Crema is Now Open - and it's Great

New cafe Crema has opened at 695 Bergen Ave in McGinley Square. Shortly after Harry's Coffee abruptly closed last year, Crema took over the space, started renovations, and as of a few weeks ago, have opened their doors to the public.

With a bright and open interior, Crema gives off a sweet and happy vibe that lends itself to being kid-friendly and a good gathering place for friends to chat. They offer coffee and espresso-based drinks, pastries, simple toasts made with local West Side bakery Elio's bread and topped with a variety of fresh ingredients, and ice cream from an Amish farmstead.

On my visit, my first priority was to get some caffeine so I ordered a cappuccino. It was well-brewed, served hot but not so hot I couldn't drink it, and there was a good amount of foam without it being half the cup.  It was more than reasonably priced for a large mug at about $3 and very good. They do offer non-dairy milks and if I lived in the neighborhood, I could easily see it becoming my go-to coffee spot.

I also ordered the Mozzarella toast, made with fresh mozarella, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, and balsamic. Served on a thick slice of bread with generous slabs of mozzarella on top, this ended up being heftier than I imagined and could easily be a good choice for a moderately light breakfast or lunch. Everything was very fresh and nicely presented and it was refreshing to see a focus on simple, good ingredients put together well versus a ton of different things all slapped together for an over-the-top bite.

The toasts are priced between $4-$7 each and there are both sweet and savory options, ranging from smoked salmon to Nutella, with vegan and vegetarian choices available. I didn't get a chance to try the ice cream, but there's a lot of variety (including four coconut-milk based vegan flavors), and specialty chocolate-dipped cones for a little extra indulgence.

Open from 7am-7pm Monday through Friday and from 10am-7pm on Saturday and Sunday, Crema has wifi available, a play space for kids, and six or seven tables, making it a good all-around stop for whatever you're looking for and a great addition to the neighborhood.