Known for incredible restaurants and relaxing vibes, I find the East Village irresistible and visit every chance I get. Finding great coffee shops in the East Village can be tricky, but after years of eating my way through the city, I’ve found the spots worth your time. Over the past five years, I’ve had a chance to try most of the cafes in the neighborhood, here’s a roundup of the best coffee in the East Village for those interested.
This article is a companion piece to our popular guide.15 Iconic East Village Activities (Local’s Bucket List)
Quick Summary. Looking for coffee shops in East Village? Here are my top picks. Abraço, Coffee Project New York, MUD SPOT aka MUD, and more.
Best Coffee in the East Village
Table of Contents. East Village Coffee Shops
Table of Contents. East Village Cafes
Visiting New York City? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out our helpful guide on Where to Stay in New York City (The best neighborhoods for first timers +3 to avoid). Short on time? Here’s my favorite hotel in NYC, hands down.
Abraço
Website— Abraço
Address. 81 E 7th St, New York, NY
Opened in 2007, Abraço is a cozy European-inspired cafe that moonlights as a cocktail bar in the evenings. Using beans roasted in-house, the espresso. Always balanced, the rich shot is the closest you’ll get to Italy without checking bags.
Considering Abraço is an espresso bar first and foremost, you can be sure that any espresso-based drinks will impress, but locals know that’s only half the story. The party doesn’t start without a gander at the pastry case, the olive oil cake is a must-order in my book and pairs perfectly with a cappuccino.
The petite outdoor patio is a hit during the summer months, so invite a friend, pick up a slice of olive oil cake and spend time catching up over proper coffee and really good treats.
Good to know — Abraço is one of the few East Village cafes that doesn’t offer alternative milk options, only whole milk on offer. A bit unusual, so it’s worth calling out.
Coffee Project New York
Website— Coffee Project New York
Address. 239 E 5th St New York, NY
A quaint cafe with limited seating, I’d bill this as one of the more interesting coffee shops in the East Village because of one clever menu addition. the deconstructed latte. Served as a tasting flight, the deconstructed latte is presented as three drinks. espresso, milk and the final product (latte).
The latte is delicious, to be sure, but it’s the complete experience that makes this such a fun mid-day stop while exploring the neighborhood. Plus, the heavy aroma of perfectly-roasted beans is intoxicating at this charming East Village cafe, I can’t recommend it enough!
MUD SPOT aka MUD
Website— MUD AKA MUD SPOT
Address— 307 E 9th St, New York, NY
MUD is one of the best coffee shops in the East Village if you’re looking to linger for a bit. The service is casual and relaxed, so you won’t feet rushed. There’s a large outdoor garden (heated in winter) great for parking yourself for a few hours while catching up with friends or getting some work done.
As for the coffee? Satisfyingly smooth, every time. I opt for the drip coffee at this location, although the espresso drinks are excellent as well. If you’re feeling peckish, check out the all-day brunch menu for a handful of tantalizing options.
A place this good shouldn’t be this easy to miss.
The Lazy Llama Coffee Bar
Instagram— The Lazy Llama Coffee Bar
Address. 72 E 1st St, New York, NY
As you may have guessed, The Lazy Llama Coffee Bar is a llama-themed East Village cafe. Offering coffee, tea and pastries, the pocket-sized cafe is the perfect spot to re-fuel before getting on with your day. While there isn’t much seating available at this East Village coffee shop, you can head across the street to the small shack in the nearby park.
Bonus. While you’re in the area, make sure to check out Russ & Daughters and Katz Deli a few blocks away.
Local tip. Between you and me, the seasonal menu is always better than the regular one. Ask what’s fresh today.
La Cabra
Website— La Cabra
Address. 152 2nd Ave, New York, NY
Established in 2013, La Cabra offers exceptional pastries and coffee roasted in-house. Originally started in Denmark, the East Village cafe is their first US outpost, a prelude of sorts (they have since opened a location in SoHo as well). Best known for incredible cardamom buns, don’t sleep on the coffee.
La Cabra made a name for itself by specializing in the Nordic approach to coffee, think clean and bright roasts. Fitting, considering the cafe’s motto is “Brighter is Better.” Coffee aside, the Scandinavian decor couldn’t be cozier, lingering is an enjoyable affair (which it why scoring a table is no easy feat).
Unpopular opinion. Controversial take. Ninth Street Espresso makes a better latte than 90% of the Instagram-famous cafes in the city.
Porto Rico Coffee
Website— Porto Rico Importing Co.
Address. 201 Bleecker St, New York, NY
Charming New York since 1907, stepping into Porto Rico Importing Company is nothing short of intoxicating (the smell!). This tiny East Village coffee shop. From Indonesia to Brazil, expect to find top-notch coffee sold in bulk. Don’t need 5 pounds? That’s fine too, you can order coffee by the cup at checkout.
The decor strikes that sweet spot between cozy and modern, and there’s always good music playing at just the right volume. Don’t overlook the most popular item here. It might not be the flashiest thing on the menu, but it’s consistently excellent.
Ninth Street Espresso
Website— Ninth Street Espresso
Address. 700 E 9th St, New York & 341 E 10th St, New York
Extracting espresso is an art, the entire process requires great skill and takes years of practice to perfect. Ninth Street Espresso has been honing those skills for 20+ years.
Some argue this East Village coffee roaster deserves credit for introducing New Yorkers to a new wave of coffee and it’s not hard to see why. When it opened in 2001, nobody was offering manual espresso service in the city, and Ninth Street Espresso wanted to shake things up.
After investing in a traditional Italian espresso machine, they set off on a mission to perfect the art of espresso. Thankfully, they delivered. The cafe originally brewed coffee from other roasters before bringing all operations in-house to better control the end product (and we are all better for it).
Seems like locals can’t get enough, the cafe has expanded to three more outposts in the city since 2001.
Kona Coffee Roasters
Website— Kona Coffee Roasters
Address. 57 2nd Ave, New York, NY
I discovered Kona Coffee Roasters innocently enough. Drawn in by a sign advertising the Waikiki Matcha (pineapple puree, milk, coconut cream, matcha), I knew I had to pop in to escape the heat for a bit. Well, it turned out to be one of the most memorable matcha drinks I’ve had in NYC, I was really impressed by the balanced concoction.
So much so, I returned a few days later with my laptop in tow to get some work done. I started the morning with an. Both drinks were great which makes sense, considering the beans are sourced directly from Hawaii. No wonder Kona Coffee Roasters serves some of the best coffee in the East Village.
787 Coffee
Website— 787 Coffee
Address. Multiple locations
787 Coffee is one of my favorite coffee shops in the East Village because the coffee is consistently great and the baristas are so friendly. I especially love the cafe’s purpose-driven mission, which is to provide a farm-to-cup coffee experience while supporting the local community.
The coffee is sustainably grown and processed on a farm in Puerto Rico where locals are offered livable wages for the work they do. This the type of business you can feel good supporting, thankfully they also serve some of the best coffee in the East Village! Swing by and see why locals love this spot so much.
Saltwater Coffee
Website— Saltwater Coffee
Address. 345 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003
Sourcing coffee beans from Sydney, Australia (and roasting them in NYC), this Australian coffee shop serves top-notch espresso drinks (the flat white deserves a shout out).
Since Saltwater Coffee is on the smaller size, it’s a great spot for a grab-and-go when you’re in need of some caffeine but don’t have much time. Luckily, this one of the few coffee shops in the East Village that sells canned cold-brew, so if you like the coffee, make sure to take some home with you!
East Village Coffee Shops (Post Summary)
Hope you enjoyed by quick roundup of the best coffee in the East Village!
- La Cabra
- MUD Spot
- Abraço
- Coffee Project New York
- Ninth Street Espresso
- The Lazy Llama Coffee Bar
- Porto Rico Coffee
- Saltwater Coffee
- 787 Coffee
- Kona Coffee Roasters
Further Reading for the East Village
Where to Eat in the East Village. 20 Memorable East Village Restaurants (Foodie’s Guide)
Happy Hours in the East Village. 12 Epic Happy Hours in the East Village (You Can’t Help But Love)
East Village Bakeries. 10 Top-Notch Bakeries in the East Village
Best Bars in the East Village. 15 Exciting Bars in the East Village (You Won’t Soon Forget)
The space itself is beautifully designed without feeling overly precious. You can tell they put thought. I usually order the go-to order and have never been let down. It’s one of those things that tastes like they actually care about getting it right. I’ve watched this place grow from a quiet neighborhood gem to a genuine destination, and they haven’t lost their touch.
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The vibe here is warm and unpretentious. the kind of place where you can settle in and lose track of time. If you’re feeling adventurous, ask the. This one of those places I find myself recommending over and over, and everyone always thanks me afterward.
Map of the Best Coffee in the East Village
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“},{“id”:”f34db36e-64d4-4efb-affa-b98e5baa8af8″,”jsonQuestion”:”How were these Coffee Shops spots chosen?”,”question”:”How were these Coffee Shops spots chosen?”,”jsonAnswer”:”Every spot on this list was personally visited and reviewed by our team of NYC locals. We evaluate based on quality, atmosphere, and value.”,”answer”:””}]} –>Based on our experience as NYC locals, Table of Contents. East Village Cafes tops our list for Coffee Shops in The East Village. See our full ranked list above for all 10 recommendations.
Every spot on this list was personally visited and reviewed by our team of NYC locals. We evaluate based on quality, atmosphere, and value.
I hope this guide helps you find exactly what you’re looking for in East Village. If I had to send you to just two places, it would be Abraço and MUD SPOT aka MUD. both are consistently fantastic. Let me know your picks in the comments!
Enjoyed this list? Don’t miss my 17 Best New York City Cafes (Serving Great Coffee in NYC). readers can’t stop talking about it.
I want to hear from you. What’s the best cafe I missed in East Village? Drop your pick in the comments.
Final Thoughts
Out of everything on this list, Abraço and Coffee Project New York hold a special place in my rotation. They’re the spots I keep coming back to, season after season. If you’ve tried any of these or have one of those places you only hear about from locals to share, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
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