I finally made it to 61C Cafe on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill earlier this week. It’s only a few blocks from my apartment, but it’s up a hill that I hate walking up in the mornings (excuses, I know!), and so I’ve been here over 6 months and just finally made it there for breakfast.
The ambiance is very old-school and relaxing. The lighting inside is dim but bright enough to do work, as evidenced by the tables filled with people typing away at laptops or scribbling in notebooks at 9:00 in the morning. There is both indoor and outdoor seating available, and while in the warmer weather people seem to sit outside, there is ample indoor seating for during the colder months.
I ordered a drink- hot chocolate- and a food item- apricot danish- because I wanted to get a full sampling of what the menu was like. My rating of the hot chocolate is a 2/5, but my rating of the danish is a 5/5!
The hot chocolate was not chocolatey at all, and had a weird flavor that I still haven’t been able to pinpoint but may have been soy milk (?)… Next time I go I’ll try a different drink- maybe something cold because their make-your-own-smoothie list looks excellent!- but I will not be having the hot chocolate again. I barely drank half of it before giving up and throwing it away.
The danish, on the other hand, was excellent! The dough was flaky yet sturdy enough to hold an ample portion of sweet, delicious apricot jam. I love danishes, and this was one of the best I’ve ever had. They also had apple on the day I went, and I’d imagine that they have other flavors other days. I am excited to go back and try some of their other pastries! I decided on the danish over muffins, croissants, cookies, scones, granola, and many other baked good options. I do love breakfast pastries and so I was very pleased to find a new place in Squirrel Hill to buy them. Most bakeries in this area aren’t open for breakfast, for some reason.
One thing I didn’t realize before going inside was that they are cash only, so remember to bring some! (If you forget, there are Citizen’s Bank and PNC ATMs nearby.) My breakfast- a large hot chocolate and a danish- cost about $6.
Overall, I would highly recommend checking out 61C Cafe for the best breakfast pastries in Squirrel Hill! But try something other than the hot chocolate if you’re looking for a drink to accompany your pastry.
Isn't That Grad! 