Buzz Buzz Buzz! Coffee Shops on the rise!

2nd February 2015

For most New Yorkers, coffee is a necessity of our daily lives. We don’t want just any ol’ cup of jo, either. Over the past fifteen-plus years Starbucks has dominated the national “Specialty Coffee” scene with its free bathrooms, living wage for its employees, and generally socially-conscious modus operandi. Recently, smaller franchises have been popping up to ebb into the market sharing if not improving upon the giant’s ideals. New York City is the proving ground for many of them as they roast and roust. But who are they and what makes them different?

1. The Bean - In the LES, this longstanding local haven for java recently relocated to Second Avenue (though you may have started seeing more of them around!). Decorated by local “Mosaic Man” Jim Power, it touts itself as a reflection of the vibrant arts community still alive and well from Astor Place to Alphabet City. They roast their own coffee is one of the oldest coffee roasting plants in Brooklyn and the flavor is robust and never bitter - just like their baristas!

2. Think! Coffee on Mercer is a sprawling, multi-leveled cavern of caffeine. In the front, you can sit by the windows and watch NYU students trail in and out. In the back you can sink into one of many couches and plush chairs and a good book. Think! Coffee gets its beans from “Farms or Farmers we know” and pride themselves on the impact they have on the communities that grow their beans. You can taste the love in their brews.

3. Little Skips in the now famous neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn is so popular their owners opened up a Little Outpost just a block away. They serve the delicious Counter Culture coffee, and every cup is brewed with care and precision. They have a revolving exhibition featuring the best local artists and an atmosphere reminiscent of your own living room. (p.s. the sandwiches are amazing too!)

4. Blue Bottle, originated in San Francisco, is an experience in itself. Often criticized for being rude and pretentious, they are quick to caution customers that their recipes should not be customized. It’s true, their flavors and specific preparations are entirely their own, and their chicory-enhanced iced brew, though initially confounding, will have you asking less questions next time you stop by.

5. Cafe Grumpy, founded in Greenpoint, Brooklyn in 2005, has quickly asserted itself as a major player in the specialty coffee market. With six locations throughout NYC, they’re closer than you probably imagine. Their direct-roasted brews are strong and their baristas are passionate. Visit their Chelsea location to enjoy coffee brewed by the cup.

6. Gimme Coffee was founded in Ithaca in 2000 and has since expanded to two Brooklyn locations and a LES location on Mott Street. Don’t be dissuaded by their “worn” veneer, their coffee is top class. As much environmental activists as coffee devotees, they feature blends like the “Fracktivist” blend which donated over $30K to stopping fracking in upstate NY. In 2013, they won Roast Magazine’s roaster of the year award for their commitment to “quality, innovation, and sustainable business practices.” Join the coffee revolution!

7. Portland, Oregon’s Stumptown Coffee, adjacent to the lobby of the ultra-chic Ace Hotel on w. 29th, makes a mean cappuccino. Stumptown is lauded by many as the apex of specialty beans. With so much competition in the Big Apple, it’s a tough call, but it’s pretty fun to lounge in the Hotel Lobby sipping one of their strong cups of Joe. And with “roastery facilities in four cities, several cafes, and fantastic wholesale partnerships around the country” you can be assured that quality is taken seriously./p>

8. Intelligentsia, though it may sound like a covert government snoop, has been refining their roasts, blends, and cups since 1995. It started in Chicago and now slangs jitter juice in NYC and LA as well. They contend that they go beyond just sourcing from friendly farmers but actually working so close that that “develop” the beans alongside the growers. The view from the highline, just above their first NYC location surely matches their vision.

9. Should you find yourself jaunting around Tribeca in need of a cuppa, Kaffe 1668 boasts single origin, direct trade, and Redhook-roasted beans. Their southernmost location even has a flock of stuffed sheep to count to test and see if the coffee is doing its job. They also provide homemade, cold-pressed, organic, raw, unpasteurized juice” in case you need an alternate pick-me-up. Kaffe 1668 is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

10. Joe Coffee, with ten locations peppered throughout Manhattan, is an oasis of liquid vigor.

Other notable cafes: Irving Farm Coffee Roasters, Sweetleaf LIC, Darling Coffee, Variety Coffee, and Daily Press.

Photo credit: ” still full“ by protographer23 is licensed under CC BY 2.0