Updated April 28, 2025
There is no shortage of coffee shops in New York City, but here are the 13 Best Coffee Shops in the East Village!
East Village is where all the New York transplants want to live (not to speak for everyone, but I’m including myself in that group). While the West Village can be described as quaint and charming, I like to think of the East Village as its younger, cooler sister. It’s no surprise that all the cool, new coffee shops can be found here. If I lived in the East Village, my favorite activity would definitely be visiting all the different coffee houses.
These East Village coffee shops are offering unique drinks and pastries that are perfect for coffee lovers.
Best Coffee Shops in East Village
Sweet Bakery Cafes You’ve Got To Try 💕
1. From Lucie: Flower-Pinned Carrot Cake
The flower-adored carrot cake ($10) is just as tasty as it is gorgeous.
Each bite is so smooth and pleasantly gooey. Satisfying. Delightful.
There’s few window bar seats in the cute cafe, and 3 small outside tables in good weather.
Great to catching up with the girlies, picking up for a birthday/housewarming/gift, or as part of a date.
📍229 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003
🕑 Mon-Thu (8am-8pm), Fri-Sat (8am-9pm), Sun (9am-9pm)
2. Librae Bakery: Don’t Miss The Pistachio Croissant
Librae Bakery describes itself as a “Third Culture Bakery influenced by flavors from the Middle East using fermentation techniques from Copenhagen”. That description really holds true when you take a look at their menu. They have interesting items like “Pistachio Cardamom Latte” and “Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies” that you wouldn’t find in a typical coffee shop.
My friend ordered an iced vanilla latte ($6), which she said was delicious. The vanilla syrup made the drink pretty sweet (in a good way). While my friend enjoyed her coffee, what we were really there for was the Rose Pistachio Croissant ($8.50). Think almond croissant, but elevated with Middle Eastern flavors. The laminated dough is soaked in a sweet rose syrup and filled with a pistachio filling. MMM! If you’re a fan of floral and nutty tastes, this will be a hit. We also tried the Loomi Babka Bun ($7.75), a bread filled with lemon curd and flecks of black lime sprinkled throughout. I really loved the zestiness and tang that the lemon brought—a unique pastry for sure.
While Librae has delicious coffee, the pastries are what you need to come here for. The flavor profiles are absolutely unreal!
📍35 Cooper Sq, New York, NY 10003
3. La Cabra: Cardamom Bun, YUM
La Cabra is one of the best coffee spots in the city—and for good reason. With roots from Denmark, La Cabra proves that the Danes really know their coffee! They source and roast their own beans in Copenhagen to ensure that they’re only offering quality coffee.
The interior of the cafe was minimalist and modern. It’s a small space, so be mindful if you’re trying to grab a seat. My friend ordered a medium Espresso + Milk ($5.5), while I decided to try the Hot Chocolate ($6.5). She really enjoyed her drink and said that the coffee had notes of chocolate and hazelnut with a fruity aftertaste.I thought the hot chocolate had the right balance of sweetness and bitterness (from the rich cocoa).
Other than coffee, people visit La Cabra for its famous cardamom bun. The cardamom bun had a light sweetness from the glaze on the outside and a soft, pillowy interior. It was one of the best buns I’ve had…each morning as I’m eating breakfast, I’m thinking about how I’d rather be eating the cardamom bun.
La Cabra has proven that its coffee and pastries are worth waiting in line for; next time, I’ll make sure to grab a canelé to go along with my drink.
📍152 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
4. Hani’s Bakery + Café: UGH That Triple Choc Cookie
Omzzzz. The triple chocolate cookie is so good. The rim is crunches at the bite, with a majority interior that’s the multiple-bites-kinda chewy.
The milk chocolate has slightly candy-like flavor and the flaky sea salt adds a noticable punch.
In addition to fan favorites like the carrot cake and cinnamon roll, Hani’s sports some unusual experiments, like the shakshuka tart. Next time, I’m trying the pistachio halva rice krispies!!!
There’s a fair amount of seating, but even on a weekday afternoon, it was a bit hard to find a spot.
Needless to say, this TikTok-famous bakery is worth the hype!
📍67 Cooper Sq, New York, NY 10003
🕑 Mon-Fri (7:30am-4:30pm), Sat-Sun (8am-5pm)
5. Not As Bitter: Freshly Durian Latte 👅
Traveling in Southeast Asia, I experienced the serious satisfaction of durian desserts.
The Freshly Durian Latte brought me back to those days. The complex, unfolding flavor profiles of durian, the sugar and caffeine rush cooled down my innards on a blistering hot NYC summer day.
The interior is black but the lighting is white and bright. It’s a fun place to hang with friends and is good for working (during the work week, it gets busy during peak hours).
📍241 E 10th St, New York, NY 10003
🕑 Mon-Sun (8am-6pm)
Best For Working
6. Isshiki Matcha: Minimalist Tea Shop
Amidst the darker cafe-cum-bar vestige of Western coffee shops, I used to dearly miss the clean-cut, light wood adorned Japanese tea shop vibes I’d grown up with in Korea.
In the past 5-10 years, though, these tea shops have been on the rise on both coasts — like Isshiki!
It’s a fantastic place to caffeinate with a matcha or hojicha and crank out some work. There’s a nook of 3 tables with outlets and the wifi is reliable (25 Mbps download, 27 Mbps upload speeds).
Did I mention that choosing alternative milks is free?!!? (I’m lactose intolerant lolol so this is a plus)
📍138 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003 (it’s inside Moko)
7. 787 Coffee: PR Coffee + Laptop-Friendly
787 Coffee grows, processes, and roasts all their beans from a farm in Puerto Rico—which speaks volumes to their dedication to providing quality coffee. I love how they incorporated Latin American influences and flavors into their menu offerings. Try and tell me that a “Horchata Latte” or “Dulce de Leche Latte” doesn’t sound good.
I decided to order their classic cold brew ($6.25). The price was quite steep for just a cold brew, but was justified after I tried the coffee and tasted its richness. I’m not the biggest alcohol drinker, so I didn’t get their rum infused espresso; people rave about it and its hint of cinnamon!
There were quite a few people doing remote work in the shop because of the free wifi, so this is a great place to grab a drink and be productive. They also have other 16 storefronts across NYC like in the Upper East Side or the Financial District! From the sheer amount of locations, there’s no excuse for not being able to go visit one…
📍131 E 7th St, New York, NY 10009
Best Cafes With Proper Food
8. Smør: Nordic Cafe That Makes NYC Worth It
This Nordic-inspired cafe and eatery is such an incredibly pleasant experience all around.
On good weather days, the high-ceiling grid window lets in so much light into the small but beautifully laid out interior.
Louis Poulsen tiered pendant lights hang above simple natural-wood table booths.
The open-faced smørrebrød sandwiches were plated artfully.
The smoked salmon smørrebrød hit the spot ($10.50). The salmon went beautifully together with the dense rye slice, brought together with dill creme and brightened with lemon curd and pickled onion.
Surprisingly, though, the banana bread stole the show ($11). Each bite was a soft, warm delight. The whipped mascarpone dotted with vanilla made for a satisfyingly heavy finish.
Given the light and 3 table booths, this place makes for a happy place to work. There’s bathrooms but no outlets.
Laptops are allowed Mon-Thu from 11am-4pm, except if it’s unusually busy then. The wifi is fast (136.4 Mbps download, 0.08 Mbps upload).
📍441 E 12th St, New York, NY 10009
🕑 Mon: Closed, Tue-Thu (11am-10pm), Fri (11am-11pm), Sat (10am-11pm), Sun (10am-10pm)
9. Hi-Collar: Japanese Kissaten Cafe In Little Tokyo
Hi-Collar would not be the first place that comes to mind if we’re talking about coffee shops, but it knows how to make some serious coffee. It’s a Japanese kissaten cafe that serves food and coffee during the day, but becomes an izakaya bar at night (I’m sensing a theme here with “coffee by day, bar by night” places in the EV).
They specialize in siphon coffee ($8), which is a brewing method that involves using boiling water, vapor pressure, and gravity. We tried their coffee jelly ($7) that came with whipped cream. It was one of the most potent and concentrated coffee flavors that I’ve had, but it was absolutely delicious. The whipped cream balanced out the bitterness from the coffee jelly and it was such a fun way to consume coffee!
I also had their Camellia flower tea ($7). It was served in a cute tea set and tasted like a Japanese air freshener, but in the best way. I’m still trying to find out how I could get the tea leaves to make it at home…
This is a perfect spot to get your coffee or tea fix, along with some delicious Japanese dishes (try the omurice)! I’m so intrigued by the izakaya bar, so I’ll have to stop by for their happy hour some time.
📍231 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003
10. MUD: All-Day Brunch
MUD is the brick-and-mortar sister of The Mudtruck, NYC’s first specialty coffee truck. While the Mudtruck is now retired, MUD lives on! They serve brunch all day and are walk-in only, so get there early on a weekend if you don’t want to wait. Their all day brunch special costs $23.95 and comes with any dish and your choice of a tap beer, mimosa, or mud coffee!
I got avocado toast with their Maple MUD coffee. They knew how to make avocado toast (but then again, how can you mess up a simple dish like that?), as I really enjoyed the olive oil drizzle and dash of sea salt on top. The drink was slightly sweet, but I could really taste the maple that was added to their signature drip coffee.
The place had a chill atmosphere and friendly staff, which made for a great dining experience. This is a hole-in-the-wall spot for brunch that also serves excellent coffee drinks!
📍307 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003
Best For Coffee Lovers
11. Coffee Project New York: The OG Location
I wrote about Coffee Project New York in my Best Coffee in Chelsea NYC article, but I couldn’t leave them off of this list either! Their East Village location is where everything started, as they now have 5 shops across 3 boroughs.
What’s special about Coffee Project NY is that they place an emphasis on coffee education by offering a Coffee Skills Program at their Long Island City NY location. Coffee enthusiasts, here’s a great way to expand your knowledge of your favorite beverage.
I had their house drip ($3.75), which I believe was one of their single-origin coffees.
I also didn’t know this at the time, but their East Village location offers a deconstructed latte ($12) for dine-in only. I’ve never seen a latte served in this format—with coffee and milk separated into different glasses. The deconstructed latte tasting flight also comes with a normal latte, sparkling water, and a butter biscuit on the side. Definitely a coffee experience that must be tried at least once!
Coffee Project is one of my favorite places for a cup of coffee, so be sure to stop by any of their locations when you’re in NYC!
📍239 E 5th St, New York, NY 10003
12. Cafe Joah: Korean Cafe With Speakeasy
You don’t have to travel to Korea to experience a Korean cafe! Cafe Joah is a Korean coffee cafe with a speakeasy in the back at night that serves booze-free cocktails and a small selection of bites. There’s not that much seating in the cafe, save for 2 stools and a small bench.
I got the Iced Latte with Honey ($6), which was an additional $0.50 to get it iced. Their coffee beans are a blend of 100% Specialty Grade Arabica beans that they roast themselves. I loved the robustness of the coffee, especially when paired with the honey syrup.
I’ve heard that they have some of the best matcha lattes—not sure how true that statement is, but I’ll be back to test it out! I also want to try their Jollypong Latte next time, as it’s topped with some a popular Korean puffed-wheat cereal.
So aesthetic and worth a visit (even if just to see the cute tiger logo)!
📍212 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009
Quick Neighborhood Stops
13. Saltwater Coffee: Tasty Drinks In A Tidy Space
Pick out beans for a pour over or try one of their specialty/seasonal drinks.
The tumeric latte ($5.50) was the best I’ve tried — deep, flavorful and spicy. The almond croissant was nutty throughout, tasty even at the end of the day.
The space is tidy and gets sun from the tall-windowed entrance. The wifi is solid and there’s two round tables and front bar seating.
It’s a solid neighborhood spot for to-go coffee, a quick work sesh (no bathrooms/outlets) or to rest for a sec.
📍345 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003
🕑 Mon-Fri (7am-5pm), Sat-Sun (8am-6pm)
Best Coffee Shops East Village
If you’re trying to figure out what you should do, I have the answer for you. Grab a coffee from one of the best coffee shops in East Village and go explore the neighborhood!
- From Lucie: Flower-Pinned Carrot Cake
- Librae Bakery: Don’t Miss The Pistachio Croissant
- La Cabra: Cardamom Bun, YUM
- Hani’s Bakery + Café: UGH That Triple Choc Cookie
- Not As Bitter: Freshly Durian Latte 👅
- Isshiki Matcha: Minimalist Tea Shop
- 787 Coffee: PR Coffee + Laptop Friendly
- Smør: Nordic Cafe That Makes NYC Worth It
- Hi-Collar: Japanese Kissaten Cafe In Little Tokyo
- MUD: All Day Brunch
- Coffee Project New York: The OG Location
- Cafe Joah: Korean Cafe With Speakeasy
- Saltwater Coffee: Tasty Drinks In A Tidy Space
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