The Best Local Coffee Shops In New York City

A line out the door? Probably. Worth it? Definitely. Blue Bottle Coffee, with eight Manhattan locations (and more in New York, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Miami, Boston and Tokyo) is sure to please.

Close to Archer Hotel at 54 West 40^th Street and facing Bryant Park, Blue Bottle Coffee serves cappuccinos that are smooth and silky, Americanos that are not acidic or burnt, drip coffee offerings that are hand-poured and always-consistent espresso. The New Orleans cold brew has an insanely enthusiastic following. One happy camper described it as “sooooo incredibly rich and delicious with a hint of sugar cane and chicory!!! Wow!!!!” Another recommends it for any warm or hot day. And another stated that “you could literally taste out the roasted flavor from coffee beans … well done!”

To go along with the excellently crafted pour-overs, iced coffees and espresso drinks, the shop offers a selection of pastries. The website has a “Find Your Coffee Match” section that helps you determine your ideal cup o’ joe. And if you’d like to learn how to brew the perfect cuppa, sign up for Brew Class, Coffee Cupping or — if you’re super-serious about your coffee — Careers in Coffee.

In Sweden, the word “fika” refers to taking a coffee break in order to enjoy a bite of something sweet or savory, as well as engaging in conversation. It’s a way to relax while staying connected to friends and loved ones.

Sustainability — of quality, culture and our environment — is the philosophy that guides Fika. Arabica beans are sourced from around the world and roasted locally according to a traditional Swedish method. The result? Coffee that’s bold, yet smooth and not bitter.

What goes great with coffee? Chocolate — and Fika has its own chocolate factory in Tribeca. Made from scratch daily, it’s a hard thing to try to outdo these sweet treats. For a bit more to eat, the small but delightful menu offers breakfast selections, freshly baked pastries, a soup of the week, quiche, wraps, sandwiches and salads. An added bonus: Wi-Fi is available at all 11 Manhattan locations.

A true Australian-inspired coffee shop and café, Hole in the Wall has two locations: the café at 15 Cliff Street in the Financial District and 420 Fifth Avenue in midtown, right down the street from Archer Hotel. The café’s head chef is an Aussie native who uses his culinary skills that he developed Down Under at a popular beach café, as well as at award-wining restaurants and in developing kitchens of his own.

The café offers one of the best brunches in the city, alongside stellar coffee selections. Of note are the Breakfast Focaccia with scrambled egg, bacon, arugula, house-made pickles, relish and Sriracha mayo, and the Chilli Scrambled Eggs with bacon, avocado, pecorino, chives and crispy shallots on toast. Like a mimosa or espresso martini to go with your brunch? Sure thing.

And the coffee? Some say the best espresso in town is at Hole in the Wall. The cappuccino and flat white get special mention, as well. Stop in at the midtown location, which is solely a coffee stop, for a cup of brewed Aussie pride.

Six Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee locations include the flagship store at 138 West 10^th Street. At the heart of Greenwich Village, this is New York City’s first organic, shade-grown and Fair Trade-certified coffee shop. Owner Jack Mazzola developed his method of brewing by remembering the actions of his Italian grandmother stirring her tomato sauce; he made the connection that the key to a balanced, less-acidic cup of coffee is to stir the coffee as it’s brewed.

To accompany a perfect cup of stir-brewed or cold-brewed coffee, try the in-house-baked vegan, kosher, organic apple cider or chocolate blackout donuts. They also serve hearty muffins and homemade cookies in the cozy space. And if you’re into celebrity sightings, keep your eyes peeled; you may get lucky at Jack’s  — one of the neighborhood’s favorite coffee shops in New York City.

House-roasted brews with unique coffee creations and freshly baked pastries are the hallmark of Café Grumpy. With six shops in Manhattan and positive reviews all around, the beans make the strong, smooth coffee more than memorable. Known for its cold brew, it offers ready-to-drink bottled cold brew, a concentrate and a 10-ounce cold brew + milk or chocolate.

Need a gift for a coffee lover (or yourself)? There’s a full line of Café Grumpy merchandise with its grumpy-head logo: mugs, cups and saucers, hats, T-shirts, totes — even a plush green or roasted coffee bean. Or sign up for a home brewing class and learn the tips and tricks you need to brew your own cuppa.

In the Fashion District at 200 West 39^th Street, you’ll be greeted by an attentive staff and a lovely orange Synesso machine. The café aims to provide a relaxing environment to help its customers unwind, so put away the phone — there’s no Wi-Fi service. Just sit back and enjoy your steaming pour-over or cup of tea.

This collection of coffee shops and cafés is “inspired by the world-renowned coffee culture found in Melbourne, Australia.” What that means is the folks at Bluestone Lane want its customers to enjoy the coffee experience, rather than searching for a caffeine buzz. That experience includes a mental escape from the everyday in order to deeply enjoy innovative coffee concoctions, complimentary foods and a communal environment.

Serving an exclusive espresso blend called Maverick and an exclusive filter blend called Flagstaff, Bluestone Lane’s reputation is well-deserved. Sure you can get one of the best flat whites in the city; but also try the expertly executed latte or the Aussie iced latte (a double shot of espresso poured over milk and ice cream) or one of the “Wellness Drinks” (the Golden Latte has tons of fans). A myriad of specialty toasts includes customizable multigrain, avocado smash, salmon, turmeric sweet potato, and smashed pea and coconut yoghurt. The cafés also serve brunch items and a selection of alcoholic beverages.

Nine coffee shops and four cafés in Manhattan include the West Village café at 30 Carmine Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues) and the Upper East Side’s unique spot at 2 East 90^th Street (adjacent to the Church of Heavenly Rest), with historic sandstone features and archways. The shops offer a limited food menu with counter service; the cafés provide an extensive seasonal menu of progressive café fare and table service.

Four generations of Kobricks have hand-roasted its coffee beans in small batches. Today, its certified organic roasting plant, it sources, cups, roasts and packages select coffees and blends.

Coffee, cocktails, coffee cocktails, house-made chocolate milk — Kobrick serves fun small plates, but you might never get past the drinks. What to try? The Loca Mocha: with Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, Jameson^® Irish whiskey, chocolate milk, cold brew and Hella^™ aromatic bitters. Chase it with a Creamy Brie Grilled Cheese served with honey and apple.

The café, at 24 Ninth Avenue in the Meatpacking District, also serves appetizers, organic eggs, specialty toasts, pressed sandwiches, tartines, grilled cheese sandwiches, cupping table sides, tryer boards (aka cheese and charcuterie boards) and desserts. Surrounded by nightlife but feeling forever chill, Kobrick keeps it mellow until 4 AM.

Legend has it that Kaldi, a young Ethiopian Sufi goatherd, discovered the coffee plant around 850 AD. Realizing that his goats wouldn’t settle down at night after eating the red berries of the coffee plant, Kaldi decided to try them for himself. To his delight, he felt energized. He took the berries to the abbot of the local monastery to share his discovery, but the skeptical monk threw them in the fire.

That’s when the magic happened: The roasted beans smelled so good, Kaldi and the abbot scraped them out of the fire, ground them up and dissolved them in hot water. Ba da bing, ba da boom — the first cup of coffee was created.
 

True story? No one knows for sure. But it makes for a good tale, and “Kaldi” and “Dancing Goats” have become popular names for coffee brands and shops. There’s even a bronze statue of a dancing goat inside the Central Park Wildlife Conservation Center at 64^th Street and Fifth Avenue. The statue was created by Brooklyn native Frederick George Richard Roth and installed in 1937. What a great photo-op, standing by “The Dancing Goat” with a cup of joe in hand.

And now, for some favorite stops for a great cup of New York coffee: Grab a cup to enjoy while you peruse this curated list of the best local coffee shops in New York City.

When you’re hankering for breakfast or brunch — either light or more filling — stop in at AVA Social at Archer Hotel at 45 West 38^th Street. Start with a coffee, espresso, latte, macchiato, Americano or cappuccino. If hot tea is more your style, try one of the Lavazza Teas. Then enjoy Steel Cut Irish Oats with brown sugar and dried fruit, Truffled French Omelet with robiola cheese, wild mushroom, toast and fresh truffles, or Bagel + Lox.