Sweet Melissa

02/28/09

Good morning noshes

by scarabaracs at Citysearch

I just grabbed a large decaf latte, two ham and gruyere croissants, a chocolate croissant, and a sour cherry biscotti. The latte was terrific--great flavor (not insipid), very hot (but not scalding). The biscotti was not my favorite; a bit sweet. The chocolate croissant was very good and the ham and cheese croissants were honestly, out of this world! Fresh, crispy layers, buttery goodness. What a great way to start the day. I usually enjoy Sweet Melissa's pastries, but have had some mediocre experiences. And I don't recommend their lunches. But this to-go breakfast was wonderful. I know they've had mixed reviews on the service, but I always have found the counter service to be good, and the girl who served me this morning was cheerful, pleasant, and efficient.

02/07/09

Underwhelming

by sweets509 at Citysearch

I live in the area and after reading so many good reviews about this place, I finally went today for brunch. My cafe au lait was lukewarm, my croissant didn't taste very fresh (even though they claim to bake daily) and it took them a long time for my order to arrive. Even worst, my date's order didn't come at the same time and he had to wait some more. The waitstaff was nice, but a little flaky and not very attentive - I had to flag someone down a couple of times before someone saw me. Needless to say, I was completely disappointed and I will not be coming back.

• Pros: Cute decor, lively crowd
• Cons: Staff was not very attentive, baked goods not fresh

01/19/09

Won't go there again!

by pippigourmet at Citysearch

Stopped by Sweet Melissa's on Court Street last weekend for an after dinner tea and dessert and was very disappointed. The almond croissant was inedible, dry and very stale. I was willing to overlook that and ask for another dessert, but then my tea arrived and I noticed that the teapot and cup were both dirty with accumulated residue. I then informed the waitress of this and told her I would pay her a tip for her trouble but not for the items given the circumstances. She was so rude and unapologetic that I just left shaking my head at how clueless they have become.

When Sweet Melissa first opened the items were fresh and the place was well-run. It has always been pricey but then you didn't mind because all the pastries and desserts were absolutely delicious and unique to the neighborhood. I hope the owner takes note of how far the service and quality of their merchandise has fallen and that she takes action to reverse it because I can't imagine that customers will continue to frequent it under those circumstances.

• Pros: I honestly can't come up with one
• Cons: Desserts are old, poor non-attentive service, dirty