Coffee BrewHaHa in the blogosphere - what’s your opinion?
Josh Guttman | November 28, 2007
There’s been some chatter on local blogs about the new coffee houses opening in the Boerum Hill area. Gowanus Lounge posted about the new Brooklyn Bean that is opening at Fourth Avenue and Carroll Street. Brownstoner also posted about it, saying it’s an offshoot of Cuppa Cuppa in the East Village. Gowanus poses the question “is Brooklyn big enough to have two Brooklyn Beans or is an Espresso War brewing?” The real question, in my mind, is how many coffee houses can the neighborhood sustain? By my estimation, there is nearly a coffee house on every other block through Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and into Park Slope. It seems that I’m alerted to someone’s new fav weekly. I enjoyed The Tea House on Court for a while, before it became over-run with mommies and strollers. Sweet Melissa’s a block away is a nice spot for dessert after a movie. Some of my friends make up part of the cult following of Victory over on State and Hoyt. The Flying Saucer on Atlantic has a certain ethos that I enjoy from time to time, and it’s a nice place to work with free wi-fi. Mule is another one on Fourth Ave that provides a nice atmosphere. D’Amicos is a perennial local favorite. And there are several others I’m not mentioning. Which of the bunch is your favorite and how many more do you think the neighborhood can support?
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15 Comments so far
I like to get coffee at Mazzola’s Bakery - it’s pretty good - but I mainly buy it to support the local business - I would do the same if Court Street Pastry ever added coffee…I wish they would!
I like the Coffee Den, hicks and union. They brew Gorilla beans, and it has a nice neighborhood feel.
Think that’s bad? Starbucks plans to open up 75 stores in Brooklyn over the next three years.
I didn’t say coffee shops were bad. I actually love them. The more independent ones, the better. Let’s all boycott Starbucks and drive them out.
My fave has to be the Fall Café on Smith near Union. I have known the owner, Henry for over twenty years. He used to have a shoe repair place two storefronts further towards President on the same block. He just added free internet to his place.
With its old couches,its the anti-Starbucks
I live on Carroll between 3rd and 4th. While I love the Fall Cafe, and Mule is fantastic, and Flying Saucer is the quintessential bohemian/hippie joint, they are all a long walk on a winter day to sit and read a paper. For actual coffee shops that encourage lingering and lounging in comfy chairs - which is what a coffee shop should be - three within a 20 block radius is mighty sparse (I don’t count Tea Lounge on 7th Ave because - come on) They are also always overrun. So to answer the question about coffee house over-saturation, I’d say no. Bring em on. I want to be able to roll out of bed and park myself in a comfortable chair and mainline caffeine and the Sunday Times for three hours.
Coffee Den is great = except for their egg sandwiches, it has the exact opposite effect you’re looking for when trying to cure a hangover. Thats my only issue with them. Otherwise I adore that place.
Love Mazzola’s bread, but wish his coffee was a tad stronger. But then again, I guess it’s good if you’re going on your third to fourth cup of day. But everyone there is always friendly — on both sides of the counter.
Nadre’s is the exact opposite. Great coffee, but all the hipsters there are so engrossed in their Apple products to ever smile, converse, or interact with anyone — and that’s the antithesis of what a coffee shop should be.
And a new kid who was working the counter a few weeks ago was a real annoyance — he served me a coffee while keeping his back turned and talking about where he was going to go out that Saturday night with one of the other servers.
I mean, really, I know you’re gorgeous and just marking time until the movie/modeling career takes off, but you can grace us with a little professional courtesy? You also might make a little more in tips to support your Saturday soirees.
It’s these kind of appledroids and pretty boys /girls who are too good to interact with us that make we locals sad…they’re missing out on — and crowding out; avoiding and abnegating — our sense of neighborhood.
Thank God for D’Amicos, the best there was, is and will ever be. Fall Cafe gets an honorable mention for good coffee and non-pretension. The Pozzalo Society club right next to Naidre’s serves awesome espresso, but you have to know or be a member to get in.
Naidres does not have great coffee. I have ended up with a mouthful of grounds more than once.
Also, what’s up with their delivery policy? I was actually told once “It’s too hot to deliver.”
!! I’m so glad you said that about Naidres! The last time I went I ordered a coffee and while the people behind the counter had a looonnng conversation about whatever, the whole time he was fiddling around with my coffee in his hands, even gesturing with it. I eventually reached across the counter and took it away from him. It was ridiculous.
yeah, I’m done with Naidre’s. Going to try Coffee Den next as per nedward’s post.
Brooklyn Bean & Tea: great new place on Atlantic near Hoyt
today i found out that the brooklyn bean and tea on atlantic is closing. I am devastated. This is / was by far the coolest coffee shop in our area and it is being ripped out from under us at the prime of it’s life. The owners are saying it was too much work or not what they bargained for or something like that. I know there are a lot of great things in Brooklyn and wonderful places exist and emerge every day. But when there comes along THE place, when that place becomes such a vital, social part of the fabric of the neighborhood it’s loss is really deeply felt. I don’t care if it’s only been there 6 months–it felt like it had been there much longer. and it should have been.
yes, i found out that brooklyn bean and tea closed on monday. i still haven’t got over it, tomorrow is the weekend and the weekend routine has been to take the baby over there and hang out for a couple hours reading the paper or a book. there are other coffee places in the neighborhood but nothing that is gemutlich and nothing that has coffee that is nearly as good. i was wondering if they would make it given that it’s tough to be a couple with no steady income in ny. but i’m bummed and so is my wife. there’s no good substitute for this place.
I happen to own the coffee den with my wife Jen sorry to hear the egg sandwich did not do the trick for you. Next time let us know and we will happily make you something else to eat or refund your money.
Eddie