By Reagan Payne.
We all laughed at Buddy the Elf for trusting a neon sign. But the question still stands: where is the world’s NYC’s best cup of coffee?
And let’s get this out of the way: Fuck a Frappuccino. If you suck down Starbucks on a daily basis, you don’t love coffee. You don’t even like coffee, I'll bet. You like sugar. But I don’t want to be in a New York that only knows coffee like that.
Because there are one million Michael Scotts around, there are plenty of places that resemble Chicago’s Portillo’s blending a cake into a cup (I’m not joking).
BUT if we can agree on these #NYEHCoffeeValues, I can bring you the best cup of coffee per borough:
Espresso that’s bold but never bitter
Drip that’s always served hot
After reading through Reddit arguments, Google Maps reviews, and tasting it myself, I began to lose feeling in my hands. The thought of (and coffee from) these places keep twitching me awake in the night:
Manhattan – Gold Coffee
Gold doesn’t hide behind syrups or whipped nonsense. The espresso is bold, clean, and dares you to taste it. Smooth crema, no burn. The drip is rich and steady, not a dessert pretending to be a drink.
Brooklyn – Variety Coffee Roasters
Your sweet tooth isn’t safe here either. Variety pulls espresso with care, so they don’t drown it in disgusting milks and sugar that leaks out of a plastic pump. The rotating pour-overs respect the bean, the season, and well… taste. This is a rare cold brew that manages to taste like dark chocolate, not melted ice cream.
Queens – Café Henri
Ok, you can relax here. No one’s yelling at you. This is the place that just might help you realize sugar was never the point. It wakes you up without embarrassing you. Go here; growth looks good on you.
Bronx – Cerini Coffee & Gifts
Cerini is quietly excellent in the Bronx. It’s a woman-owned retail shop specializing in Italian (I can’t stay away from Europe) coffee, espresso machines, packaged foods, and housewares. Nothing says, “I know coffee,” like, “I know how to fix coffee machines.” New Yorkers who know better come here. Everyone else keeps arguing online.
Ditch the sugar shakes and share your thoughts with #NYEHCoffeeValues. No matter where you are, you can grab a cup worth shouting about.
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