Cafe Estelle (CLOSED)

I love that you can get your own coffee if you have to wait for a table during the busy brunch morning. The food is always excellent and they treat me like family, since I'm there all the time. I try some of the more adventurous offerings and 9 times out of ten they are a success. The ingredients are fresh, the servers seem to care about what they are doing and the food is made with love. Anyone who claims this place is not good is probably unhappy with life in general.

I am astonished by the negative review shown below. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Café Estelle is a gem. Don’t be put off by the somewhat industrial looking space. This was a superb place for brunch. They have great coffee which is self served. I felt like it was a coffee smorgasbord with three caffeinated and one decaffeinated choices. They have an eclectic mix of egg dishes and other items. The pecan coffee cake is served toasted on the grill and accompanied by a slab of butter, which it doesn’t need but I indulged. One of my party has a severe gluten allergy of which the staff was made aware and ensured that her entrée was prepared without any contact with wheat. The eggs were prepared to order and to perfection. I had a variation on Eggs Benedict served on top of perfectly ripe sliced tomatoes with a peppery and tangy sauce. They also had toad in a hole with delicious mushroom gravy. The homemade scrapple is perfectly grilled and incredibly flavorful. This is a great addition to the Northern Liberties neighborhood and another great reason to explore the city.

My husband and I had a Valentine's day breakfast here. He got poached eggs, I got shirred, and they were cooked to perfection, w/ lots of oozing yolk for delicious home fries. The service was very warm and efficient. It just feels like the kind of place that should be in a cozier atmosphere than they have there in the condo building (a location that's also a bit hard to find). Overall, I can't wait to go back.

Based on Craig LeBans review of Cafe Estelle in the Sept. 28th issue of the Phila. Inquirer, my partner and I decided to give it a shot this morning for breakfast. When we arrived at 945am, the place was empty. We were happy to have the place to ourselves. That's where the happiness ended. To say that we were disappointed is a gross understatement. In fact, I don't believe Mr. LeBan and I ate at the same restaurant. MY review for the experience can be summed up with three simple words: old cooking grease. Being an avid cook and baker myself, and a guy who believes it is nearly impossible to screw up breakfast, I am amazed that he gave this place a positive review. I ordered the blueberry pancakes that Craig LeBan raved about. They were not light and fluffy. Instead, they were sodden and heavy with a grease taste. I've worked in enough restaurants to know when the griddle or grill has not been cleaned for a while and the oil has been re-used. Come on! My partner ordered the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Nothing special there. He also ordered a side of that home made sausage mentioned and recommended in the review. It was tough, dry and tasteless. A triple threat. LOL. The side of home fries that I ordered with my pancakes was also saturated in the same old grease with a too large dose of black pepper to make them pretty damned unpalatable. On the plus side, the freshly squeezed OJ was good. I usually respect most of LaBans reviews, but he definitely dropped the ball on this one.

If ever a restaurant deserved 5 stars across the board it is this delightful, cheery and totally addictive called Cafe Estelle. The entire staff's combination of ingenuousness and professionalism is irrisistable. They do want you to like everything they do, and they are willing to work hard to make you a believer. If Chef Marshall Green was a preacher, he'd be awash in Hallelujahs every time he lit his stove!

To hell with waiting in the long brunch lines of philadelphia. great food, great service, no wait.

This place has surpassed Honey's as one of my favorites. Everthing is done right. The biggest plus is free parking right outside and a 7 AM opening on weekdays. Great spot to eat breakfast before work.