Cafe Kristall

New York, United States

3.9

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 212-274-1500
Website:
kg-ny.com
Address:
70 Mercer St, New York, NY, 10012
b/t Spring St & Broome St
SoHo
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
880 ftSpring Street (6)
940 ftPrince Street (N,R)
0.2 miCanal Street (N,Q,R)
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
Yes
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Street
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Trendy, Upscale
Noise Level
Quiet
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today –
Local time (New York) 10:32 Friday, 29 November 2024

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Café Kristall features renowned chef Kurt Gutenbrunner’s contemporary Central European cooking. Open for lunch and dinner daily, Café Kristall is a perfect retreat for a lunch meeting, post-​shopping snack or elegant dinner in SoHo. Expect soups, salads, sandwiches, and other Austrian edibles. Additionally, they serve the same phenomenal desserts (sachertorte, apple strudel) and pastries found at uptown sister restaurant, Café Sabarsky. The wine list features Austrian and German wines and specialty cocktails are available, too. Both the café and private dining room are available for private rental.

History

Established in 2012.

Café Kristall is the newest creation of Kurt Gutenbrunner– an elegant Austrian panorama of fine Austrian cuisine and beverages in SoHo. The main café caters to the public from lunch until the early evening providing a relaxing escape from the busy streets & luxury boutiques of SoHo, while the downstairs is designated for special events and private dinners in an artistic milieu. In Café Kristall — adjacent to the Swarovski Crystallized store — one is surrounded by beautiful chandeliers, art, textures, and original designs from Austria’s finest artisans.

Our dining room features an assortment of one-​of-​a-​kind Swarovski light pieces and works of art by Hermann Nitsch, Albert Oehlen and Alejandro Garmendia. Our private dining room is available for lunch and dinner events as well as cocktail receptions.

Weekday Lunch Special

— Chef’s Prix Fixe– $ 26

Happy Hour! Monday to Friday 4:30pm-6:30pm

–Two for one specialty cocktails, wines by the glass

Meet the Business Owner

Kurt G.

Business Owner

Kurt Gutenbrunner is New York City’s leading Austrian chef, and the owner of the Michelin-​starred restaurant Wallse, along with Blaue Gans, Café Sabarsky, Café Kristall and The Upholstery Store wine bar. Over the course of his thirty-​year career in the hospitality business, he has worked in some of the world’s great restaurants, including Relais et Château Richard Löwenherz, Crans Montan, Rotisserie Prinz Eugen, and Bouley.

Café Kristall — CLOSED also recommends

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«It’s a sister restaurant.»

Café Sabarsky

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Austrian Restaurants

,

Cafes

Kurt G. says,

«It’s a sister restaurant.»

Blaue Gans

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«It’s a sister restaurant.»

Upholstery Store: Food and Wine

58

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Wine Bars

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Seafood Restaurants

,

Cocktail Bars

Kurt G. says,

«It’s our sister wine bar.»

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20 reviews of Cafe Kristall

No registration required
Place rating: 1
Raleigh, NC
Came here with a group of 8 for a client lunch. Only people in the place, service was so so, but the food was horrible. Literally not a single person out of the 8 enjoyed their meal.
Place rating: 4
Singapore, Singapore
Came here on a living social voucher, which was such a good deal! I would never think about trying this place if not for the deal. This place is perfect for a quiet afternoon break with your girl friends! The array of desserts displayed in front of you, the huge chandeliers, the attentive bartender/​server, the dainty and tasty sandwiches and of course, the delicious cocktails. We had the Kristall as our choice of cocktail, yummilicious! For the sandwiches, we ordered 2 foie gras, a smoke salmon and a matjes & onion one. Each sandwich came in 2 portions (a slice of bread split into halves) — so they are not huge portions but both of us get to try each flavour. The foie gras sandwich was the best… soooo good! So glad we ordered 2 portions of that. And the waiter was really sweet to give us an extra portion of the egg sandwich. To finish these off, we got a Mozart cake to share and it was the perfect brunch for us. Despite all these, I have to deduct a star for the price if you were to come here without a deal. $ 12 for 2 slices of bread seem a bit too steep for my liking.
Place rating: 3
Irvington, NJ
Very cute lil café off the beaten path in Soho. The server was a little nervous and didnt start off to well as he passed out table about 3 times before checking on us and getting us menus. But once that was done he was very nice and attentive to us. I had the scallops and fennel which was very tasty and my other half had the wiener schitenzel (spelling) which she raved about. Dessert we had the chocolate an hazelnut cake and anything chocolate delight that looked like chocolate lava cake. They were okay but I wasn’t overly impressed. The whipped cream needed better flavoring and the chocolate hazelnut cake was a lil to hard. we the perfect place to bring her for a date. I would definitely go back. Awesome first date place or just date night out. All in all I give it 3 ½ stars. Going to check out the brunch one Saturday.
Place rating: 5
New York, NY
Simply lovely. The ambiance is fantastic and you are literally surrounded by crystal chandeliers and sparkling glass. The seating is in small booths and the service is phenomenal. We had the $ 25 prix fixe lunch and it was great. My beets and horseradish crème fraîche with mache greens was delicious; the beets were tender and covered in a light, sweet vinaigrette and the crème was delectable and light with just the perfect touch of horseradish. The scallops and cauliflower entrée comprised of two HUGE, lightly pan-​seared scallops and tender, roasted cauliflower with accents of sauteed greens and oranges. Portions are small but perfect. We were too full for the dessert but our waiter was kind enough to allow us to substitute the chocolate mint tea, which was fantastic. The paprika chicken was also very good, with a thigh and drumstick sauteed in a rich, semi-​spicy sauce with peppers and a side of spatzle. Will definitely be back to try more of the menu. The private dining room in the basement is great for special dinner events since it’s quiet, chic, and quite beautiful, for lack of a better description.
Place rating: 4
Brooklyn, NY
Had a great brunch here but there’s a lot that could use a bit of improvement. A — There really should be a brunch menu outside as I noticed a lot of people looking at the selections and prices of their regular menu and probably didn’t know they could get eggs at 12:30 in the afternoon. Décor is nice, service was actually too attentive (I was on a date), and our scrambled eggs with bacon and mixed green ($ 12) were pretty good. Though the bacon could have been degreased before plating. Prices were… off though. Getting a $ 12 brunch plate is great, but for a $ 5 coffee is odd. Perhaps they should just make it $ 17 and also give us some bread.
Place rating: 4
Brooklyn, NY
Not going to lie — my only reason for picking this place was for the 1,000 opentable points during brunch.
I came here with a friend and even though the brunch menu (online) didn’t seem extensive, they also serve their regular lunch menu as well. So there were plenty of choices to choose from.
I first walked in and thought I was in the wrong location. It is a very nice place like dinner nice. It has an elite old feel to it. When I first walked in, it just felt out of my price range? Also it’s connected to another store which was kinda odd. I couldn’t tell if it was connected to a mall until I went to use the restroom and got a closer look.
I ended up getting the scrambled eggs ($ 11). It came with bacon and a side salad. The scrambled eggs were cooked perfectly with pumpkinseed oil (as it says on the menu) but it was also topped with pumpkinseeds! The bacon was delicious and plentiful. The salad was delicious, had a great light dressing on it though I“m not sure what exactly it is.
My friend ordered the eggs benedict, which was good as well. He ate the whole thing and really enjoyed it. I loved that the ham on this benedict was thick (think the size of your pinky).
I tried to order a coffee but they had no non-​dairy options (soy or almond milk) available so obviously I ordered a mimosa ($ 12 — yes it cost more than my entrée!) My friend ordered a bloody mary, which you can choose your brand of vodka.
We also ordered a dessert to share — the chocolate soufflé, which was all right. The presentation wasn’t the great and it was small but it was only $ 6.
Our server was cool, very nice and attentive.
Place rating: 3
San Jose, CA
Thanksgiving menu was simple but tasty. And that might have been the problem for us.
We traveled to NY to spend time with family and decided to celebrate at a nice restaurant. The table setting was stark except for a single tuberose arrangement and the art collection was good for lots of discussion … fun for us. Our servers were excellent, especially the bartender /​sommelier who prepared an Old-​Fashioned and martinis with refreshing surprises. His recommended Austrian wine was also very nice.
The Thanksgiving set menu had a starter chestnut soup with truffle — rich flavor that lingered long in the mouth. The turkey entrée had a generous portion of moist light and dark meat with a slight demi-​glacé over the meat. This was not the usual homemade gravy from roasted birds. The accompanying vegetable was a rich braised red cabbage; the brioche dumpling was OK. My brother had the slow-​cooked salmon that looked well prepared and he did not share with us.
Dessert was a quince and pear strudel with apple cider sorbet that was simply delicious.
The server staff made our time at Kristall a festive occasion but as we were walking home I did not feel like my Thanksgiving appetite had been satisfied. The entrée could have had one more side or perhaps a more complex dressing.
I saw their regular menu online and will give them a try on our next trip to NY.
Place rating: 3
Manhattan, NY
I’m usually all about the food and that’s all… But this place lacked any sense of atmosphere.
I get it, this place is hanging off of the Swarovski Crystal store, but man is it gawdy.
It couldn’t be any further from the website’s description «chef Kurt Gutenbrunner’s sleek minimalist restaurant.»
It’s sad, because the food was actually very good! The $ 35 Pre Fixe was also a good deal…
I’d like to go back for the food, but I don’t think I’ll be able to endure the bright lights and glimmering chandeliers again.
Place rating: 5
New York, NY
We came in here with a Daily Candy deal and weren’t expecting much.
The restaurant is in the back of a Swarovski store, which explained the Kristall name. The décor is very well done with marble tables, and creative lamps.
The cocktails were great. Very strong, not overly sweet, perfect for sipping.
The sandwiches were a bit small, you get 4 per $ 12 order, but the sandwiches are moreso just crostinis.
We had the squash soup, it was perfect, especially the pieces of carrot.
The market salad was good, not great.
The apple strudel was amazing. It tasted like you’re in Austrian.
We’re definitely coming back, and we’re glad we came in thanks to the voucher. Without it we would have never tried this place.
Place rating: 5
Manhattan, NY
Come on Veal Schnitzel, amazing! Good as it gets! The Corn Crab soup was superb. Our server was so nice and out of his was attentive. The 3 course pre-​fixe is the way to go, the Apple Strudel is excellent.
The décor is a bit on the strange side, very Euro but still cozy. The Café/​Restaurant is connected to a Swarovski store is Soho.
Place rating: 4
Jersey City, NJ
Bring on the BLING! Out with the old and in with the new and improved. Café Kristall is FINALLY back and is now open with a new look and a new menu! Because I can’t do it all in one day here are my highlights from my first – of many – visits to the renewed Café Kristall:
Open-​Faced Sandwiches
Six very delightful sandwich choices. If you can’t decide, order them all like I did!
— Eggs on Eggs
— Chicken & Foie Gras (my personal favorite)
— Matjes & Onion (Boilermaker’s favorite)
— Smoked Salmon
— Smoked Ham
— Goat Cheese & Green Asparagus (my 2nd favorite)
If you visit Café Kristall’s Happy Hour you can get the open-​faced sandwiches for $ 2!
Entrees
They have many selections from red snapper to classic wiener schnitzel. I am so glad Boilermaker likes to share food because I had no problem eating off her plate!
Spätzle
I tried so hard to pronounce this correctly but in the end I failed. All that really matters is how good it was. Boilermaker killed it! Did I mention it has rock shrimp in it?
Café Kristall Specials: Happy Hour
2−4−1 is what they are calling it. Monday thru Friday from 5−8pm you can have two cocktails or wine for the price of one! You are going to want to try the the drink formally called «White Kristall» and now just called «Kristall»! The Blackberry Julep is also worth a try.
Place rating: 5
Brooklyn, NY
i came here the week of my birthday after having been to Chef Gutenbrunner’s Wallse. I came alone, as I wanted, to read a new novel and have dinner.
I was the only customer at 6:30 pm on a Tuesday. i had a glass of wine, a salad, the spaetzle, and another glass of wine.
Total bill — $ 35, and I did not order the cheapest wine either.
The service was perfect; the atmosphere also great. I don’t like crowds but I like to enjoy myself and treat myself well. This place is great — I heartily recommend Café Kristall as a place to go that is unique and will please your companion.
Place rating: 5
Williamsburg, NY
I was very impressed and satisfied with my experience at Café Kristall the other night. I love all kinds of food, but it’s not exactly frequent where I find myself with a hankering for «Austrian». Which isn’t to say that I did on Friday night, either. But having heard good things about the space, and having loved the chef’s work at Wallse, I thought it worth a try.
I’m glad I did. Everything from the décor to the service – and of course to the food – was top notch. The atmosphere is sleek, modern, elegant, yet not stuffy by any means. It’s downtown-​cool, punctuated by a large bar and high-​top tables nearby that make it seem casual enough for a small bite and a drink, while at the same time feeling «special». There was a nice scene of artist-​types having a drink that bar.
My GF had the trout, which was simple and full of flavor, and I went old school and kept it simple with a basic wiener schnitzel, which happened to have been the tastiest and most delicately fried version of that dish that I’ve had. There are a LOT of fresh vegetables on the menu, and we had two for appetizers (tomato salad, white asparagus), which were also great. The cocktail list was short and sweet, and we both enjoyed what we ordered in that respect. We didn’t do wine that night, so I cannot comment on their selection, but can say that the sommelier was available and helpful.
CK does a really great job of keeping things light and flavorful, which, let’s be honest, is likely a challenge when dealing with a central-​European palate. I left feeling satisfied yet not heavy and stuffed.
Again worth mentioning: the service was pleasant and helpful; an ideal balance of doting and available, but not intrusive.
Place rating: 5
Washington, DC
The place is small but absolutely beautiful inside! We had a very charming waitress named Barbara. The drinks were amazing!!! If you like sweet drinks get the Sparkling Pear and the White Crystal.
The food portions were small but very unique. Unfortunately limited selection for vegetarians. There’s a large dessert selection. At lunchtime on a Saturday the place was empty.
Place rating: 3
Chicago, IL
this place is literally next door to my office — but last Thursday was my first visit of this café.
it is very pretty scene with the crystal decorations. They have large table down stair that accommodate a large group — i think that area is perfect for bridal shower or any small group party
happy hour 5−8pm is definitely a good deal. all the wine and cocktail are around $ 11 – 14 and you need to order 2 per HH to get half off deal or you say ‘get one drink and get one free’.
The bartender is really friendly as other Unilocaler say. He let me and my friend split the deal, so we don’t need to purchase 2 drinks mandatory.
It is still pretty empty… and HHour deal is officially only at the bar area — but again — bar tendor is very nice… he let you seat. (store is still empty)
Also they give you free small bite while HH. I didn’t like the small bite food — one was avocado wrap dish and another was some for of veggie dish… didn’t like it.
but scene is pretty –i might visit there again.
Place rating: 3
New York, NY
Tried this place with girlfriends per a Blackboard Eats referral.
The restaurant doubles as a store, so it feels like you’re eating in the foyer of a brightly lit shop, which is twinkling with crystal ornamentation (thus the name of the store-​restaurant).
Limited menu with just the right amount of options. Food, wine, desserts are all great.
We were one of three tables in the restaurant and there was only one server for all of us, and he needed more help.
Four stars for the food. Three stars for being understaffed.
Place rating: 3
Brooklyn, NY
This place is very. .. odd. It’s attached to a Swarovski store, so I guess it’s where rich people are supposed to come eat after spending money on sparkly things, but instead it’s dead empty from 7:00 until close on a Tuesday night. The happy hour special (half off drinks from 5 – 8) is nice in theory, but when a glass of wine costs $ 13 (the same as a cocktail), it’s not so exciting.
I came here with a BlackboardEats coupon, otherwise I would never step foot in the place. It’s covered with crystals, which I should have expected from the name and Unilocal photos, but it felt like it was trying too hard to be trendy; the casual diners don’t match the environment.
The bartender/​waiter was strange but friendly, and we got everything in good time. He gave us suggestions on what to order and the food was pretty good. I’d recommend the crab meat or salmon/​avocado appetizer, and the mushroom soup was very good, if a little heavy. My sister got the fettuccine that was a little mehhh. We were in the mood for some dessert, so our waiter highly recommended the Mozartkugel (way too rich) and we also randomly ordered the Florentiner, which was described as «cookies» but came as just one sad, bland cookie on a plate.
All in all, I had a fine time and can’t complain about the food or drinks, but the décor and prices are just not my style.
Place rating: 5
Hartford, CT
My friend and I came here for lunch with my BBEats 30% discount. We peeped in and agreed it wasn’t necessarily what we expected. It looked super chic, had lots of crystals everywhere, and was empty. Foreboding? Yes, a little. But our stomachs told us to stay. And we are so glad we did!
Suffice it to say, as the only customers, we had great service. Walter didn’t crowd us but was right on hand with water.
We ordered the schnitzel and the salmon entrees. Both were over $ 22 regularly, more than we’re used to spending. Nonetheless, we both agree that they were excellent. My friend, who’s German, said the schnitzel was just right and very good. Comforting. My salmon was out of control awesome. Cooked perfectly. The creamy spinach was also flavorful without being too heavy.
There had been a slight mix up with my salmon dish because there are lunch and entrée portions. Walter was very apologetic and explained that the chefs rotate, a concept I didn’t really know about. Nonetheless, he let me keep the incorrect-​yet-​still-​delicious salmon sandwich while my salmon entrée dish was being made. Walter even let me take the leftovers!
Place rating: 4
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
The most eloquent blend of art and dessert that I have ever seen. Café Kristall is located within the Swarovski Crystallized boutique on Mercer St in SoHo. It’s quiet, despite being in busy SoHo. Elegant, like a museum. Crystal-​adorned wall pieces and even stools, just divine for a Swarovski fan.
I dropped in for coffee and to sample some Austrian dessert with some friends while recently in town. I went with a latte and the namesake Kristalltorte. What a divine selection! The cake was so light and moist, with a strawberry and champagne and mousse accent along with a strawberry compote. Dessert normally must involve chocolate for me, so that fact that this one didn’t and still managed to wow my tastebuds is saying a lot!
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
Quite the treasure in tourist-​clogged Soho! I read about this place a while back and made a mental note to visit, especially after the SeriousEats blogs. This is a perfect place to grab a relaxing, simple meal or have afternoon tea with a girlfriend. I had an exhausting day at work and battling the crowds in Soho and needed a break. I decided to grab a quick, early dinner for 1. The place was only about a quarter full, so I do not know if reservations are smart for later in the evening.
There are two points of entry — from Broadway through the Swarovski shop (pretty jewelry, don’t be distracted) or from Mercer. There is no hostess station. Only a few tables were full and the waitstaff were waiting from behind the bar, which also has plenty of seats.
The décor is sparkling, reflective, and bright. White walls with plenty of mirrored surfaces, some covered with crystals. The lounge chairs were very comfortable.
I started with the wild mushroom soup. It came with two balls of «Tiroler Speckknödel», aka bacon dumplings, which I broke down in the soup. Although it was cream based, it wasn’t heavy. Perfect and fragrant for a cold day. Then, I had the spätzle with shrimp and broccoli. Generous portion size. I could only eat about half of it. I still think Perry St has my favorite spätzle in the city. Overall, the dish was a little too salty for my taste.
My favorite part was the dessert — coffee and cake. If you entered from the Broadway entrance, you passed the case of cakes at the end of the bar. I took a quick glance at the case and immediately decided to go with the «Exotische Fruchttorte» — Coconut dacquoise, passion fruit cream, exotic fruit mousse. The dessert was very light and the coconut added depth and texture, along with the passion fruit seeds. Not to mention, the dessert was gorgeous. Coffee is strong, very hot, and comes Viennese style on a silver tray with sugar. If anything, you have to visit for the desserts.
The service was just attentive enough.
I love Austrian food, especially coffee/​cake. This place serves authentic Austrian without the secondhand smoke experience (which is a big thumbs up in my book) that I remember from my Austrian travels.