Where to find the best coffee in New York City

Catie Kelly, Lonely Planet’s former Executive Vice President, moved to NYC in 2023. Follow her quest to get to know the city, one cup of coffee at a time.

I’m a coffee connoisseur.

So when I relocated to New York City – after living a bit of a nomadic life in places like Charlotte, North Carolina; Cleveland, Ohio; and London, England – I thought I’d put my coffee love to good use. To get the lay of the land in my new hometown, I challenged myself. I would drink 100 cups of coffee, from 100 coffee spots.

In Cleveland and Charlotte, the idea of craft coffee was still new – those cities only have a handful of places that rate high on the coffee-culture chart. London already had a coffee culture, though when I lived there, my coffee palate wasn’t as refined. I remember vividly walking around London drinking a Pret coffee and dunking a croissant in it. There, that felt like the most normal thing in the world.

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Why and how I did it

I didn’t know many of the neighborhoods in New York. And I wanted to. Particularly ones near my home and office, but there were other areas I wanted to explore out of curiosity. This coffee quest gave me the drive to discover different parts of the city, and to immerse myself in their particular vibe, which I found matched nicely with the more popular coffee shops.

On the Upper East Side, the best coffee is Ralph’s, where Ralph Lauren’s preppy, clubby brand is unmistakable. I found that people at the Brooklyn shops are friendlier, while the West Village is trendy and vibrant, and everyone seems to be doing very important things.

To curate the list of coffee shops and cafes I would venture to, I watched a lot of TikToks of other people trying coffee. I also probably read a million pages on Google. Before I knew it, I had a list of 20 shops. Then I turned it into a shareable note to which others could add their favorites.

Tasting notes

My rating system was based on my taste alone. Sometimes my rating has more to do with the atmosphere or energy of the coffee shop than anything else. Three important details about my challenge:

• My flavor profile is creamy and smooth; I avoid anything bitter or acidic.

• I ordered the same plain latte, sometimes hot, sometimes iced, everywhere I went to ensure that my ratings and comparisons were scientifically valid(ish).

• I rated each spot 1, 2 or 3, with 1 being the highest – these places I would enthusiastically recommend. A 2 indicates a less enthusiastic recommendation – it’ll do if you’re nearby. And 3 – well, we won’t talk about the 3s.

A few more details from my quest: I learned that the experience of a cafe improved based on factors other than the actual coffee. A warm smile, a thoughtfully designed paper cup, the vibe in the cafe: these factors occasionally affected my rating.

I definitely drank more iced lattes along the way and found the size and quality of the ice affected the coffee’s taste profile. (No one likes a watery latte.) Also, New York City has banned plastic straws (yay, environment!) – but paper straws don’t quite do it for me as a replacement. Since I couldn’t count on the same sipping experience without a decent straw, I recommend carrying a nice metal one with you.

Out of the 100 coffees I tested, only 78 were in tiers 1 or 2. You may notice many neighborhoods on this list are near one another, but I have a busy job and could only venture so far afield. So this is by no means a complete list for the entire city.

But it’s good enough for me, and I hope it’s helpful and inspiring for you.

The results are in

Without further ado, here are my top coffee shops, along with a few brief and unembellished notes I took while drinking.

1. Interlude 

Tribeca

Their iced latte is very creamy. The blocks of ice are perfect. Get the honey butter scone. I’ve heard the meringue pop tart is also a special treat, but it must be pre-ordered. Interlude roasts coffee from George Howell Coffee, a legend in the coffee industry. I’m not a huge fan of matcha, but I understand that they do matcha well, too. Both locations are in Tribeca, one on Hudson St and another on Murray St.

2. Stumptown 

Greenwich Village, Cobble Hill, Nomad

Seattle roaster. Very creamy. Oat milk is their standard, so you need to opt into dairy. They also sell foil-wrapped King David breakfast tacos (made at their headquarters in Brooklyn). Order the PEC (potato, egg and cheese) with green salsa. It's a winner. Stumptown has certainly moved past being a local shop, as their coffee can be purchased at Target or enjoyed on an Alaska Airlines flight, but I stand by the fact that the in-store coffee tastes truly delicious. The Cobble Hill shop has plenty of nice tables to do work.

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3. Devoción 

Williamsburg, Downtown Brooklyn, Dumbo, Flatiron, NoMad, Midtown

Service is outstanding. Always a queue; never a long wait. If you like smooth coffee, try this place. Very silky, very yum – the more I have, the more I want. Also, they have one of my favorite plain croissants. Bonus: pistachio milk. Devoción roasts single-origin coffee from Colombia; they process their beans in as few as 10 days before they make it to the roaster in Brooklyn.

4. Beanmonger 

Gowanus

A new addition to the list, this charming shop feels very local, and their coffee is top-tier. They have a thoughtful rotating seasonal menu that should not be missed.

5. Koré Coffee 

Chinatown

This place is the one that blew me away the most. Standard coffee is delicious and made with care. The tiramisu latte is a next-level treat – a huge standout of the whole adventure. This shop rotates an inventive menu, so if you want to try something seasonal or new, stop by, but note the shop has limited seating.

6. Caffe Paradiso 

Nolita

This coffee shop is absolute perfection; it's arranged as a "bar." We grabbed a nice cup of coffee and a warm croissant and had the perfect morning. My friend spoke with the owner, who mentioned that he brought all of the cups from Australia. If you're looking for a great cup of coffee and great vibes, this is your spot!

7. Kobrick Coffee 

Meatpacking District

So old-school that it's been around for over 100 years, and it's one of the city's oldest roasters. Four generations of Kobrick have made this coffee their livelihood, and they've had the same roastmaster for over 30 years. Their iced latte is supreme to near-perfect – sturdy ice cubes, creamy milk, and a nice straw. Lots of seating available inside and outside.

8. WatchHouse 

Midtown

This was a late-breaking addition to my list. I adored WatchHouse when I lived in London, and it had just opened outpost in Midtown when I arrived. I love that the standard latte is served as 8 ounces (versus the usual 12) – this feels more coffee-forward with a hint of sweetness and creaminess. They have great branding. Their sandwiches looked tempting. And a new location is coming to Gramercy Park.

9. Ninth Street Espresso 

East Village, Gowanus, Long Island City

One of few shops that still takes cash (and you get a discount). This shop has zero faff and feels truly local. I laughed when I checked out their website, which claimed they are "committed to snobbery-free customer service," and they definitely nail it. Their first shop opened in 2001 on East 9th St, and they have since expanded to more locations in NYC, Brooklyn and Long Island City.

11. Café Integral 

Soho

Feels local with really well-done coffee. It’s a warm shop, seemingly always filled to the brim with people enjoying each other's company. Opened in 2012, Café Integral roasts Nicaraguan coffee, where the owners are from. If you’re up for something distinct, try the Horchata latte or the Olivia, an iced drink with espresso, almond milk, and dates.

12. % Arabica 

Dumbo, Nolita, Midtown

Feels very craft. It takes them a while to make your coffee, but it’s tasty. The Dumbo location has a lovely view of the Brooklyn Bridge. The first location was in Kyoto, Japan, and they have over 230 shops worldwide – with over 80 outposts in China alone.

13. The Walkers Espresso 

West Village

A nice Turkish cafe with lovely owners and an extensive and standout menu. I was overwhelmed with options during my first trip but ultimately ordered “The Blonde,” which was not too sweet and very delicious. 

14. Abraço 

East Village

If you google "best coffee in NYC," Abraço will come up. Their coffee is simply too bold or intense for my profile, but I really appreciate this shop and its dedication to the craft of coffee. The olive oil cake was tasty, and I was definitely tempted by their frittata. Important note: This shop is closed on Mondays.

15. Nako 

Brooklyn Heights

This very aesthetic cafe is in an idyllic part of Brooklyn Heights, which adds to the overall spirit of the shop. The coffee was quite delicious. The shop was decorated well. 10/10 experience!

The runners-up

Here are the other great spots. These remaining coffee shops are categorized into two tiers to differentiate between the ones I loved versus those I just liked.

Tier 1: I’ll be going back. And often.

Multiple NYC locations:
:3
Blue Bottle
Butler Bakeshop
Drip
Coffee Rx 
Copper Mug
Hungry Ghost
Irving Farm
La Cabra
Partners
PlantShedPlowshares
Poppy's
Variety
White Noise

Single location:
10000 (Midtown)
Amano Cafe (West Village)
Ariston Flowers and Cafe (Union Square)
Cafe Lyria (Soho)
Cafe Panino Mucho Giusto (West Village)
Common Address (Midtown West)
Do Not Feed Alligators (West Village)
The Elk (West Village)
Fontainhas (Dumbo)
Foreigner (Flatiron)
Gotham Coffee Roasters (Flatiron)
K’Far Cafe (Williamsburg)
Kona Coffee Roasters (Chelsea)
Lê Phin (East Village)
Little Canal (Lower East Side)
The Lost Draft (Nolita)
Mast Market (Upper West Side)
Mud (East Village)
Noa Cafe (Midtown)
Octavia (Cobble Hill)
Red Coffee Stand (Dumbo)
Remi Flower and Coffee (East Village)
Rigor Hill (Tribeca)
Sorella Coffee (Kips Bay)
Third Rail Coffee (Greenwich Village)
Yanni’s (Chelsea)

Tier 2: I would go back, but only if I happen to be nearby.

Multiple NYC locations:
787
Bluestone Lane
Bourke Street Bakery
Drip
For Five Coffee
Ground Central
​​​​​​Gumption
La Colombe
Marathon
Madman Espresso
Mah-Ze-Dahr
Poetica Coffee
Ralph’s Coffee
Seven Grams
Smør BakeryUrban Backyard 

Single location:
Aficionado (Midtown)
Current Coffee (Bowery)
Felix Roasting Co. (Nomad)
Gasoline Alley (Soho)
Intelligentsia (Chelsea)
Kaffe (Tribeca)
Loveless (Williamsburg)
Merriweather (West Village)
Pâtisserie Fouet (Greenwich Village)
Rhythm Zero (Greenpoint)
Room 205 (Gowanus)
Sey Coffee (Williamsburg)
Terremoto (Meatpacking)

Last, but definitely least

There were around 20 shops that I simply cannot recommend because their coffee was too bitter, was not strong enough, had too much acid, looked trendy and tasted bad, tasted too sweet, came at the wrong temperature or was simply gross.