AFTER EDEN

This Vietnamese cafe and cocktail bar, opened by a former Eleven Madison Park chef, offers a unique take on Vietnamese street food. It is particularly known for its weekend-only banh mi, which sells out quickly and is assembled in front of customers. The banh mi features a fresh baguette with Vietnamese ham, pate, head cheese, and fresh herbs. Other popular items include crispy pork rolls with a lacy wrapper, stuffed with pork, shrimp, crab, and vermicelli, and pandan-flavored beignets served with condensed milk. Some items, like the Kouign Amann and Pork Pastry, were described as oily and soggy. The cafe also serves specialty coffees, with the Vietnamese phin coffee being a favorite, though the jackfruit latte and salted coffee were less favored. The establishment is noted for its popularity, with long wait times and quick sell-outs, but also for its friendly staff who offer iced tea to those waiting.

After Eden is presented as a new and 'coolest' Vietnamese cafe in NYC that uniquely transforms into a 'super vibey' cocktail bar in the evening. The interior is described as gorgeous with a sophisticated ambiance. The reviewer visited for the food, particularly highlighting their weekend-only banh mi, which features freshly baked bread and house-made fillings and toppings. This banh mi was hailed as the most flavorful and unique they've encountered in the city, ranking it in their top two. The cafe also offers a variety of puff pastries, all baked fresh to order, including a standout chicken liver and wood ear mushroom option, and another with pork, quail egg, and sausage. Crispy spring rolls, served with refreshing veggies, were also enjoyed. For beverages, they offered both a unique jackfruit latte and a traditional Vietnamese coffee. A dessert called kouign amann, made with fish sauce caramel, was also featured and recommended for sweet tooth enthusiasts. The reviewer expressed a strong desire to return specifically for the banh mi and the cocktails.