Review: 41336 Emma's Art Café

Paint for a Panini!  Ethan is willing to work for a delicious meal at Emma's swanky new spot!

The *Art* of making a delicious Panini! Ethan is willing to paint for one and Emma is happy to create it!
The LEGO Friends "Friends" Logo has changed a bit for 2018 with a TM (trademark) symbol replacing the previous years' butterfly; most likely due to many clone brands infringing.

This set was provided by the AFOL Engagement of The LEGO Group for the purpose of sharing set details with fans. Opinions provided here solely reflect those of our reviewer. Photographs are property of FriendsBricks and are not directed by TLG in any fashion.


Box Front: Lots of lovely Lavender here! Flanges have Emma-style art doodles over dark purple. The new Heartlake City skyline (better pic in instructions) has more prominence now without the previous ribbon graphic, and is quite close -- indicating her cafe is Downtown.

While it looks like Ethan is about to spray graffiti, Emma is looking for him with a Panini sandwich and cuppa something ... hopefully hot cocoa or coffee.
The bottom left insert shows inside. It's nice to get the "cameo" appearance of which Mini-doll is in the set, since some product descriptions can vary.


Box Back: Shows all the fun (and yummy!) stuff at the cafe --> coffee machine, hot Teapot, Panini press, cupcakes, cookies, and Cake! Relaxing to enjoy some of it too, while outside Ethan is painting something.


Box Top shows detailed pictures of some great elements we get, like the Artist palette. A cute scene of E & E enjoying a picnic outside near the paint table.
Then Emma as a feature and illustration of actual size of Mini-dolls.




Side of box: "Forget that paint sprayer, here's a sandwich!"
I'm really digging these side panel *slices* of life in Heartlake City. You can see the flange's artwork better from this angle -- the paintbrush is Emma's motif now; used to be a flower. Although we still get to see plenty of flowers!


Box contents: Instructions Book (106 pages), 3 parts bags (deflated and folded), 16x16 Tan baseplate, and sticker sheet.


Bag 1 parts:

New in these colors:
Light Aqua Window 1 x 2 x 3 Flat Front
Bright Pink Window 1 x 2 x 2 Flat Front

Otherwise, just lots of very useful parts, plus lots of new items in the smaller bags, such as 2018 5-petal and 7-petal Flowers plus new Leaf. We get real paint brushes too!
At first while laying out the pieces, I couldn't find the mate to the white hinge brick, and was thinking I'd have to grab one from my collection -- then, luckily it appeared in one of the smaller bags ~ whew!


First we build Emma and Ethan -- then the art supply table. Ethan looks pretty eager to get at that paint brush and change that paint from green to purple!
I like this little table as a "build-to-play" aspect, because it made me want to play! Of course there's an extra paint brush -- since it just rests in the bucket -- it could get lost very easy.
I didn't realize until looking at my photos that the tan 1x1 round brick represents brown paper towels, which are ever-present in art studios.

I wish we could have gotten the new Azure-tipped paint brush that appeared in the Easter bunny costumed CMF for April. Perhaps it was actually ordered to be Azure for future Friends sets ... *fingers-crossed* now!


Emma 2018: New eye color of brown (were green), slight eye angle, and open smile.
Her new Aqua skirt-overalls (or skirt with bib) has a lovely new motif for 2018 of a paint brush creating a tilda type of design with a brush-stroke. The white-collared Lavender Polo type of shirt is a good backdrop for her motif.
The navy Mary Janes pick up the trim of the shirt.

Ethan is a new Friend for 2018 and is wearing a sand-green hoodie, although there's no "hood" print on his back.
He looks a lot like the first Daniel (Heartlake Supermarket) except with brown eyes.


Bag 1 parts build the base of the cafe -- walls, windows, walkway, spotlights and first bits of flora.
At first I started to connect the windows to the wall with the sill side in, which is typical of a building -- yet they install sill side out.
I thought it must be just for a "dimensional look" for the exterior, yet it may also be to allow flower placement -- because the petals do protrude over a bit.


Bag 1 parts build the core of the cafe -- inside we build the base supports of the counters for cafe items. The large white panel with spotlight gets a sticker with Emma's framed artwork on it.
I like the use of the inverted grey slopes to create the spotlight's hanging fixture.


Everything Bag 1 parts builds: It's quite straight-forward construction, no real surprises. The lovely aqua and pink framed windows in varying sizes give it a bit of an Art Deco vibe.
I like the greenery on the up-sloped parts. The spotlights aim at Emma's painting of the Heartlake City skyline -- I like that she signed the sticker.


Speaking of Heartlake City's skyline ... here's an image of it from the instructions book. I really like the new "Welcome to Heartlake City" Logo/banner and would like it printed on a brick.
You can see the sign for "Livi" the Pop Star's signature on the skyscraper behind the domed building with the large pink heart; so she's still in HLC.

This is where we see other sets in this wave depicted. Do you see the Heart-shaped island within Heart Lake?


Bag 2 parts: New for 2018 of note in this bag: The *Printed* Cake piece! Which is a Roof (slope) Tile 1X2X2/3, No. 12 (double cheese) in the smaller bag top left. Yum!


After building the chairs with cushions covered in fabric (sticker) with Emma's signature paint brush motif, a 3-layer cake with Heart decorations in the frosting (sticker), and adding the new printed "slice of Rainbow 5-layered cake" tile to the buffet under her art display -- we then build the Panini Press!
It's great! The trans-orange 1x2 tiles are the 'heat' from below and red for top searing. They will come out just like the sign above the chair!


Then the baked goods tray and panini sandwich assembly counter get built.


After building the counter with tray of cupcakes, we are done with all Bag 2 parts added to create the interior.


The espresso machine is very nice! I am always drawn to coffee machine builds, and I think this is the best one from a set, so far. The warming burner for the Teapot suits this dining spot just right.
Of course, we can't have coffee (or cappuccino, my fave) without a "I <3 HLC" mug!


You can see the cushion fabric for the chairs better here -- I really do like the pattern.
The chairs are fine; I prefer at least one more plate height. Both cakes look delicious!
Lots of restaurants with "art" in their names do sell the displayed artwork.


Here is the view the customers have of the counter. The menu sign is kinda far away, yet is a cute sticker with a "dripping paint" illusion as its background.


Bag 3 parts: New for 2018 = Circle 90-degree 6x6 Roof Tile in dark Lilac, 2x3 with arch (curve top) brick in medium Lavender, 4x4 curvy tile in dark Lilac, and four 3 x 3 plates with cut corner wedge, which appear to be 'new' in medium dark Flesh. More of the flat front window frames in new for 2018 colors -- Aqua and Bright Pink.
Somewhat rare: Bow 1/4 4X4X1 in medium Lilac (larger macaroni) only found otherwise in Heartlake Yogurt Shop and 2017's Heartlake Pool.


All bag 3 parts have been added. There wasn't a real "aha" building step to show and it went quite quick; adding the 2x3 Lavender arch bricks gives it even more Art Deco feel.
The split Panini sandwich sign was fun, yet very cumbersome, for no real reason. You can see that section by itself in a photo later in this review.


Here is the hinged Patio section side. I like that the chairs swivel and recline; I would like one more plate height though.
The bright pink shutters protect the arched "pass-thru" for food items and coffee for both customers and Patio servers to use.


Another view of the Patio swung toward the main building. I like the windows for a fresh/Modern look, and yet I also like the round grey walkway stones placed randomly juxtaposed -- which is more 19th century cottage style.


Inside view with Patio full open hinge. Now you can see the bulk of the top Panini sandwich sign. If it weren't for the flowers, it could rotate a bit.


Interior view with Patio roofline lined up with the main structure's roofline.


Full view: I like the interior signage above the door with the "happy face" sugar cubes hopping into a coffee cup.


Exterior solid wall side with Emma's painting of HLC's skyline. The sign (sticker) under the Panini is a lovely graphic with items set upon a painter's palette and a paint swath.
The Patio looks quaint and inviting from this angle. Yet, its roof section looks a bit disparate while swung away from the main cafe.


Another interior look at all the fun, colorful, and appetizing aspects.


I've removed the sign section to reveal it gets built onto a turntable, yet cannot rotate once completely built -- due to the Leafy Flowers and the interior sign section.
I'm not really sure what the goal was -- other than "parts" in the hands of fans. Otherwise, the giant Paninis could most likely be attached using non-moving parts.

Initially after the instructed step to attached the round bright pink plate, I spun it gleefully -- thinking we'd have a rotating sign like many other Friends sets.


The Sticker sheet; TLG has awesome artists!


Spare parts:
Bag 1: Yay another paint brush! Really, all of these are welcome.

Bag 2: The black bar with stud used as the Espresso grounds holder is a nice versatile piece; the 1x1 round printed gauge tile is great to have too; and all the rest are good to have, especially being small and easy to lose. Bottom left is a grey cheese piece.

Bag 3: Only 4 this time -- usually the last bag has loads of small parts for final details, thus extras, yet that came with bag 2 this set.


Another look at the completed build.

Summary & ReBuild:

A LEGO Café is always fun to build -- and this one is no exception. For me the interior was the most fun and the equipment builds are very clever. The details are all inside.

While I like the Modern, somewhat Art Deco presentation, it seems like it needs to just go ahead and be a larger modular set. The hinged Patio is cute, yet I was unsure how to position it. It coordinates with the main structure, yet looks separate, except for the hinge. Even when the roofline is lined up to the main structure, it still seems unfinished.

All the Purple and Lavender aspects are wonderful. Hopefully there's enough of the same type bricks for my ReBuild to appear decent. As a fan, I think I would buy 2 of these to combine; that way you can bulk-up the roofline, and add seating inside. The two chairs inside, although nice, seems mostly for customers waiting for a Panini to go ~~~

Any LEGO city would be happy to have such a fun, colorful, and inviting spot for minis to hang out!
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My ReBuild of Emma's Art Café and Combo with Emma's Art Stand:


Welcome to Emma's new Art Deco Cafe!
Emma decided to give her Aqua scooter a break and combine her Art Stand with her Art Cafe.


Ethan enjoys the flora on the enclosed Patio while waiting for Emma to open for the day. Chico is enjoying the umbrella shade and a snack in Emma's Private Patio at the back of her cafe.

The main "Cafe" sign on the top of the building can rotate 270-degrees. The brick-built coffee cup sign hangs near the side entry.


A built-in bench with Azure cushions for customers who place an order at the window counter. Emma also offers Tea.

The gate to her Private Patio is closed now.


Emma has a reserved parking spot for her scooter, along with a helmet hook, water bottle, and a paint brush. Behind her parking sign is a water bucket -- for cleaning her scooter and for Chico.

Under the Scooter's aqua seat is the battery gauge, so she check to make sure it's juiced up!

Her Lounger is shaded by the flowering tree.


Emma painted a mural of the Heartlake City skyline on the wall behind her sink and coffee machine.
She keeps a pen-marker handy for customers to sign for their purchases.


My "ReBuild" of her coffee/espresso machine allows Emma to offer Cappuccino too, due to the milk steamer on the left side.


Next to her cash register is the Bakery counter that has a warmer, for that "just out of the oven" taste! Everyone wants a piece of that 5-layer Rainbow cake!


Here's the cafe module with Emma's private patio and parking module swung away.
Emma is bringing Ethan a cup of coffee to go with his strawberry cupcake, while Chico eyes a treat!


The Flower theme extends along the Flowering Windowbox side and around the corner ... right back to the front of the Cafe!


Customers entering the front door are greeted with a 'happy' cuppa coffee sign on the Espresso machine! Only 55-cents per cup!
Chico checks to see if any sample cookies are left ...
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I hope you enjoyed my version of her Cafe -- more angle images and close-ups in its Flickr set.
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All information about parts is based on Brickset's embed of LEGO's 41336 inventory.