New York City’s coffee shop scene ranks among the best in the world– like Paris and Portland, this is a city where coffee is both currency and cachet; it’s a cultural experience as much as a functional, necessary part of life in the city that never sleeps.
For foodies, design lovers, and folks who just love people-watching, New York City’s best coffee shops capture the style and panache of life in the city. In New York, cafes are cultural institutions that give a snapshot of their respective neighborhoods, and all of them are so different.
Sure, we’re writing about coffee like Carrie Bradshaw would write about a dating trend– but it’s true: New York is a city that runs on caffeine, and given its reputation as one of the most cultured food cities in the world, New York City’s coffee is darn good, as well. It has to be, of course: the locals wouldn’t stand for anything less.
Ultimately, whether you’re looking for a cool cafe in Brooklyn, a plant-filled oasis, or a swanky cappuccino lounge for mixing with locals, this list features it all.
Below, we spotlight the coolest, most unique coffee shops in NYC– in no particular order.
Bookmark this list for easy reference later!
Enjoy!
***
OCafe
O Cafe is a bustling little West Village coffee shop with a lot of heart. We adore the in-house bakery, and the healthy homey breakfasts cater to the stylings of precisely what modern New Yorkers eat. (See, for example, the Roasted Yams with jammy eggs, seeded spread, pickled onions and greens, which can be served with lovely add-ons like romanesco, avocado, and turkey.)
Ultimately, their sponge-print logoed paper cups make us swoon with nostalgia. O Cafe is a quintessential New York Coffee Shop, and easily one of the best places to hang out in the West Village.
We love that there is only one location– on 6th Avenue, in the heart of the village– and that the space itself is cozy and accommodating. (Small enough to feel intimate and bustling at all times, and big enough to linger with a friend and chat for hours. It’s a perfect balance.)
Try a cortado and the Avocado Egg for the quintessential breakfast experience (trust me). Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with a latte and any of their delicious baked goods. Chia citrus and polenta cake, anyone?
Beyond that, there’s also a pseudo-International through line that runs from the coffee to the food. They serve matcha lattes and house-whipped ricotta parfaits alongside arepas and Brazilian Pão de Quiejo, and we’re here for it.
Plus, O Cafe also stocks a beautiful assortment of prepared sauces, preserves, snacks, and chocolate made by other local small businesses in NYC. Don’t miss these details!
Devoción
The Williamsburg location of this beloved farm-to-table coffee shop is our personal favorite, though there are also Devoción locations in Flatiron, Dumbo, and Downtown Brooklyn.
This cafe’s destination roastery in Williamsburg is the OG gathering place of what once used to be the borough’s best-kept coffee secret. Now, it’s popular and everyone knows about it, but that’s okay.
Before roasting on site, the cafe receives raw beans directly from their partner in Botoga, Columbia, usually within 10 days or less from when they were picked. This direct-from-the-farm approach is a big sell point that distinguishes Devoción from some of the other New York-based chains on this list. (You can even watch the roaster at work behind glass on your way into the cafe.)
Ultimately, we love the airy skylight and lush vertical garden on the cafe itself, which round out the aesthetics of this exposed brick, vintage-furniture-filled industrial space. People do tend to gather here with laptops and for business meetings, as the cafe lounge practically invites it.
When in Williamsburg, this is a great place to rest your legs in the midst of exploring the neighborhood.
La Cabra
Nordic coffee culture has always had a strong foothold in NYC (we are still mourning the loss of beloved Swedish coffee house Fika, which closed its doors in 2019 due to shareholder disagreements about the direction of the company, but I digress–), which is why La Cabra, a Danish coffee house featuring equally lovely pastries and coffee, has done so well in such a short period of time.
Launched officially in NYC in 2021, La Cabra offers gorgeous iced coffee (probably the best in the city!) and the best dang cardamom buns you’ll ever try. (The first time I had one, my husband brought one home without telling me where it was from, and I said, “This tastes as good as the cardamom buns I used to eat in Denmark!”– in case that vouches for the authenticity of flavor here.)
For the quintessential coffee experience, or to get something quick to go, head to La Cabra’s SoHo location for sleek pour overs and minimalist vibes. If you’re really into pastry, go to La Cabra’s bakery location in the East Village, where you can get seasonal coffee, excellent hand-laminated pastries, and naturally leavened sourdough. (I repeat: the cardamom buns are a must!)
The La Cabra Roastery in Bushwick, meanwhile, is great for people who want to watch the art of coffee being made, as their open-concept roasting process is on display here. The whole space is custom-built out of beautiful oak wood ensconced in natural light, so it’s a great place to linger and sit, or chat with a friend.
Smiley Coffee
The Lower East Side has no shortage of super cool, sleek coffee shops– and Smiley Coffee, the cafe extension of the Smiley 1972 lifestyle brand, is a premiere example of the downtown minimalist vibe. This cafe on Ludlow Street is airy and pristine, full of dark red sapele wood and bronze fixtures that harken to an old school European coffee shop– curated sparsely with products that signify a distinctly modern point of view.
Guests love the sophisticated lattes– the Smiley Hazelnut Miso Latte is a particular stand-out, but also: the Yuzuco Espresso Tonic made with espresso, tonic water, Yuzuco yuzu juice and house made Yuzu syrup; and the Smiley Cloud Cap, an ice latte with hazelnut vanilla cold foam “cap” that they also customize for various matcha lattes.
They even serve a fancy Smiley Coffee slushy, a truly unique offering made from your choice of espresso or matcha added to a housemade vegan coconut slushy– perfect for summer morning strolls through the city. (Like an elevated version of a Coolata, and we mean this as a compliment!) We also appreciate that they offer pistachio milk amongst the typical lineup of alternative nut milks.
Pastry options, meanwhile, are limited to croissants and chocolate chip cookies, only– here, it’s really about the signature drinks and lattes in particular.
Visitors from out of town also love the Ludlow Blend specialty whole bean coffee— inspired by the vibrant energy of the Lower East Side, it makes a perfect souvenir!– as well as the cafe’s eruditely-curated collection of artsy mugs and water bottles. If you want to experience a quintessential downtown coffee shop, Smiley Coffee succinctly captures the vibe– and elevates it.
PlantShed Cafe (NYC’s Original Plant Shop + Coffee House)
The plant-filled oasis known as PlantShed Cafe is, to be clear, more about the plants than the coffee. Since 2018, when New York City perhaps reached its peak interest in urban jungles, the concept cafe has been merging the realms of retail and nature at their locations in Nolita and the Upper West Side.
The PlantShed in SoHo is now the biggest of their multiple city locations, combining a traditional floral and plant shop with cafe items like espresso drinks, matcha, locally-sourced baked goods, and seasonal specials like Pumpkin Spice and Maple Cinnamon lattes.
The coffee, like the plants, is sourced from all over the world, and the particular offerings vary from location to location. (The bakery, for example, is much more expanded at the Amsterdam Ave location.)
Come for the coffee, stay for the cacti!
Win Son Bakery
This Taiwanese-American cafe serves lovely Asian-fusion lattes as well as pastries and savory breakfast options, at their new outpost in the East Village. We love Win Son Bakery‘s famous red date cake, the miso chocolate chip cookie, the black sesame morning bun (you get the idea!) and the fact that they have a dedicated scallion pancake menu in addition to gāodiǎn (pastries), sandos, and salads.
Coffee-wise, you can choose from an amazing selection of coffee and coffee drinks, including a signature five spice latte, a black sesame latte, and a caramel date latte. They also serve a delightful selection of oolong teas, matcha, and xiao guai guai, a specialty espresso drink served in a small Taiwan beer glass.
You can order a seasonal milk tea (right now it’s jasmine + mango) and a millet mochi donut to go– or stay and linger over sensational xiǎochí (small bites like snow pea salad, rice noodles, or shrimp and turnip cake) and biàn dāng (box lunches similar to Japanese bentos).
heir signature big chicken box (imperial glaze or five spice cayenne) is made from bone-in thighs served with fries or salad + ginger deluxe, but it still somehow feels like a low key cafe meal. They also serve fried chicken milk bun sandwiches, shrimp milk buns, and an epic pork fan tuan aka a sticky rice roll filled with fried egg, crunchy you-tiao, scallions, and sweet soy marinated pork.⠀
Taking home the trophy for best fusion menu item is a chop’d cheese scallion pancake, the most NYC-Thai fusion food I’ve ever heard! It’s all delicious, and an amazing destination if you love coffee and Asian food.
Ultimately, Win Son Bakery is a brilliantly well-executed fusion cafe with a strong cultural point of view, but it also feels like a decidedly NYC establishment, great for coffee and pastries in it’s own right– which is why regulars keep coming back again and again.
Cafe Grumpy
Honestly, Cafe Grumpy is a no-fuss cafe that feels so incredibly New York because of its name alone. They offer the standard assortment of coffee and tea drinks delivered quickly with– dare I say it— a perfect amount of cool, detached efficiency. Welcome to New York. 🙂
In addition to good coffee, Cafe Grumpy is a great place to get the famous Ovenly peanut butter cookie, one of New York’s best and most famous cookies. And, they have locations all over the city, from Nomad to the Financial District to the Fashion District and Grand Central.
You can easily spot them by their grumpy face sign. (See above.)
Felix Roasting Company
Felix Roasting Company is SO BEAUTIFUL with locations in Nomad, Soho, Noho, and “West” Soho (<—a dubious neighborhood distinction, but still). The Noho location at 2 Astor Place, in particular, is stunning– but really all of these NYC cafes are lovely.
All Felix cafes have a very “accidentally Wes Anderson vibe”– probably the most so of any coffee shop in the city. It all comes down to the details, from the calacatta and verde alpi marble floors to the copper-leafed wainscotting and matching table borders.
Ultimately, it’s a great coffee shop for maximalist antique vibes. Even the sugar packets wouldn’t feel out of place at an old-timey cafe in Lisbon, Milan, or Paris.
But alas, this is New York– so you can rest assured that the oat milk matcha lattes are just as good as the espresso. And of course, they would be. Felix cafes are all about decadence and details, from the house-made non-dairy milks to the proprietary syrups. Don’t let the pomp distract you: the coffee is very good!
Intelligentsia’s High Line Hotel Coffee Bar
Intelligentsia might not be exclusive to New York, but their one-of-a-kind coffee bar on the High Line sure is. This boutique coffee shop is all about location, location, location– but honestly, the coffee is world-renown and famous for a reason, too.
If you’re looking to knock two things off your New York Bucket List– aka visit the High Line and go to a great coffee shop– then this is the NYC coffee shop for you.
In the Spring, try the signature Black Cat Fizz for a unique experience: it’s an espresso tonic made with their Black Cat espresso, fever tree tonic water, and orange bitters. They also serve the city’s only iced mocha made with housemade ganache— and the Flat White is one that even picky Australians can get behind.
Chances are, if you’re all the way over on 10th Avenue already, you’re either there to explore the High Line or plan on checking out some art galleries. Either way, this is the perfect spot to grab an espresso or Americano to power the adventure along New York’s only elevated park.
Gem Home
The cafe and mini home goods market GEM Home is another Lower East Side newcomer that captured the hearts of the city’s most stylish food influencers early on in their tenure. It’s a coffee-serving cafe-meets-event space-meets mini grocer, with elegant and slightly avant-garde food offerings like nectarine scones with pink peppercorn, sourdough cinnamon rolls, smoked trout tartine with jammy eggs, “sprouting cauliflower” salads, black cardamom brown butter rolls, and Mortadella and pistachio butter sandwiches served on Tuscan schiacciata bread (you know, the usual!).
The menu here is fiercely inspired by the current season, as is the coffee which is served simply most of the year: either hot or iced.
In Summer, enjoy iced matcha americanos, yuzu slushies, red currant limequat juice, or an orange turmeric-sea buckthorn elixir at one of their stylish, understated oak tables. Or, cozy up with a warm mug in the softly-lit dining room come Fall, when the autumn spices and seasonal drinks pour in. (They also serve wine by the class in the evenings.)
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a wide variety of strictly-coffee offerings, you won’t find them here. But, if your interest is in finding a cool coffee shop atmosphere, a charming place to curl up with a laptop or with a friend over good food, good conversation, and some nice cafe beverages, then GEM Home is the perfect spot. The food is artful, and it invites lingering.
Before you leave, be sure to shop their special collection of pantry items, including things like boutique olive oil and house-made sourdough honey sesame crackers. Oh la la!
Maman NYC
Maman NYC is an adorable city staple known for its French-influenced food and drink, and even though they have since franchised to other cities, they remain an NYC staple for a reason. The original Maman cafe opened in SoHo in 2014, and 10+ years later they have so many locations around the city– downtown, University Place, NoMad, TriBeCa, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and more!– plus Brooklyn locations in Greenpoint and Cobble Hill.
Ultimately, we love this cafe chain’s come-hither aesthetics, with its iconic blue china-patterned cups and the global culinary influence. As a result of this latter detail, Maman is one of the best NYC coffee shops for dining in addition to coffee– so, if you want enticing food options along with your coffee, Maman is an excellent choice.
Between the smashed avocado tartines, the daily quiche, eggs ratatouille, and Maman’s signature breakfast sandwich made with bacon jam, avocado, roasted tomatoes and fried egg on a cornmeal focaccia bun, you’ll never go hungry no matter which location you attend.
Salads, soups, and sandwiches are all delectable here, as is Maman’s robust selection of pastries, from traditional kouign “maman” to vegan croissants, homemade Oreos, nutella beignets, creme brulee cookies, and more. There’s plenty of variety, and it’s all excellent. (And don’t even get me started on their Honey Lavender latte, which is the best of its class in the city.)
Notably, Maman is a laptop-free cafe, so it tends to foster intimate, lingering conversation, which adds to the cosmopolitan vibe.
The location on the border of Chinatown/SoHo is a lovely respite, with a cute, intimate seating area in the back. The Hudson Street location, meanwhile, is also totally gorgeous as well. (See above.)
Basically, if you’re looking for a cafe that reliably passes the vibe check, you can’t really go wrong with any Maman cafe. My favorite has always been the TriBeCa location, which weirdly never feels crowded even when it’s crowded. (You just have to check it out to understand.)
~ Honorable Mention ~
Abraco
Abraco serves great espresso at its counter-serve walk-up in Ukrainian Village, but really, I’d send you here for the Cured Olive Cookie alone. (No, that isn’t a typo.) The coffee here is straightforward and minimalistic, but this cookie is anything but.
Basically, the baked goods here are really unique and interesting. Abraco serves treats like orange blossom ricotta babka, buckwheat maple banana cake, and laminated Breton butter cake. It’s all delicious, as is the coffee.
Ppl
This low-key Williamsburg cafe on Roebling Street is loaded with plants and defined by its blithe, chill vibe. We love the white sesame latte and the vegan banana bread at Ppl— but really we love how it feels like what hipster Williamsburg used to be 10 years ago. (Before all the wealthy ex-pats flooded the neighborhood.)
This place is small, but scrappy! Blink and you’ll miss it!
The % Arabica Roastery in Brooklyn
% Arabica is a lovely gem with convenient locations all around the city, and a home base roastery located near Brooklyn Bridge Park and the waterfront in DUMBO. This latter sleeper cafe is bright, white, spacious and airy, with beautiful sight lines and lots of exposed brick. The pastry selection at this industrial-style roastery is minimal, but like the distinct branding, it’s also on point.
Stop here for a decidedly excellent coffee after taking the ferry over from Manhattan, or sip while meandering through Brooklyn Bridge Park and taking in the views across the East River.
Or, bring your cup to Jane’s Carousel or to Time Out New York’s local pop-up food court for the quintessential DUMBO experience. Enjoy!
***
Related: 9 Iconic Places to Get Classic “NYC” Bagels in New York City
The 11 Best Pizza Places in NYC (According to insiders and locals!)
Leave a Reply