The Best (Australian) Coffee in New York
The city that never sleeps has caffeine racing through its veins – and lately it's Aussie expats who are supplying the fix.
While there are still plenty of diners where you can get “bottomless cups” of lukewarm filter coffee that tastes like dishwater, Australian roasters, baristas and business owners are fast changing New York’s café culture. It’s great news for locals, who never knew what they were missing, and it’s even better for Aussie tourists, who can find a slice of home in the Big Apple.
Little Collins Café
Transplanting Melbourne’s coffee culture to NYC, this tiny café in Midtown East uses Counter Culture beans and boasts the city’s first installation of the under-counter Modbar brewing system. You’ll also find Aussie staples on the menu such as avo and feta smash and vegemite toast.
667 Lexington Avenue, New York
Two Hands
Sydney expats Giles Russell and Henry Roberts have transformed an old hair salon into a bustling café on the edge of Nolita and Chinatown. Order the “outback cap” – a cappuccino with powdered chocolate on top, served with a Tim Tam – and Instagram-worthy morsels like the acai bowl or ricotta toast with berries.
164 Mott Street, New York
Toby’s Estate
Aussie import Toby’s Estate has set the benchmark for specialty coffee in New York. Roasting beans on-site, the café showcases a rotating coffee menu and selection of sandwiches and pastries.
125 North 6th Street, Brooklyn
Bluestone Lane Collective Café
With beans sourced from Sightglass on the West Coast and Niccolo in Melbourne, you can expect an extensive coffee menu including 24-hour cold brew, Aussie iced latte and even a Magic (a double ristretto topped with milk and served in a tulip cup). The all-day brunch menu features coconut quinoa porridge, lemon ricotta pancakes and green baked eggs.
55 Greenwich Avenue, New York
Brunswick
Nestled in the Brooklyn suburb of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brunswick serves specialty coffee via Counter Culture and tasty breakfast offerings such as cheddar chive biscuit sandwich, salmon scramble and eggs with kale.
144 Decatur Street, Brooklyn
SEE ALSO: Our Insider's Guide to New York
Images: Ben Hider, Bluestone Lane