Want to know where to get the best espresso drinks and drip coffee in New York City? From historical cappuccinos in Greenwich Village to satisfying lattes in Greenpoint, read on to find out where to get your next coffee fix.
- Ninth Street Espresso, East Village
Where: 341 East 10th St, New York, NY 10009 www.ninthstreetespresso.com
Why: Flawlessly made espresso drinks every time.
By all accounts, Ninth Street Espresso was the first speciality coffee shop in NYC. The original location opened in 2001 with a quality-driven, minimalist approach to coffee and espresso, which the team keeps to this day.
- Birch Coffee, Flatiron District
Where: 5 East 27th St, New York, NY 10016 www.birchcoffee.com
Why: A place for those who appreciate the finer details.
Owner Jeremy Lyman attributes Birch’s success to its attention to detail: “It’s minding the smallest thing that people don’t even know they notice, and then they do. We simply don’t take a single one of our customers for granted. With so many solid options in this city, when a customer chooses to come into Birch, we know that a little smile goes a long way.”
- Caffe Reggio, Greenwich Village
Where: 119 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012 www.cafereggio.com
Why: A piece of New York history.
Caffe Reggio, the most historic coffee shop in New York City, opened in 1927 and has supplied generations of New Yorkers with their morning coffee ever since. The café is famous for being the first in the US to serve a cappuccino, importing the idea directly from Italy.
SEE ALSO: The best coffee interior design shops in Manhattan
- Irving Farm, Upper West Side
Where: 224 West 79th Street, New York, NY 10024 www.irvingfarm.com
Why: Long-term devotees to ethically sourced coffee.
Irving Farm has been an important fixture on NYC’s coffee scene since 1996, when options for quality hand-crafted coffee were few and far between. Nowadays, their espresso, which is poured through a La Strada Marzocco, is full-bodied and delicious.
- Café Grumpy, Greenpoint
Where: 193 Meserole Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222 www.cafegrumpy.com
Why: Greenpoint trendsetters!
Grumpy prides itself on offering friendly service and a soothing atmosphere, with each café reflecting the unique character of its neighbourhood, Greenpoint. Grumpy roasts its own beans in-house in small batches using a vintage Probat coffee roaster, and bakes its own pastries daily at a bakery on the Lower East Side.
- Joe Coffee, Columbia University
Where:550 West 120th St, New York, NY 10027 www.joenewyork.com
Why: Thousands of Columbia students can’t be wrong!
This popular Joe Coffee branch is situated in a stunning high-ceilinged building on the campus of Columbia University. According to Imbibe Magazine, Joe has “some of the best-trained baristas in the biz” and their coffee from the drip bar and espresso is excellent.
SEE ALSO: The 10 Best Restaurants in NYC
- Everyman Espresso, Soho
Where: 301 West Broadway, New York, NY 10013 www.everymanespresso.com
Why: For its brilliant atmosphere and attention to detail.
Everyman Espresso is everything an independent coffee shop in Soho should be. The atmosphere is unique and the coffee is rich and distinctive, attracting an adoring and diverse local clientele. It is easily one of the most impressive coffee-drinking experiences in Manhattan.
- Toby’s Estate, Williamsburg
Where: 125 North 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249 www.tobysestate.com
Why: Antipodean coffee expertise.
Toby’s Estate is a popular and lively café close to the Bedford L stop in Williamsburg. Owners Amber Jacobsen and Adam Boyd, who imported the brand from Australia, have carved out a niche for their café as one of the best places to get coffee in Brooklyn.
- Ground Support Café, Soho
Where: 399 West Broadway, New York, NY 10012 www.groundsupportcafe.com
Why: Kick-ass coffee and cakes.
This former art gallery turned coffee shop is one of Soho’s finest destinations for quality espresso. Ground Support serves single origins and blends in an airy space with all-wood furniture and cedar picnic tables. Their cold brews and freshly-baked pastries, which are locally sourced from a family baker, are particularly recommended.
SEE ALSO: Best Sightseeing in New York
- Blue Bottle Coffee, Chelsea
Where: 450 West 15th St, New York, NY 10014 www.bluebottlecoffee.com
Why: NYC’s widest range of pour-over options.
Downstairs, espresso drinks are made on a La Marzocco Strada and pour-over coffees are brewed by the cup. Upstairs takes things to the next level with a Tokyo-inspired siphon bar, which resembles something out of a science fiction novel. In their own words, Blue Bottle’s success comes down to the way they pay tribute to the city’s culture in who they hire, where they situate their cafés and how they design them.
