Bela Aurora Brazilian Coffee Shop

This new Brazilian Coffee shop opened recently and is conveniently located near the M/R train station on Steinway St. I love finding these under the radar shops. While the façade is somewhat non-descript, the inside of this coffee shop is bright and clean. This cozy coffee shop has a narrow interior that extends all the way to the back into a small sitting area and then into an open backyard. I’ve been trying to wean myself off coffee so I’ve been here mainly to try their pastries. The staff are very welcoming and friendly. I found out that they do all of the baking on the premises which somewhat surprised me as the shop is kind of small. The menu is still being tweaked so stay tuned. During my two visits there (so far), I’ve tried their Pao De Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread-$5), Casadinhos Dolce de Leite ($6), and Zucchini Walnut Bread ($4). The Casadinshos were small bite sized cookies that weren’t too sweet. The cookies themselves were buttery and crumbly. They had two different kinds of Casadinhos available (Goiabad and Dolce de Leite). I got the one that had Dolce de Leite (caramelized sweet milk) spread. This would be perfect with a cup of tea. The Pao De Queijo or cheese bread was great when toasted. It had a nice slightly crispy exterior and chewy, dense interior. Flavor wise, it was more on the savory end with a slight cheesy accent. The Zucchini Walnut Bread was moist and slightly sweet. I thought it was good, but I’ve had better. I kind of wished there were more walnuts incorporated in the bread and not just sprinkled on top but that may just have been the slice that I got. Since they are located so conveniently near the train station, it’s very easy to stop by and grab something whenever I’m in this neighborhood. So, I’m looking forward to trying out more of their menu.

Stopped here while shopping with my dad to pick up some Brazilian snacks for my parents—-who have never tried (I lived in Brazil for a few years and have traveled there about 20 times for my professional work). we got chicken coxinhas, Pudim, and brigadeiro. The coxinhas and brigadeiro were great—coxinhas almost as good as NYC pãp de quiejp. The flan was ok but not great. Still, excellent spot

REALLY tasty gluten free options! Got the gluten free chocolate banana bread, the yuca coconut cake, and a filet and caramelized onion sandwich on a cheese bread roll. And the house green sauce! So good! Plus the back patio is cute and the staff are really nice. We'll be coming back.

Came across this spot very randomly. I'm not sure it was even around the last time I was in Astoria a month ago. Nonetheless I was looking for a new place to review so I gave this a shot. The place itself is narrow up front but has a vast seating area in the back with outside dining which looked absolutely divine on a beautiful day like today. I liked the service, the lady by the register was very accommodating, I liked the overall vibe of the place. One thing I do have a slight aversion to would be the food and not the overall taste of the food because it was delicious. However the 2 empanadas I got and the Mango juice with it came up to $19.50 and it didn't fill me up like I would've preferred. I was testing out what I wanted out of the place so I wasn't really looking for anything filling but paying almost $20 for what I got felt very overpriced and didn't match the value and consistency of the food that I got. I would be more forgiving of this review if what I had was $5 -$7 less than what I spent. This place prolly got beat over the head with the Trump Tariffs too for me to pay $5 and change for a single empanada. This place has promise but my pockets aren't that deep to make this a regular place nor is the food heavy enough for me to feel satisfied. Might be awhile before I return here.

A fantastic addition to the neighborhood for authentic Brazilian coffee, pastries and desserts. The owner puts a lot of care and attention into everything, and will warm up your pastries without even asking so you can enjoy them in their optimal state. The space is huge with patio seating and lots of tables to camp out and work. For bites, I highly recommend the codfish balls (bolinhos de bacalhau) and you can’t skip the infamous cheese bread (pão de queijo)! I also fell in love with the coconut yuca bread, which was dense, moist and chewy. The owner really sources out authentic ingredients found in Brazil and I’m especially grateful that so many of these pastries are naturally gluten free from using mostly cassava, rice or corn flour. Everything is so delicious and the coffee is fantastic too! Highly recommend this place, right off the Steinway R/M trains.

Great new coffee shop! I had a cappuccino and a coxinha, both were delicious. They have a nice outdoor area and wifi. Theres lots of space and tables, so its great for working on a laptop or for meeting in a group.

So many wonderful snacks! To me the Biscoito de Polvilho and Yuca with Coconut Cake are pretty darn perfect. But I’ll admit I’m not familiar with Brazilian cuisine, so I can’t assess authenticity or anything. Just know they’re yummy! Also nice that those two happen to be gluten free. The staff was lovely and very attentive. Quick to greet and offer more information on all their menu items. Also apprised to see they have a really large space, great for sitting and snacking. I look forward to returning! Bathroom also clean which is always a good sign

Beautiful cafe, with lots of space inside, and plenty of gluten free options! The staff was very nice and knowledgeable of the gluten free menu as that’s what I was looking for. I ended up getting the coconut bread and it’s delicious, perfect level of moisture and sweetness. Not dry at all and not overbearingly sweet! Overall a wonderful cafe with lots of options to choose from and friendly staff.