Thea

I was pleasantly surprised to find a short line when I arrived around 1 pm, though they were sold out of most of their pastries. The cinnamon walnut babka was still available. It was good, but not mind-blowing. I decided to try their lunch special: a chicken shawarma sandwich, and it was hands down one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had, definitely in the top tier! I also tried one of their teas, which was forgettable. But overall, the experience was so good, I’m already planning my next visit to try more treats.

Thea is possibly my new favorite bakery/cafe in Brooklyn. Led by the team of Theodora Brooklyn and Miss Ada, Thea is an artisan bakery serving Mexican and Mediterranean inspired pastries and bread in Fort Greene. I can’t praise enough their falafel pita and jerusalem bagel. ＊Mexican Falafel Sandwich $16 *** I had a sudden craving for falafel pita sandwich and WOW, this one 100% matched my high expectation!! It was generously stuffed with three chickpea falafels, avocado, tomato corn pico, cotija cheese and more. The flavors were rich and harmonious. The pita was very fresh and made it less messy to eat. ＊Twice-Baked Kataifi Croissant $6.5 * I secured their last kataifi croissant on their pastry shelf. It was exquisitely crafted and twice baked to a golden hue. The shredded filo and cinnamon on top were addictive. The center was filled with a thick layer of vanilla bean custard. It was quite heavy so I’d recommend to share. ＊Jerusalem Bagel $3.5 *** SO UNDERRATED. This jerusalem bagel was the BEST one I’ve had! The crust was perfectly crunchy and well-seasoned. You can add Miss Ada’s labneh on the side, which I definitely should do so next time to elevate the experience!! ＊Egg Salad Bun $11 It was a delicious egg salad bun. Served in a milk bread, it was filled with caramelized onion, honey habanero vinaigrette, and dill. ＊Chai Latte $5.5, Matcha Latte $5.5 I really wanted a cup of warm chai latte in the cold and this one hit the spot. The foamy latte and spices warmed me up. FYI there were still plenty of pastries when I visited on a weekday and Saturday noon. Seatings are limited though.

Had heard they make great breakfast/brunch sandwiches and was not disappointed - had their swordfish BLT (should be called SLT :) as the Bacon is replaced by a juicy fillet of swordfish) and Sabbich which is a Jewish breakfast sandwich - I am not describing so you ask the person at the counter to describe it to you ! Both were excellent and it goes to show that simple, few high quality ingredients make an excellent sandwich !! Went in again to try their pastrami sandwich which was also way better than I expected - the pastrami was thick cut, flavorful and just the right amount - I generally don’t like very loaded meat sandwiches as it’s generally quantity over quality - not the case with this one. Their coffee and pastries are good as well, but definitely sandwiches set them apart. Besides the food they care about customer service a lot. The first time I went, they were very busy and we had to wait for a long time. After about 30 minutes we asked and they said our order was already picked up (?) - not sure if by accident or stolen. Anyhow, they apologized profusely saying it should not take more than 10 minutes of wait no matter how busy they are, re-ordered the sandwiches and offered us anything we wanted (for free) while we waited. I got myself a cortado and a croissant and here is the kicker- they also refunded the money for our sandwich order as we had to wait. This is truly a gem in Brooklyn so if you are in a mood for a sandwich definitely check this place out ! And if you see a long line - wait - the line moves fast and if they do mess up occasionally they make up for it in spades :)

Delicious pastries. It was a shame the bureka(s) was not bigger, it was over in 4 bites, yet delicious 😋. The coffee is also great, so is the kadaif croissant 🥐 it was filled with sweet sweet curd. The rice pudding was very sweet and good. The place looked very popular with locals flooding the place. Highly recommend 😄

I should come back to try their breakfast items and more elaborate pastries. The plain croissant was ok, it felt a bit old. There are better around, sadly. The chocolate chunk cookie was too sugary for the other flavours to stand out. Lovely place, very nicely set up! Would come back to try more things and be amazed!

My first time there and I loved it. Food was great. Pastries were amazing. Staff was helpful and informative. One suggestions is keep customers with laptops away during busy hours. Nothing like trying to sit down to eat with a lady with a table for three with one cup of coffee and laptop taking up the whole table. Or limit laptops to sitting on stools only.

Came here at about 11:30 on a Friday morning and it was still fairly busy! Waited in line for about 5 minutes and got a white peach iced tea, a slice of their cinnamon walnut babka, and a bacon egg and cheese. They had so many good looking treats so it was difficult to choose! The service was great! Super friendly staff, and observed who seemed like a manager or owner restocking and running food as necessary. Iced tea: 10/10. Perfectly refreshing! Cinnamon walnut babka: 8/10: has powdered sugar on top and kinda wish it was icing! Could be me, but was hoping for something a bit sweeter and stronger flavor profile. Still delicious and very fresh bread. Was deciding between this and the blueberry pistachio pound cake and kinda wish I got that! Bacon, egg, and cheese: 10/10. This was the absolute star. It’s hard to take the simplicity of a classic New York BEC and transform it in a way that maintains the originality, but properly balances their take. They knock it out of the park, with the highlight being the bacon. It’s thick, fatty, and super flavorful. The bread is also more of a roll, but really soft and fresh. It was $11 and they certainly don’t leave you hanging. I knocked one star off of atmosphere just because it’s a bit small, making it hard to wait for food. But would never prevent me from returning. I can’t wait to come back!

Hard to write a bad review of a place you love, but this people have moved on to outright scam its loyal costumer base. On Tuesdays they serve a fish and chips for 26 USD and they give you literally two small pieces of fish. The sandwich same thing. Get the act together please!

Yoooo..... I was yearning for a lil icy latte to pair with this ice cold morning and this place was a suggestion and holllyyyy shiiiizzz, I am so glad we stopped by here. We ordered 3 pastries and omg yes this place is a BAKERY. You know when you see pastries and a lot of the time they look amazing and then more often then not you're slightly disappointed by the tastes/flavors? Yeah, the goods get better after consumption here. All 3 pastries were absolute bangers! Maritozzi, chocolate cinnamon loaf, and macadamia cookie were SCRUMPTIOUS; as seen by the half eaten images of each item. And the best part of all of this too-- the latte was perfect. What more could you ask for? Bonus points because all the staff members working there were quite nice in just the small things. Greeted when we walked in by the barista, the cashier gave us his rec on which cookie to get and we are very glad we asked, and they were all in good moods and happy to be there. Just like us :) space was also nice and packed with people had we opted to stay it looked the perfect level of people on a random morning (enough to grab a seat, but def not empty or giving ghosttown vibes). We shall be back at Thea and based on this I'm eager to try their original spot Theodora. Well done!

Man oh MAN. The food and prices here...offensive (stale pastry, $$$$) but to add salt to my financial wounds, actually made me have food poisoning. The smoked chicken grain salad was still FROZEN in parts- the top layer was slightly room temperature but parts of the egg was frozen and there were still little shards of ice in the frozen salad portion. I was ill after eating some of it, despite stop eating after hitting the frozen part. Service was lackluster. One star for the cute interior, which they put more effort on than food safety.

We ordered the chicken milanesa, halloumi, and chickpea sandwiches to share. All of them were delicious, but my surprising favorite was the halloumi. I thought it'd be ranked third going in. The chickpea sandwich was unique and an interesting combination of ingredients that actually worked really well. You order at the counter. We went on a Saturday afternoon and were able to quickly get a table. They were out of most of the pastries by the time we got there.

Thea is possibly my new favorite bakery/cafe in Brooklyn. Led by the team of Theodora Brooklyn and Miss Ada, Thea is an artisan bakery serving Mexican and Mediterranean inspired pastries and bread in Fort Greene. I can't praise enough their falafel pita and jerusalem bagel. ＊Mexican Falafel Sandwich $16 *** I had a sudden craving for falafel pita sandwich and WOW, this one 100% matched my high expectation!! It was generously stuffed with three chickpea falafels, avocado, tomato corn pico, cotija cheese and more. The flavors were rich and harmonious. The pita was very fresh and made it less messy to eat. ＊Twice-Baked Kataifi Croissant $6.5 * I secured their last kataifi croissant on their pastry shelf. It was exquisitely crafted and twice baked to a golden hue. The shredded filo and cinnamon on top were addictive. The center was filled with a thick layer of vanilla bean custard. It was quite heavy so I'd recommend to share. ＊Jerusalem Bagel $3.5 *** SO UNDERRATED. This jerusalem bagel was the BEST one I've had! The crust was perfectly crunchy and well-seasoned. You can add Miss Ada's labneh on the side, which I definitely should do so next time to elevate the experience!! ＊Egg Salad Bun $11 It was a delicious egg salad bun. Served in a milk bread, it was filled with caramelized onion, honey habanero vinaigrette, and dill. ＊Chai Latte $5.5, Matcha Latte $5.5 I really wanted a cup of warm chai latte in the cold and this one hit the spot. The foamy latte and spices warmed me up. FYI there were still plenty of pastries when I visited on a weekday and Saturday noon. Seatings are limited though.

I came earlier in the morning and there was only a short line to order. The interior is small with a few tables. The service was friendly and quick. I asked the person behind the counter what they recommended and got one of each of their recommendations. My favorite was the kataifi croissant. The kataifi gave the croissant an extra texture, the cream on the inside was just the right amount. The croissant was just the right amount of sweetness and definitely a unique croissant that you can't get elsewhere. The mango labneh maritozzi was good, but it was too much cream for me, and the mango flavor was light. The pumpkin and banana loaves were just okay and I probably wouldn't get them again. The iced latte was solid. Overall a great cafe and I will be back to try their other items!

I think Thea has been an excellent addition to the Fort Greene neighborhood. I'm talking amazing vibes to sit and hang with friends, beautiful interior, great coffee and of course a place to pick up some delicious pastries. My main complaint is that it can take awhile to get your order during busy times. There have been a few times where the cashier would either forget that I ordered a pastry and/or it takes a bit to get a sandwich. It comes out hot and toasty though so can't complain too much! For all my matcha girlies, would not recommend getting it here. You can tell by the color that you're not getting high quality matcha and frankly it tastes like it's burnt.

Since theodora is one of my favorite restaurants in NYC, I had to come check out Thea when I heard it opened! I came at around 1pm on a Sunday and was surprised to still see so many pastries in the cabinet. For savory, I tried the mexican falafel sandwich, and this sandwich was actually a 10/10! It was made really fast, and the falafel was some of the most moist, flavorful, full of texture falafel I ever had. It went so well with the avocado, pickled onions, and refreshing tomato corn salsa. Dare I say this may be my new favorite sandwich in new york... it was that good! For pastries, I tried the mango labneh bun (3.5/5) which was mango puree and whipped labneh on top of a very pillowy brioche. The brioche paired really well with the toppings, and it was not too sweet (a bit tangy actually). Brioche was typical on its own though. The blueberry pistachio loaf (2/5) was also very unique, but not my favorite since it was a bit too sweet for me. I will definitely be back! The mexican falafel sandwich is actually to die for...

We went at 11:30 on a Saturday and they were out of pastries, but everything we were able to get was amazing -- the butternut squash sandwich, baba, challah, and cortado were all perfect. I'd also love to try one of their pita sandwiches, which I'm usually skeptical about, but there's looked so good. As far as pastries go, they said we'd probably need to come before 9, although I do wonder if that's different on weekdays.

I came here on a rainy Sunday, and there was a line but it moved quickly. There are a few tables inside to sit at and people watch from as well as a few tables outside. They have items you can grab to take home with you, alongside pastries, sandwiches and coffee/tea. I got the avocado toast and a chai latte and both were incredible. The avocado toast was super flavorful and a perfect size and the chai was delicious. I would absolutely come back here again!

This. Is. The. Best. Croissant. In. NYC. Hands down. Do not walk - run to Thea! (But get there early) This croissant is perfectly browned and crispy with hundreds of thousands buttery light-as-air layers. Tender but with an incredibly rich flavor it is just as good as in Paris. Paired with perfectly brewed strong partners coffee, you can't go wrong. It's worth a trip to fort greene if you can get there early. They sell out fast! The staff are incredibly friendly and recommended the labneh and mango roll - absolutely incredible. The not too sweet mango compote is perfectly balanced by the thick tangy labneh, housed in a buttery and light brioche-esque roll. No notes. Very cozy with limited small round tables indoors, and a covered but still outside attachment on the front with larger wooden tables. There were a few people on laptops, but this isn't an ideal spot for sitting and working awhile. This place is meant for perching with your baked goods and coffee before heading out on the rest of your day.

Bustling cafe and bakery. We came for brunch around 11 on a Sunday to find all the tables occupied and a line out the door. The line moves reasonably and there is quick turnover, so we were able to nab a table and get all our food within 10 minutes. First, we shared a pickle and egg filo pie. An interesting filling combo. I prefer the traditional combo of spinach and cheese. Second, I tried the chocolate chunk and halva cookie. This was my favorite item. It reminded me a lot of the tahini cookie at L'Appartement 4F. I haven't tried the cookies side by side, but I might dare to assert they might share a recipe. Might make this a mission for another time. Third, we shared the chicken Milanese sandwich. Fried chicken (which I believe to be a panko breading) with a heaping of cole slaw on a braided bun. I also had a bite of the chocolate banana loaf. Presentation of the pastries was all very nice. The cafe has an upscale yet cozy feel to it.

I heard so many great things about Thea that I thought I would stop by to pick up a few pastries to try. I originally came for the mango labneh maritozzi but by the time I stopped by at 10:30am on a weekday, they were long sold out. I settled for a Guava Ricotta Danish ($5), which was delightfully crispy and fluffy, albeit a little smaller than I expected. I really liked the Latin-inspired flavor pairing, with the Italian twist on the whipped ricotta filling. I admit, I am a huge sucker for pastries with unexpected flavors or multicultural twists, which I think Thea has done a great job on. I will definitely return a little earlier next time to try their maritozzi, though I hear their lunchtime sandwiches are also delicious.

The food, coffee, and service were perfect. Ambience was nice and cozy. If I lived nearby I would probably come everyday.

The BLT is very good and Thea uses the thickest slabs of bacon. And though it's $13, which isn't particular cheap for a BLT, it is super filling and you can tell all the ingredients are made with quality. The downside is that it's truly the messiest sandwich I've ever eaten in my life. There was sauce oozing out of the bread in every direction. I needed like 10 napkins and felt very gross eating it. If you don't mind a mess, then it's fine but it's definitely worth keeping in mind before ordering.

Came here around 9:30 am on a weekday morning and so glad I did. Most of the outdoor seating was available but quickly filled up soon after we arrived. The staff was so lovely and the coffee was great. We tried the tahini banana bread, the pear and almond danish, and the mango labne. Everything was so good, and the tahini banana bread was probably my favorite. I came back again later in the week on a Friday afternoon and ordered the sabich sandwich which was amazing. I can't wait to come back and try more of their sandwiches and savory offerings. Great place to come and work or grab coffee with a friend as long as you arrive early enough as the space is really beautiful.

They don't have any vegan baked goods and none of their prepared items are vegan (avocado toast and grain bowl both have eggs). It's a bummer- I was really excited to try some things. The coffee is really good, as is the service. The space is beautiful.

The baked goods here are beyond fantastic. Croissants are as good as you can find anywhere, everything we've gotten has been "humming with pleasure" good while eating. My only complaint is they are so good/popular that they sell out of stuff early!

Went back for breakfast and the food didn't disappoint. We split an egg salad with delicious caramelized onions (the tender and crispy varieties), as well as a latte (which was good though not memorable). Even at 8:30 on a Saturday morning, the place was packed. The flow isn't ideal, but the line moved quickly and we were able to score a table.

I just got a squash soup from here which was $$ and it's inedible because it's so salty. Disappointed because have otherwise had good experiences here.