April 2008
Crazy for Coffee
by Celia Cheng & Cristy-Lucie Alvarado
Coffee, like the coffee shops we frequent, is a matter of personal taste. So each of us has a special relationship with our favorite joint. While the City has too many to cover extensively, we decided to do a small overview of some of our favorites, which happen to be mostly in the East Village (with some cross over to the West Village, NoLIta and Park Slope). We’d love to hear about your love for coffee and your favorite spot, so write in to tell us more!
Joe the Art of Coffee
141 Waverly Pl
(Gay St & 6th Ave)
212-924-6750
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9 E 13th St
(5th Ave & University Pl)
212-924-7400
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405 W 23rd St
@ 9th Ave
212-206-0669
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Joe@Alessi
130 Greene St
@ Prince St
212-941-7330
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Joe is your quintessential neighborhood coffee shop with quality coffee, hip baristas, and a modern but relaxing atmosphere. It’s the closest thing to a Seattle/Portland coffeehouse in this city. Owner Jonathan Rubinstein’s philosophy on building community and the art of coffee has built up such a following that, lucky for us, there are now four Joe’s, including the recently opened Chelsea store. And look out commuters because there’s one opening at Grand Central, too!
Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee
138 W 10th St
(Greenwich Ave & Waverly Pl)
212-929-0821
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Jack’s coffee has become a West Village mainstay though it only opened a couple of years ago. The organic, fair trade coffee boasts some of the smoothest, richest and most balanced flavors one can find. This cozy spot makes you feel like you are at home in front of a warm fire. The small West Village shop with exposed brick walls serves killer baked goods, too. And there’s live music on Tuesdays and 16mm movie showings on Thursdays.
Abraço
86 E 7th St
@ 1st Ave
212-388-9731
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Abraço, Portuguese for hug, is a truly unique coffee bar. Opened only last year, this East Village spot is tiny and cozy. It’s hard to image that they have a kitchen behind the coffee counter in a space so small it barely fits its barista and chef. But daily lunch specials, and interesting baked goods like olive oil pound cake, in addition to the coffee (named Best Cup of Coffee 2008 by New York Magazine), definitely entice you to eat in, standing, with little room to move while chatting with the barista. But Abraço, like a hug, makes you feel special. It’s a quirky and very warm place.
Everyman Espresso
136 E 13th St
(3rd & 4th Ave)
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Everyman Espresso is a slow paced coffee shop with plenty to offer. Their outdoor sign reads “fast food coffee is trashy,” and they provide just the opposite with their rich velvety espresso. The sun-drenched space is shared with a small theater (Classic Stage Company), and yet it’s still spacious and quiet — the ideal spot for reading your morning paper.
Ninth Street Espresso
700 E 9th St
@ Ave C
212-358-9225
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75 9th Ave
(15th & 16th St)
212-228-2930
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Ninth Street Espresso brings award-winning coffee to Alphabet City. Voted one of America’s best boutique coffees by Forbes.com, they believe in brewing only espresso and French press. The simple space provides a good work atmosphere for traveling laptops, or if you’ve got some leisure time, enjoy the front porch.
Gimme Coffee
228 Mott St
(Prince & Spring St)
212-226-4011
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495 Lorimer St
(Powers & Grand St)
Brooklyn
718-388-7771
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Gimme, originally from upstate New York, recently opened a new store in NoLIta, and though it’s just a sliver of a storefront, the baristas are churning out topnotch coffee, which is why there’s always a line. Gimme’s brand image has cache, it’s modern and hip, and it makes you want to be part of the Gimme crowd. Good coffee and cool image, what’s not to love?
Gorilla Café
97 5th Ave
@ Park Pl
Park, Slope, Brooklyn
718-230-3244
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Gorilla prides itself on its fresh, robust coffee. Their organic beans are roasted in small batches right in Brooklyn, and they’re not kidding when they say it’s “not wimpy.” Stay and join the rows of laptop users who set up shop across the red tabletops, or just get your mean cup of coffee to go. Nothing beats strolling through Park Slope on a sunny day with a coffee in hand.
Mud
307 E 9th St
(1st & 2nd Ave)
212-228-9074
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Mud encapsulates the hip and earthy vibe of the East Village by providing coffee, music, and an all-day hang out. Their coffee brings a line out the door, but it’s not all about the mud. Take a seat inside or in the enclosed backyard; their food menu has a southwestern feel, and beer and wine will keep you around until dark. There’s also MudTrucks at Astor Place and Sheridan Square if you need a cup of joe on the go.
The Grey Dog’s Coffee
33 Carmine St
(Bedford & Bleecker St)
212-462-0041
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90 University Place
(11th & 12th St)
212-414-4739
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Grey Dog’s brings a hometown country feel to the West Village with simple food, friendly service, and good coffee. The ideal place for your daily cup or for an informal date, Grey Dog’s menu consists of salads, sandwiches, sweet pies and wine or draught beer. Service is casual; order at the counter, take a seat, and wait for your name to be called. (A second location opened on University Place last year.)
