Coffee cravings

It’s as hard to find a consistently great latte in New York as it is to find scrambled eggs for breakfast in Italy.

It’s an understatement to say that coffee here is severely lacking. New Yorker’s are completely unaware that brewing a good coffee is akin to an art form and words like properly short, rich and dense describe something closer to Wall St bankers than an espresso - basically as long as it gives them their caffeine fix, it’s good enough.

Apparently, New York has been going through some sort of coffee renaissance lately, which frankly, is news to me. After one-too-many bitter and watery coffees, with something bubbly on top that is supposed to be froth, I found myself pining for Auckland's flat whites.

After a long and tedious hunt, I finally found five favourites that never fail to satisfy my crema craving.


Best Espresso: Gorilla Coffee
97 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Best Latte: Sant Ambroeus
259 W. 4th St, West Village

Best Coffee Bar: Joe
141 Waverly Place, West Village

Best early Saturday morning take-away coffee: Oslo
Bedford Ave, between S 2nd and S 3rd, Williamsburg

Best Old-World coffee house: Café Sabarsky
1048 Fifth Avenue