New York City - cafe recommendations please...
Jan 31st, 2010, 07:15 PM
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New York City - cafe recommendations please...
I am in NYC for a few more days and would like to find a nice cafe that does a great breakfast with nice coffee....
Preferably in the Village area or lower east side.....but will consider anywhere in the city.
It's very hard to get decent coffee in this city !
Preferably in the Village area or lower east side.....but will consider anywhere in the city.
It's very hard to get decent coffee in this city !
Jan 31st, 2010, 10:01 PM
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I am not coffee drinker but here a few places to get a greart breakfast-
Clinton Street Bakery-It is really a restaurant that is insane on the weekends but they make some of the best scones and biscuits.
No place to sit but the kids in the neighborhood love Abraco for coffee on East 7th.
For a Cuban breakfast-Cafecito on Ave C
City Bakery-East 18th. They know how to bake-no table service but many tables, popular with neighborhood hipsters and new mamas.
Clinton Street Bakery-It is really a restaurant that is insane on the weekends but they make some of the best scones and biscuits.
No place to sit but the kids in the neighborhood love Abraco for coffee on East 7th.
For a Cuban breakfast-Cafecito on Ave C
City Bakery-East 18th. They know how to bake-no table service but many tables, popular with neighborhood hipsters and new mamas.
Feb 1st, 2010, 05:00 AM
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It's funny that you say how hard it is to find good coffee. I find exactly the opposite in NYC, especially in the East Village. Are you looking for regular American coffee or cappucino or espresso?
If you just want a good cup of coffee, go into Porto Rico coffee store on St. Mark's (just off 2nd Ave). But there's no place to sit there.
Prune (on East 1st Street) is very popular for weekend brunch, but I don't think they are open during the week. If you're still here on Saturday, go there.
If you just want a good cup of coffee, go into Porto Rico coffee store on St. Mark's (just off 2nd Ave). But there's no place to sit there.
Prune (on East 1st Street) is very popular for weekend brunch, but I don't think they are open during the week. If you're still here on Saturday, go there.
Feb 1st, 2010, 07:20 AM
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Grey Dog Cafe on University Place & 12th St, also on Carmine between Bleecker and 7th av. is great for breakfast and good coffee (free refills too), http://thegreydog.com/. ALso Cafe Dante on MacDougal street has some of the best cappuccino around and great Italian pastries.
Feb 1st, 2010, 08:05 AM
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Many of the places that are considered to have the best coffee are more coffee house/pastry places rather than those that serve a full cooked breakfast. I also think if you're from Australia, what you consider good may be different than what we like. Here's an article from a Sydney newspaper on what they considered good coffee in NYC. http://www.smh.com.au/travel/barista...0604-bwlc.html
Abraco is one place that's often mentioned for great coffee in the east village. Balthazar is a popular upscale French brasserie with their own bakery that serves a nice breakfast during the week.
Abraco is one place that's often mentioned for great coffee in the east village. Balthazar is a popular upscale French brasserie with their own bakery that serves a nice breakfast during the week.
Feb 1st, 2010, 09:24 AM
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Mclaurie, I went to Balthazar in Soho today for breakfast and it was FANTASTIC! Well priced too....for $12 I had scrambled eggs, toast, jam and fruit....Amazing service, great atmosphere.
Even on a Monday morning at 10am it was packed so I can imagine how busy it would get during peek times.
The coffee was the best I have had in NY so far, but not even close to what I can find in Sydney ( i drink milk coffee, so a cafelatte or cappuccino ). Maybe its the milk in the US ....there is some weird flavor in all the coffee here.
Overall I have been really disappointed in the lack of cafes in NYC....in Sydney any inner city street would have cafes nearby....in NY I walk blocks without seeing any.....and the ones that I do find open at 10am...
Still, NYC is an amazing place...don't get me wrong.
next stop in Strasbourg then Paris, so hoping for more cafes there !
Even on a Monday morning at 10am it was packed so I can imagine how busy it would get during peek times.
The coffee was the best I have had in NY so far, but not even close to what I can find in Sydney ( i drink milk coffee, so a cafelatte or cappuccino ). Maybe its the milk in the US ....there is some weird flavor in all the coffee here.
Overall I have been really disappointed in the lack of cafes in NYC....in Sydney any inner city street would have cafes nearby....in NY I walk blocks without seeing any.....and the ones that I do find open at 10am...
Still, NYC is an amazing place...don't get me wrong.
next stop in Strasbourg then Paris, so hoping for more cafes there !
Feb 1st, 2010, 10:32 AM
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Pastis is owned by the same people and also serves b/f in the meatpacking district. http://www.pastisny.com/index.php The Standard in the Standard hotel is another idea (also meatpacking). Locanda Verde in Tribeca in the Greenwich Hotel is relatively new and very hot right now. http://nymag.com/restaurants/feature...94/index1.html The Empire Diner (Chelsea) can also be fun for breakfast. If you want to try uptown, the Popover Cafe is tasty.
Feb 1st, 2010, 10:49 AM
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Overall I have been really disappointed in the lack of cafes in NYC....in Sydney any inner city street would have cafes nearby....
I am not sure what you consider a cafe. Balthazar is a bistro which has an excellent bakery. A cafe in NY is usually where you get some cafe and a bagel, croissant, or donut. But many workers just stop at a local place for same on the way to work.
The New York life style is not geared to a leisurely breakfast during the week. And that may be the reason why the city is brunch cuckoo on Saturday and Sunday when there is a wide array of choices, which I think you are looking for.
Also Sydney temps do not fluctuate like they do in New York. It is most uncomfortable to sit at an outdoor cafe during a snow storm.
Good luck in France.
I am not sure what you consider a cafe. Balthazar is a bistro which has an excellent bakery. A cafe in NY is usually where you get some cafe and a bagel, croissant, or donut. But many workers just stop at a local place for same on the way to work.
The New York life style is not geared to a leisurely breakfast during the week. And that may be the reason why the city is brunch cuckoo on Saturday and Sunday when there is a wide array of choices, which I think you are looking for.
Also Sydney temps do not fluctuate like they do in New York. It is most uncomfortable to sit at an outdoor cafe during a snow storm.
Good luck in France.
Feb 1st, 2010, 11:17 AM
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I know what you mean about cafes in Australia. They are literally everywhere. And many are Greek-operated, which you just won't find here (many of our diners are Greek-operated, but it's just a different tradition in NYC, and definitely the coffee ... though to my taste ... is certainly different than in Australia). We have some family friends who used to operate cafes in the Brisbane area ... and the coffee was good. So I know what you mean. And you are correct. That kind of cafe that serves breakfast, sandwiches, pastries, light lunch fare, and coffee is virtually unheard of here.
It's just that we have so many places, but they are typical New York places, not typical Australia places.
I wonder if the difference in taste is that you may find more UHT-treated milk in Australia. But there's definitely a difference. Clotted cream or just thick cream is widely available in Australia and virtually unheard of here. And the milk we get is definitely not the same, so that may be the difference.
If you like Balthazar,
It's just that we have so many places, but they are typical New York places, not typical Australia places.
I wonder if the difference in taste is that you may find more UHT-treated milk in Australia. But there's definitely a difference. Clotted cream or just thick cream is widely available in Australia and virtually unheard of here. And the milk we get is definitely not the same, so that may be the difference.
If you like Balthazar,
Feb 1st, 2010, 11:19 AM
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Actually, there's a chain in Midtown that you might really like ... Pret A Manger. Although they don't really offer a cooked breakfast, they do have coffee that you will like and sandwiches. It's a British chain and hasn't been Americanized too much.
Feb 1st, 2010, 11:49 AM
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Quite the opposite, UHT milk is never used in restaurants in Australia. It's revolting stuff!
I do however agree that it must be the milk that gives it the different taste...its more bitter from what I have tasted in NY.
I was astounded when in a german restaurant last year when I asked for milk with my coffee and I was given 2 UHT containers just as if I were sitting on plane.
I do however agree that it must be the milk that gives it the different taste...its more bitter from what I have tasted in NY.
I was astounded when in a german restaurant last year when I asked for milk with my coffee and I was given 2 UHT containers just as if I were sitting on plane.
Feb 1st, 2010, 04:27 PM
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In NYC breakfast during the week is generally eaten on the move - no sitting down. I think that's the problem you're running into. Most people only eat a cooked breakfast at brunch on Saturday or Sunday.
Agree coffee in many places in NYC is not good - way too weak IMHO - tastes like brown water rather than real coffee. But then I like the taste of coffee and drink only black - except for the occasional cappuccino for dessert.
Agree coffee in many places in NYC is not good - way too weak IMHO - tastes like brown water rather than real coffee. But then I like the taste of coffee and drink only black - except for the occasional cappuccino for dessert.
Feb 1st, 2010, 04:39 PM
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Yes I think we have established that you dont come to NY for great coffee !
I grew up in Melbourne and people would often talk about the "cafe culture" of the place, but I never really understood it - until I traveled.
I grew up in Melbourne and people would often talk about the "cafe culture" of the place, but I never really understood it - until I traveled.
Feb 1st, 2010, 05:56 PM
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You might try Morandi on Waverly Place - just off 7th Avenue and Charles St. - I've eaten breakfast there and it was really good. It's the Italian version of Pastis & Balthazar - it didn't get the best reviews when it opened, but it's really pretty good now.
Don't know what you're looking for in coffee, but several places to try are 9th St. coffee, Cafe Grumpy, Joe's and Oren's Daily Roast.
if you're looking for cafe culture, you might stick to the east village - Yaffa always strikes me as being a place where people (hipsters and those who aim to be) eat breakfast, hang and talk away a good part of the day.
Don't know what you're looking for in coffee, but several places to try are 9th St. coffee, Cafe Grumpy, Joe's and Oren's Daily Roast.
if you're looking for cafe culture, you might stick to the east village - Yaffa always strikes me as being a place where people (hipsters and those who aim to be) eat breakfast, hang and talk away a good part of the day.
Feb 1st, 2010, 08:59 PM
#20
mclaurie on Feb 2, 10 at 8:41am
Le Pain Quotidien is a Belgian chain here that's good
Tony, I'm a Sydneyite too and had the same challenge as you in the coffee department. With the strong Italian influence in NYC, I thought there would be a Bar Coluzi or Pelegrinos on every street corner as there is in Sydney/Melbourne.
NYC is such a fascinating place, with some bakeries to die for, I figure we can just savour the difference in the coffee.
(Not Starbucks or Maccas ... I'm not THAT mad!)Or buy a plunger & some coffee & brew your own - I've done that, too.
McLaurie's right - Le Pain Quotidien is a good option, and there are quite a few around. I just ask for a strong version of whatever I'm having or a double shot espresso with hot milk in a jug on the side.
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en...BwQtQMwAw&z=12
Hi McLaurie - you'll be amused to know there are now LePQs in Australia. Haven't tried one yet. My local barrista would faint
Le Pain Quotidien is a Belgian chain here that's good
Tony, I'm a Sydneyite too and had the same challenge as you in the coffee department. With the strong Italian influence in NYC, I thought there would be a Bar Coluzi or Pelegrinos on every street corner as there is in Sydney/Melbourne.
NYC is such a fascinating place, with some bakeries to die for, I figure we can just savour the difference in the coffee.
(Not Starbucks or Maccas ... I'm not THAT mad!)Or buy a plunger & some coffee & brew your own - I've done that, too.
McLaurie's right - Le Pain Quotidien is a good option, and there are quite a few around. I just ask for a strong version of whatever I'm having or a double shot espresso with hot milk in a jug on the side.
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en...BwQtQMwAw&z=12
Hi McLaurie - you'll be amused to know there are now LePQs in Australia. Haven't tried one yet. My local barrista would faint
