The 10 Best Coffee Shops in NYC

by iROOMit Team
June 16, 2022
5 min read

NYC's best coffee shops range from an espresso bar with experimental drinks to a cozy bookstore perfect for working. Check them out!

1. Abraço

  • Restaurants
  • Coffee shops
  • East Village

Abraço since it opened in its original location in 2007. The beans are sourced from South America and roasted in-house and the cow-only milk is organic, but the menu doesn’t brag about any of that. It lets the buzzy atmosphere, rich pour-over and famous homemade olive-oil cake speak for themselves.

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2. Sey Coffee

  • Bars
  • Café bars
  • East Williamsburg

The sleek, lightwood-laden Sey Coffee is a coffee connoisseur’s paradise. A respite from Bushwick’s hippest parties, latest gallery openings and trendy restaurants, it’s a peaceful place where you can watch the coffee being roasted in-house—in fact, the resulting lighter roast is so popular, it has popped up at Olmsted, Rucola and some of our other favorite restaurants. If you want to deep dive into the third-wave coffee movement, there are “cupping sessions” where you can sniff, swirl and sip any number of beans.

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3. Mudspot

  • Restaurants
  • Coffee shops
  • East Village

If Mud ever closed, we would cry. For so many New Yorkers, Mud has become more than a coffee shop; it’s a lifeline for the downtown set—and NYU freshman—to hang out and dish.

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4. Devoción

  • Restaurants
  • Cafés
  • Williamsburg

Morning commutes are chaotic, no? That’s why we prefer the tranquility of Devoción, which gives us hope that a vacation is just around the corner. Its Williamsburg location has big windows that are full of light, an island of tropical plants and—up front—a fishtail palm tree. Sip your coffee from one of the signature yellow mugs and note the flavor profile of its Colombian beans, sourced by Medellín-born founder Steve Sutton.

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5. Felix Roasting Co.

  • Restaurants
  • Cafés
  • Midtown East

There’s so much to poke fun at at this chichi coffee shop; take the Pepto-pink details that could double as a Wes Anderson set or its preening “every coffee has a story” motto. But our cynical hearts are melted by its new-age java creations. A standout is the "Deconstructed Espresso Tonic," which comes in a Bordeaux wine glass filled with tonic water, non-alcoholic Campari reduction and lemon-basil leaves.

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6. Alita Cafe

Paolo Maliksi and Alejandro Ceballos, the minds behind Long Island City’s Regalia Roasting Collective, have opened a coffee shop named for Ceballos’ abuela. They’ll be serving up Regalia coffee, of course, along with Mexican sodas, croissants and chorizo and cheddar biscuits. Their roasting collective offers the opportunity for over thirty local roasters to create small-batch coffee, so every sip is sorta like sticking it to the man.

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7. Drip Coffee

  • Restaurants
  • Coffee shops
  • Brooklyn Heights

Drip Coffee isn’t just the name—it’s also what your coffee will do while you wait for your handcrafted pour-over. Nigel Price, who started Drip out of a mobile cart, believes that coffee is worth slowing down for. (And really, who couldn’t use a minute to take a few deep breaths on a Sunday morning?) If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to wait for your caffeine fix, they do have an espresso machine, but you might find yourself appreciating that extra moment of calm in your day.

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8. East One Coffee Roasters

  • Restaurants
  • Contemporary American
  • Carroll Gardens

Developed by a chef with a fine-dining pedigree, East One’s menu includes house-made granola, autumn grain bowls and malted pancakes, among other brunch-y items that make this all-day café a winner.

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9. Teranga

  • Restaurants
  • West African
  • East Harlem

At this café nestled inside the Africa Center, you’ll find West African-inspired fast-casual offerings worth trying. But Teranga is also a perfect spot for working or a coffee date: strong espresso drinks use single-origin beans directly sourced from Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia. Teranga also offers a moringa latte, its West African take on matcha.

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10. Hi-Collar

  • Restaurants
  • Japanese
  • East Village

Taking its name from a fashion term popular during the Japanese jazz age, this kissaten-style café specializes in East-meets-West fare. During the day, the East Village spot serves siphon brews made with varying blends. When the sun sets, sidle up to the wooden counter for Japanese whisky and shochu cocktails.

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