My 5 Favorite Coffee Shops in NYC

When I decided I was going to spend the summer in NYC, one of the first things I did was start bookmarking coffee shops to try. I had always seen so many unique (and Instagrammable) New York coffee shops on Instagram and Pinterest and I was more than ready to check them all out, camera in tow. 

Because I was living in a dorm for the summer, there wasn't really anywhere to sit other than in my bed before and after work, so I camped out with my computer at a lot of these spots to get out of my room. As much as I would have loved to try out even more coffee shops, I found these to be my favorites and kept them on rotation for my daily coffee fix.  

Toby's Estate Coffee

Toby's Estate was my most frequently visited coffee shop over the course of my internship. There was one conveniently located in between where I got off the subway and where my office was so it became part of my morning ritual to stop in for an iced mocha. I frequented the location on 5th Avenue which was actually a part of the Club Monaco and Strand Bookstore. It was a really unique setup, so this is definitely a place to stop in for a coffee rather than sit and get work done. However, the Flatiron building and Madison Square Park are just a block away so there's plenty of outdoor seating close by! If you're looking to get some work done, I would recommend checking out the location in Williamsburg. It's their flagship location and there's plenty of seating to camp out with your work or laptop.

Variety Coffee

Variety was recommended to me by a friend and has one of the coolest atmospheres of the coffee shops I visited in the city. I only made it to the location on the Upper East Side which was complete with white and gold details, a black and white geometric floor, and palm leaves. It's a friend's go-to for cold brew but I went for my usual mocha and it did not disappoint! From looking at their Instagram, it looks like each location has it's own unique feel so I would love to check more of their locations out.

Red Fleece Café

As a huge Brooks Brothers fan, I was really looking forward to checking out the Red Fleece Café in the basement of the Red Fleece store in the Flatiron District (luckily, just a short walk from my office just like Toby's). The atmosphere was everything you would expect in a coffee shop run by Brooks Brothers: cozy, classic, and all-American. They brew Stumptown Coffee which can be found in quite a few coffee shops throughout the city, but the cozy couches and old school collegiate feel give it an atmosphere unlike any of the other coffee shops I visited in the city.

Remi Flower + Coffee

Remi is truly a unique spot to stop for coffee. Half coffee shop, half florist, the tables are surrounded by flowers and succulents which makes it such a beautiful and interesting spot to visit. It's a pretty small shop and there are only a handful of tables here, so if you can snag a seat, it's a great spot for catching up with friends!

La Colombe

I was familiar with La Colombe because you can purchase their draft lattes in Target and they carry them at Elon, but I loved going to their brick and mortar locations! They have lattes on draft that are awesome, but, as usual, I almost always went for an iced mocha. I don't think their locations have the best seating options, but they have really great coffee.

What are some of your favorite coffee shops that I should add to my list?

Thanks for reading,