NYC Coffee Review #1
Hi everyone! As we promised, here is the first installment of our Coffee Review series! I’ll be handling the New York side of things -per usual- and Ruby will handle the Chicago side! As former baristas ourselves, coffee is a big deal. Though we might only be coffee snobs through self-diagnosis, I’d say 3+ years of coffeehouse experience is enough qualification :) For this first edition, I’ll take you through 3 of the many coffee spots I've explored here in NYC, give you my rating on taste, service, venue, and overall how it holds up to my favorite spots back home. Buckle up!
#1: Ground Central Coffee Company — https://www.ground-central.com
Ground Central was the first coffee shop I tried in NYC when I visited my campus for the first time. With 6 locations all around the lower half of Manhattan, Ground Central is a small chain of grungy, borderline steampunk coffee shops with a large list of drinks and creative pastry options. My personal favorite is their everything bagel scones— to die for. The espresso from GC is incredible, you can tell they spent a long time finding the perfect roast with fruit and caramel tasting notes. My only critique for this unique chain is their milk to coffee ratio; the baristas here seem to be Team Black Coffee. Every time I go, I make sure to ask for an extra splash of oat milk in my cold brew :) Service here is great! The baristas are knowledgeable, skilled, and friendly— all that you can ask for in a credible coffee shop. My only other critique is the amount of seating— the 4 tables they have at my location fill up too fast! I wish there were more spots like this; Ground Central is definitely a must-go for NYC residents and visitors!
Taste: 4.5 / 5 Service: 5 / 5 Venue: 4.5 / 5
Overall Rating: 4.75 / 5
#2: Shakespeare & Co. — https://shop.shakeandco.com
Shakespeare & Co. is a café lovers paradise. A cute espresso bar in the front with a small staircase up to an artfully selected bookstore in the back; it simply doesn’t get better than this. I might be slightly biased considering I do most of my writing for the blog here, including right now, but truly Shake&Co is one of my overall favorite spots in New York City. Coffee aside, this place is a-dor-a-ble. Surprise gift-wrapped “book dates” as they call them adorn the windows, alluring customers to come in and explore their wide selection of novels and poetry books. The selection of gluten-free and vegan pastry options is amazing: once I had a vegan chai snickerdoodle— I dream about it. For our 21+ readers, they also provide both beer on tap and a small selection of wine. Service here is 9/10 times great, I’ve only had once incidence when I was scolded for sitting at one of their many tech-free tables with my laptop because there weren’t any spots left at the bar. That strange experience aside, it’s been okay. The baristas here aren’t as knowledgeable as other shops I’ve been to, but they do make some pretty good iced lattes. One thing I love about Shake&Co is their coffee-to-milk ratio chart. Customers are encouraged to pick a number 1-5 that corresponds to a shade of brown on the chart—assuring their coffee is the color of their liking! Pure genius. If you ever find yourself on the Upper West Side, Shakespeare & Co. is a must-try!
Taste: 5 / 5 Service: 3.5 / 5 Venue: 5 / 5
Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5
#3 BLU Café — https://www.blucafe120.com
