Tico’s Cafeteria is a low key neighborhood Cuban American cafe that serves drinks, pastries, and food throughout the day. Though it seems small and understated, it punches well above its weight with a packed menu. Drinks alone cover coffee (with distinct sections for Cuban dark roasted espresso drinks and American light roasted espresso drinks), fresh fruit juices, island inspired cocktails, beer and wine. The pastry case features familiar Cuban flavors like guava, piña and guayaba.

But you should really be coming for the food. Breakfast ranges from savory empanadas to torrejas with caramalized pineapple. For the rest of the day there’s sandwiches, bowls and salads with your choice of mojo chicken, bistec, mango salsa tofu, garlic lime shrimp or the truly decadent lechon with guava BBQ sauce. Their Cubano sandwich was recognized in the New York Times 57 Sandwiches that Define NYC in 2024. The bright, colorful space makes for an excellent place to hang, grab a quick breakfast, a solo lunch, an afternoon pick me up. Perhaps because of its out of the way location, it hasn’t blown up in popularity, so whether or not you’re from the neighborhood, you’ll feel like a part of the community with each bite and sip.