Three Must Try Coffee Shops in New York City

To me, coffee is a quintessential when you are in New York City. I mean, honestly, when you are anywhere but especially when you’re in New York City. There is something about the crisp in the air and the hustle and bustle that says ever so quietly, “one more sip”.

Here are my recommendations for that sip.

Blue Bottle Coffee

Address: 441 8th Ave #68, New York, NY 10001

Blue Bottle Coffee ended up being my first stop after getting off the train and before going into the city. A perfect stop, if I do say so myself. This particular coffee shop is inside Penn Station and a part of Moynihan Food Hall.

After getting off the train, you go up an escalator into a big area. I had to walk around a bit but ended up using Apple Maps to find my way around. Like anywhere else, there are also signs to tell you where to go. Blue Bottle is close to the doors to go out into New York City. This is perfect for anyone wanting to go in and get a drink- like I did on day two of our trip.

Yes, you read that right- I went here twice! One of their added benefits is that they open at 5:30 AM. Call me delisional but I thought this would be a common thing for the city that never sleeps but I was wrong!

On the first day of my trip I ordered a saffron latte: small, hot. It was not very sweet at all, which I really liked. My second trip I got a mocha and had an even better experience. Maybe that was due to the early morning…

The baristas making my drink were having a discussion about practicing their latte art at home in order to compete in competitions. Their conversation with each other made me so happy to know that there are people out there that care about coffee as much as I do.

What this means for their customers though is that your barista is concerned about how your coffee looks and tastes. Don’t skip out on this one just because of where it is!

*Side note: If you haven’t checked out the other Blue Bottle I went to in Venice Beach, be sure to check that post out!

Ground Central Coffee

Address: 138 W 51st St, New York, NY 10020

Ground Central was a coffee shop I researched before coming to New York City. The location we went to was along our route from the hotel to Central Park and it is everything I feel a NYC coffee shop should be. Dark but classy, with a hint of funk. I love the HOPE mural on the wall and how the espresso machine backing looks like a DJ’s booth.

I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t have any food except pastries, which is why we opted to go to the Carnegie Hall Diner afterwards. Their coffee made the stop well worth it though. They roast their own beans, which means you get optimal flavor as it has less sit time between roast and machine.

I got one of their seasonal items which had peanut butter in it. That made me very happy. So much so that the girl who normally takes forever to drink her coffee had it finished halfway through our meal at Carnegie Hall Diner.

Rarely do I drink a coffee quickly but I had mine down before we got to the next restaurant.

Starbucks Reserve Roastery

Address: 61 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

The Building

I may have planned a stop for Gregory’s but Starbuck’s Reserve Roastery was meant as an entire portion of our day. This isn’t your average Starbucks. When you walk in, there is a bakery to your right, an ordering and espresso making area to your left.

Further beyond that is the person who will help you grind your beans to the exact number you need. Our gentleman was very knowledgable and told us to actually leave ours whole because we were flying. He descirbed how the special beans that we bought should be made for each type of brewing method (lots of vanilla with our bourbon barrel aged coffee).

Upstairs was closed off when we went but it houses the area where you can purchase an adult beverage featuring coffee.

And the area to the restroom- well, it holds a special place in my heart because it shows Hacienda Alsacia, the only coffee farm Starbucks owns, which is in Costa Rica.

The main feature though is towards the back of the bakery where the beans are being roasted. The machine is big and beautiful but none of this is my favorite part.

My favorite part was our cashier. He knew how special the place was and made sure that we felt special because we were inside of the Starbucks Reserve, telling us unique features about the place and definitely serving us with a smile.

The Food

Mom and I got eggs in purgatory and a raisin and pistacio girella, to drink we had the toffeenut Bianco latte. The eggs in purgatory was my favorite. I think coffee shops that get out of the pastry mindset really hits different for me. The raisin and pistachio girella was good sweet and salty mixture.

The drink was my go-to choice because it reminds me of the Dirty Snowman which is made by Greenfrog Coffee in West Tennessee. We had a wonderful time, enjoying the atmosphere and filling our bellies with delicious food and drinks.

Wrapping It Up

If you want to see more of these coffee shops, be sure to check out our Instagram page- I posted a reel there.

For now, I am dream of going back to New York to try some more coffee shops.

Do you have a favorite I need to try? Let me know!