Bushwick is buzzing about Cilantro Club, a cafe where members score 50 cent coffees and sandwiches that are $3 and under.
It works like this: sign up to be a member for $8.99 a month. This unlocks the wholesale pricing for all of the cafe’s goodies, which include iced coffee for 50 cents, seasonal lattes and matcha drinks for $2.50 and a roast beef, mozzarella and sun dried tomato sandwich for $3.
Located at 108 Central Ave., the cafe prioritizes value, quality ingredients and labor efficiency, said Vincent Le Noach, the owner.
“We try to make something good,” he said. “We taste test everything we make, testing new items each week, and trying our best to give a great value.”
There are currently about 550 members and locals mostly find out about the space through word of mouth and as they pass by the cafe on foot, according to Le Noach. Non-members can buy anything on the menu, but items will cost more (A cappuccino for non-members is $2.50).
About 95% of the customers place their orders through their phones, which helps keep labor costs down, Le Noach said. The menu options changes weekly as the staff experiments with local ingredients and as they take in customer suggestions. Everything is pre-made, so the cafe works more like a grab-and-go spot, rather than a sit-down restaurant.
The most popular items are the $2 banana latte, the 50 cent iced coffee and the $4 chicken salad, Le Noach said.
