canadian bacon. Definitely more of a knife and fork job but I enjoyed every bite! Crispy chicken sandwich was made with a juicy crispy chicken thigh and refreshing slaw. The fries are dusted with some harissa seasoning I believe. Very crispy. We both enjoyed our meals a lot! Will definitely be back. Loved the mission of this place as well.
Great service and food!! The avocado toast was very fresh and the seasonal marzipan latte was amazing. Love the mission and will be back in the future!
Very limited choices and what they offer on the menu sometimes is not available (they run out of yogurt). Also, the muffins they sold me were as hard as a rock, clearly bad, and jave been sitting there for days. A food establishment that sells stale food and offer things they don't have certainly is not a place I'd recommend. There are much better coffee shops to go to in the area, I wouldn't go here again
Professional, friendly, and delicious! They have gluten free and vegan options too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Emma’s Torch is all times favorite. Originally I chose them because it’s a non profit providing education for refugees but as a restaurant they are really good at cooking. Avocado toast or salmon tartine, baked goods, pancakes and grab and go items – everything is delicious. Most of the times cooks bring the food and the warmth, the smile and the excitement on their faces are truly a highlight of a visit. The only thing is that recently they started using only disposable dishes and cutlery even for to stay orders. Though biodegradable still there is nothing better for the planet like actual dishes and of course the feeling of eating from a paper dish is different. I hope this can be changed. Best of luck, favorite cafe in Carrol Gardens.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black-Eyed Pea Hummus V GF, Hummus and Pita, Avocado Toast V
We were looking for a cafe with a nice ambiance and walked into Emma's torch. I loved that tea and coffee were served in real cups (not paper plastic) Avocado toast was very nice, but I wish we could use non plastic cutlery. Team was very friendly.. overall great place ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado Toast V
Wow great food and service. Kitchen is only open until 3pm but they have pastries and whatnot for after. It is a cozy little hidden gem for a good cause. I'm so happy I finally tried this spot ! Excellent cinnamon bun!
Lovely spot for a coffee or a bite! I happened to walk by on a Sunday afternoon and had to go in because the courtyard looked so inviting. The hawaij spiced hot cocoa was served in the cutest mug. Hawaij is a spice blend used across Yemeni cuisine in dishes like soups/curries/coffee, and I loved the extra dimension it added to the hot cocoa. I actually ordered a second cup for the road. The staff were pleasant and happy to answer questions about the menu. Quick shout out also to the culinary training program Emma's Torch has for refugees - such a great cause and makes me feel good to patronize this business! This would be a great spot to get some work/reading done in the daytime, since there is plenty of seating both inside and outside as well as wifi and a restroom. I didn't try any food but plan to on my next visit. If it's nice out, definitely sit in the courtyard and enjoy the view of the Carroll Gardens brownstones stretching down the block.
Restaurantji Recommends
Worth it for the price. Lovely staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
The egg and cheese on a biscuit is next level ? and the staff is pleasant, but you need some honey and lemon for tea!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Came here for brunch on a Sunday, no wait and fast service! Order at the counter and find a table, there was plenty of seating in the cute outdoor courtyard. A nice vibe and attentive staff. They don’t accept tips as they are a nonprofit, so coming here is a great way to support their mission. The food is excellent, and one of the top restaurants in the neighborhood. I had the French toast that comes with a sweet blackberry compote so you don’t need syrup. And I tried the red pepper feta and egg sandwich which had a nice flavor. There are healthy options for vegetarians, and I can’t wait to try more dishes!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Quiet little café with fantastic seating options and an amazing mission. Almost invisible on Smith Street. Excellent coffee and fresh baked goods. Please stop by.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is my second visit to Emma's Torch. The first time I kind of wandered in, but this visit was deliberate. What's not to love? It's chill and charming, the food and drinks are good, the prices are extremely reasonable, the staff is terrific - and the mission (to train refugees and asylees and trafficking survivors for careers in the food and beverage industry) is exemplary. How great is it to spend a bit of your restaurant budget in a place that is actively making our world a little bit better every day? IMO, pretty great.