
Coffee Shops on the Upper West Side
Read on to find the best Coffee Shops on the Upper West Side…
While Gossip Girl was wreaking havoc on the Upper East Side, Ted and his friends from How I Met Your Mother were living it up on the Upper West Side. The Upper West Side has been the backdrop for many other shows like You and Only Murders in the Building. Makes sense, since it’s a neighborhood with a lot of charm, character, and cultural history. The iconic Lincoln Center and the American Museum of Natural History are just a few institutions that attract both locals and tourists to this area.
Like the Upper East Side, the majority of coffee shops here are locally owned—and not dominated by large chains. There is no shortage of cozy neighborhood coffee shops here, but these are the Top 10 Coffee Shops on the Upper West Side.
1. Black Press Coffee
Black Press Coffee is a specialty coffee shop serving Upper Manhattan; with one location on the Upper West and the other on the Upper East, they’ve got both sides of Central Park covered! They partner with Parlor Coffee, a roaster in Brooklyn, to provide high-quality coffee beans and roasts to patrons.
Their menu was simple and had the typical espresso-based drinks you’d see. I ordered their Latte ($5), but I almost got the Turmeric Latte ($5.75) because it sounded interesting. The coffee was full-bodied and smooth, making for a great cup of coffee. It had the right ratio of milk to espresso. They also sell pastries for those who want to grab a quick bite!
It’s in close proximity to the Natural History Museum (about a five minute walk), so I would recommend getting a drink here before your visit!

📍274 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10023
2. Patis Bakery
Located within the Arthouse Hotel, Patis Bakery is one of the best places to get a cup of joe to start the day! It’s an artisan cafe with several locations throughout New York City and New Jersey that’s offering American and European favorites.
From sandwiches to pizza, there are so many options of great food here. Their drinks menu is also pretty expansive, as there’s a whole section for speciality lattes! I ordered the Shiitake Sesame Focaccia ($6.95) alongside a Truffle Twist ($5.50). The focaccia was topped with a parsley pesto, smoked onion, and shiitake mushrooms. It was jam-packed with umami flavor and was the perfect salty counterpart to go with my sweet latte.
The Truffle Twist latte tasted like if a Ferror Rocher chocolate was dropped into some espresso; it had espresso, milk, hazelnut, and chocolate ganache. It was a very decadent drink, but I still enjoyed it! There is no lack of options at Patis, so be prepared to spend some time reading the menu and deciding what you want.

📍2178 Broadway, New York, NY 10024, United States
3. Picky Barista
Picky Barista is a family-owned cafe and espresso bar that’s been serving the Upper West Side community for more than 15 years. They serve Stumptown coffee and homemade pastries; If you enjoy the coffee, you can purchase Stumptown retail beans at the shop. They’ll even grind the beans on the spot for you!
I got a Drip Coffee ($3) made with the Hair Bender blend. As their most popular coffee, I was expecting some delicious coffee—and I was not disappointed. I could taste notes of citrus and dark chocolate, which are two flavors I think are great together. The citrusy notes highlighted a light acidity that was balanced by the warmth of the chocolate.
I’m a sucker for baked goods, so I had to try one of Picky Barista’s homemade pastries. The Balkan Croissant with Jam ($3.75) was everything you would want a croissant to be: buttery and flaky. It had a tasty filling; I’m not sure what kind of jam it was, but it was both tart and sweet!
There is such a great ambiance here, as its vibes are what you would find in some of the best cafes. Good coffee and vibes…what more could you ask for?

📍667 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10025
4. Charlotte Cafe
With respect to its royal namesake, Charlotte Cafe aims to “evoke a sense of sophistication and classic charm.” I thought the cafe was very quaint and welcoming; the soft lighting and ample seating made for a lovely environment. I liked how spacious it was, as I could definitely see myself working remotely here with the free wifi.
I had to try the Cappuccino ($3.95) because this place is like an Italian cafe (and Italians really know how to make a cappuccino!). The drink was creamy and rich with a good amount of steamed milk on top—perfect for my taste buds because I enjoy frothy cappuccinos. There were also a variety of different baked goods on display here.
What made Charlotte Cafe a stand-out place in my eyes was the friendly staff. The baristas were so nice when taking my order and made me feel very welcome! Even though it was only my first time here, Charlotte Cafe is already my new favorite corner spot.

📍2541 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
5. Daily Provisions
If you could only get one thing at Daily Provisions, it has to be their crullers. They’re some award-winning pastries in my book! After trying them, those crullers were the only breakfast pastries I could think about for the longest time.
The Cinnamon Cruller ($4.95) is a popular item; it reminds me of a churro in donut form. The outside is crispy and perfectly fried (much like a churro), but the inside is fluffy and airy. I had it paired with their Cold Brew ($4.75) that had notes of chocolate fudge, molasses, and cinnamon. I would say the two went really well together because the coffee helped cut through the sweetness of the cruller.
Daily Provisions is a great place for all-day fare: breakfast, lunch, dinner—you name it, they have it! There can be a lot of people on weekday mornings and you might have to wait a long time, but I do believe the wait is well worth it.

📍375 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024
6. Irving Farm New York
Irving Farm New York is a coffee chain that opened its first store on Irving Place in Gramercy back in 1996. Since then, they’ve opened multiple storefronts across Manhattan in neighborhoods like Greenwich Village and East Village.
I’ve come to realize that a lot of cafes in New York are quite small, but this location is anything but small. With a lot of tables and seating, it seems to be a popular spot for people to either study or work remotely (no free wifi though). There’s also a skylight in the back seating area and a few tables in the front for outdoor seating!
I got a Matcha Latte ($6.25) and a Cinnamon Cardamom Bun ($4.75). The matcha was earthy with a subtle sweetness. For a place that doesn’t specialize in matcha, the drink was pretty good! The bun was the perfect morning pastry, as it was both delicious and filling. The hints of citrus and floral tones made this a delightful bite.
With so many locations, there’s no excuse for you to not visit Irving Farm!

📍224 W 79th St New York, NY 10024
7. Solid State Coffee
One of the best local coffee shops has to be Solid State Coffee. The shop itself is below sidewalk level, which gives it an intimate and cozy feel. They’re serving up some great food and exceptional coffee here.
Along with the traditional breakfast favorites like Avocado Toast ($15) and a Breakfast Plate ($20), they also have some special items: Syrniki ($14), which are cheese mini-pancakes served with jam, and Cacio e Pepe Grits ($16). For a small shop, they’ve got some big menu items!
I wanted to try the Cortado ($4.75). A cortado has equal parts espresso and steamed milk and no foam, unlike a cappuccino. The drink was well-balanced, as the addition of the milk helped make the drink smoother overall. It was definitely a strong coffee—I felt so energized after drinking it!
Solid State Coffee is a cute, hole-in-the-wall coffee shop that’s easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. Come here for high quality cups of coffee!

📍104 W 71st St, New York, NY 10023
8. About Coffee
On the corner of W 81st Street and Columbus Avenue, you can find About Coffee. Here, they’re serving up coffee roasted by Gimme! Coffee. There is a section on their menu for special drinks—some of which I’ve never seen before at other places. The two that stood out to me were the Caffe Cardamo ($4.50) and the Oatmeg ($6). The former is essentially a cortado with cardamom and the latter (I’m assuming) is an oat milk latte with nutmeg.
It’s so close to both Central Park and the Natural History Museum, making it the perfect place to stop by before continuing with the activities you have planned for the day. There’s also a good amount of space in the cafe for you to relax and cool off (especially if the summer heat gets unbearable).
About Coffee has been consistently churning out solid drinks for the community and as they say, it has always been about coffee!

📍445 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10024
9. Plowshares Coffee Roasters
Plowshares Coffee Roasted opened their flagship location in 2014 on the Upper West Side, with a second location in West Harlem opening a few years later. That cafe has a 1940s vintage Probat coffee roaster in store where you can watch it roast beans! You even have the option to purchase their house roasted beans.
While there are great lattes here, the standout would have to be their Nitro Cold Brew ($6). The coffee itself is pretty strong, while also still being very smooth and fresh. Some cold brews I’ve tried before have a slight bitterness to them, but this one doesn’t have that problem.
This is a great neighborhood spot to grab some excellent coffee; because they started off as wholesale coffee roasters, you know they know how to craft coffee!

📍2730 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
10. The Muffins Cafe
A few blocks down from the Joe Coffee Company UWS storefront sits The Muffins Cafe! It seems like the kind of place only the local New Yorkers would know about—with its homey and friendly vibe, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that it’s a community favorite.
Its classic cafe fare (pastries, sandwiches, and salads) is extensive, as there are so many options to choose from. I ordered a Decaf + Hazelnut Iced Coffee ($5). Some people think that decaf coffee tastes different from regular caffeinated coffee, but the two taste the same to me. I can’t tell the difference (other than the caffeinated one keeping me up at night!). I loved the flavor of the hazelnut syrup; it didn’t have that cloying sweet taste that many artificial syrups do.
I came in the morning for a quick drink, so I didn’t get a chance to try anything else. I’ll have to return to try something in their case of pastries and a sandwich! Don’t overlook The Muffins Cafe because it’s a solid local spot on the UWS!

📍222 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10023
Coffee Shops on the Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is full of charm and historic buildings that make me feel as if I’m in an old New York movie. It possesses a different atmosphere than the Upper East Side—although both are still great and much preferred than lower Manhattan. A perfect morning for me consists of a nice stroll around the blocks with a drink, so here are my recommendations for Coffee Shops on the Upper West Side…
- Black Press Coffee
- Patis Bakery
- Picky Barista
- Charlotte Cafe
- Daily Provisions
- Irving Farm New York
- Solid State Coffee
- About Coffee
- Plowshares Coffee Roasters
- The Muffins Cafe
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