Matcha tiramisu ornate with an adorable bear. Photo credit: Meadow Dessert.
April 11, 2025 By Jessica Militello
Meadow Desserts, best known for its whimsical pastries and signature drinks, has officially opened a storefront on Steinway Street, offering Astoria residents a charming new spot for cake and coffee.
The bakery and café, located at 31-12 Steinway St., held its grand opening the weekend of March 29.
Meadow Dessert’s grand opening was on Saturday, March 29, on Steinway Street in Astoria. Photo credit: Google image search.
Meadow Desserts initially operated out of a ghost kitchen inside the Omakase restaurant Koyo. But when Koyo temporarily closed to rebrand as Honzen NY, founder Jojo Zhang decided it was time for her popular treats to have a space of their own.
The new location allows customers to dine in, enjoy beautifully plated desserts, and sip curated drinks in a cozy, café-style setting. Zhang partnered with longtime friend and former co-worker Jade Kim, an accredited barista who now serves as operating manager. Together, they’ve crafted a menu of high-quality desserts made with fresh ingredients alongside beverages designed to complement each treat.
“The dessert menu is low sugar, and everything is made in-house, so it’s the authenticity of desserts,” said Kim.
A peacefully sleeping mango mouse bear dessert from Meadow Dessert. Photo credit: Meadow Dessert.
Zhang has been making desserts since 2021, when she first opened a shop in Manhattan called 75 Degrees Cafe and Dessert in the East Village. The shop closed in 2023, shortly after Zhang became co-owner of Koyo; however, she continued to sell her desserts wholesale to Japanese restaurants in the city. In July 2024, she decided to see how her desserts would fair in the Astoria community and started selling them via Koyo.
The neighborhood quickly became enamored with the desserts’ adorable presentation and delicious fresh-made flavor. When Koyo decided to close in late October 2024 to start fresh as Honzen NY, the neighborhood had to briefly wait before they would be able to see a cute sleeping mango mousse bear again. In the short time since the cafe’s opening, many former customers have been excited to see Zhang return with some of their favorites, as well as some new menu items.
Some familiar sweets that have returned include their matcha tiramisu, Earl Grey cheesecake, houjicha creme brulee, and the mango mousse bear. Some newer items are the peach oolong creme brulee and the caramel lava cheesecake, to name a few. Customers can also pair their dessert with a hot drink if they like, such as the black sugar houjicha latte, a matcha oat ice latte, or dalgona coffee.
An array of freshly made desserts. Photo credit: Meadow Dessert.
While Zhang intends to keep signature desserts on the menu year-round, there will also be new seasonal items to enjoy throughout the year, especially as Spring holidays come around, like Mother’s Day. The main focus will continue to be high-quality ingredients and desserts for the neighborhood to enjoy.
Ultra-soft chiffon cake, filled with cream cheese cream. Photo credit: Meadow Dessert.
“We will add a couple of items each season that highlight the actual fruit or flavor,” said Kim. “Everything is made in-house, so we try to prioritize using the seasonal fruits because those taste the best.”
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