New York Speciality Coffee Update — Autumn 2018

After my conference in DC ended, I took the Amtrak to New York. I spent a couple of days working in my company's Lower Manhattan office and then had a three-day weekend to enjoy the city, taking some tips from my own NYC long weekend guide. I was staying in the Financial District again for the first two nights and I had the chance to visit quite a few coffee shops in the area — some new to me, and others that I included in my 2017 FiDi coffee guide. Then, I moved up to the Lower East Side and my coffee shop visits covered a wider area, although nothing north of Union Square this time. Although it's not exactly breaking news that there is a strong Australian influence on the New York speciality coffee scene, I did find myself visiting more Aussie-style shops than usual this trip; this was entirely coincidental.

Scroll down to find out which coffee spots I discovered (and if you need more NYC speciality coffee guidance, my guide may help),

Brooklyn
Stumptown Coffee Roasters
Portland-based Stumptown is one of my favourite US roasters and their Greenwich Village flagship store has long been one of my favourite New York coffee shops. I found out about their new Brooklyn cafe, located inside the former Cobble Hill firehouse, thanks to Lora of Third Wave Coffee Tours.

I stopped by one morning mid-way through my Manhattan Bridge / Brooklyn Bridge run. The first thing that struck me was how beautiful the coffee shop is. From the stunning, hand-painted La Marzocco Linea PB espresso machine to the sleek dark wood of the coffee bar and panelling, and the verdant front courtyard, every detail has been carefully thought out. I enjoyed perching at the marble high tables opposite the counter but through the arch at the back is another room with more tables and chairs.

The coffee was top notch too. I enjoyed a beautifully made cortado brewed using the Hair Bender espresso, which paired very nicely with a coconut and almond doughnut. If you're heading on to Brooklyn Bridge to walk back to Manhattan, it's just a short jaunt up Court Street to Cadman Plaza.

212b Pacific Street nr Court St, Cobble Hill, and other locations. Website. Twitter. Instagram.

Oslo Coffee Roasters
With two locations in Williamsburg and one on the Upper East Side, Oslo Coffee Roasters has been on my list for some time. And indeed, the roaster has been in operation for 15 years so I'm late to this party. The small Bedford Avenue branch is at the southern end of Williamsburg's main drag, not far from the Williamsburg Bridge. I walked over from the Lower East Side, but if you're heading there by subway, do bear in mind the upcoming disruptions to the L train.

On a Saturday morning, the store was busy and I was lucky to find a spot to sit and read the New York Times while I waited for my coffee. The espresso shots are pulled with skill on the San Marco Leva lever espresso machine, and served with a smile. I ordered a cortado, which was smooth and well-balanced.

328 Bedford Avenue nr S. 2nd St, Williamsburg, and other locations. Website. Twitter. Instagram.


Financial District
Black Fox Coffee (revisit)
Although there were many of new-to-me coffee shops on my FiDi to-do list, I had to return to one of my all-time favourites, Black Fox Coffee. Luckily, it's only a 10-minute walk from my office, in the ground floor of a smart development on Pine Street. I arrived during the pre-work rush but the spacious cafe meant I still found a spot to perch at one of the wooden high tables opposite the counter.

As usual, single-origin coffees were available from an all-star list of North American roasters. I opted for an Ethiopian Guji coffee from Portland-based Heart Roasters, which was available as a 'small-batch brew'. I initially thought the barista meant it was a small-batch roast but it was a batch brew but made in a smaller quantity. The resulting coffee was delicious, with juicy peach and lychee notes. As the weather was indicating that fall had arrived, I thought it was only right to have an apple cider bundt cake for breakfast; an excellent choice. One day, I'll get to Black Fox early enough to try a more substantial breakfast!

70 Pine Street bet. Pearl & William St. Website. Instagram.

Boundless Plains Espresso
Another post-run, pre-work coffee stop was Boundless Plains Espresso, a beautiful, Aussie-style cafe located close to Trinity Church and the 9/11 Memorial. They serve coffee roasted by Parlor Coffee, as well as all-day eats.

After chatting with the friendly barista, I took a seat at the back, where there are several small tables set up. The minimalist décor presented a pleasant contrast with the streets outside, hectic during the morning rush. The coffee itself — my usual cortado — was excellent, and I also took a croissant to go. If you're in the market for something more substantial, there are various sandwiches and all-day eats available.

19 Rector Street nr Washington St. Website. Twitter. Instagram.

Cafe Grumpy (revisit)
I've been to the Financial District branch fo Cafe Grumpy several times now — it helps that the hotel I usually stay in for work is just a couple of doors down Stone Street. I love the décor, which combines white marble with pops of blue and orange, and strong geometric designs. The staff are also usually very friendly, even with there's a long queue.

Although they serve pourover coffees, I was running late for a meeting and so ordered a single-origin Kenyan espresso instead. I like espresso but rarely order it unless I'm convinced it will be brewed well, and that's pretty much a sure thing at Cafe Grumpy. This particular espresso, which I enjoyed in the geometric alcove, was fruity and delicious.

 20 Stone Street nr Broad St. Website. Twitter. Instagram.

Hole in the Wall
My colleagues — knowing my tastes exceptionally well — took me to lunch one day at Aussie eatery Hole in the Wall. The small cafe is very pretty inside but as the sun was shining, we decided to take one of the tables in the courtyard out front. The flat white, served in a cheerful yellow cup, was great. They use coffee from Denver-based roaster NOVO, which I don't think I've tried before.

The all-day menu combines classic brunch dishes with more creative menu items. My friend had the fall salad, which was huge and looked delicious. I went classic with the brekky role: smoked bacon, folded eggs, home fries and kimchi mayo in a brioche bun.

15 Cliff Street bet. John & Fulton St. Website. Instagram.

Proof Coffee Roasters
The tiniest New York coffee shop I visited this trip — and perhaps the tiniest coffee shop I've ever visited in NYC — Proof Coffee Roasters' Nassau street location is based in the heart of the Financial District. It's standing room only inside — and even then, there's only room for two customers plus the barista — but the coffee is excellent. I had a cortado to go, which lasted long enough to get me to the next coffee shop on my list.

65 Nassau Street nr John St. Website. Instagram.

For more Financial District speciality coffee spots, check out my FiDi coffee guide.


Lower East Side
Good Thanks
I discovered this Aussie cafe, which happened to be a few doors down from my Lower East Side hotel, thanks to the Acme & Co Instagram, a regular source of speciality coffee inspiration. I arrived early on Saturday morning and managed to nab the last table — and what a table it was with its beautiful marble surface. The rest of the décor is cosy, and the staff very welcoming. But try as I might, I couldn't stop myself from answering, "good thanks," when the server asked how I was.

As we were in Aussie territory, I figured I might get away with ordering a piccolo but I was asked to choose between cortado and macchiato. I went for the former, and it was fantastic, which very good latte art. I discovered later that the coffee was roasted by Proud Mary, a roaster I visited in Melbourne and which has recently opened up a cafe in Portland, Oregon. The dark blue Acme cups were rather gorgeous too.

I could have eaten most of the dishes on the breakfast/brunch menu, but ended up opting for the smashed avocado toast — and what a fine avo toast specimen it was too!

131 Orchard Street nr Rivington St. Website. Instagram.


West Village
Merriweather
I'm beginning to feel like a broken record, but Merriweather, in the West Village, is another Aussie-inspired coffee shop. The inspiration is specific in this case: the cafe is named for a beach in the founder's hometown. With its cheerful pops of green, from the espresso machine to the neon sign on the wall, it was a lovely place to sit on a sunny afternoon.

The coffee came from two US roasters — Counter Culture and Tandem from Portland, Maine. I had a Guatemalan Bella Vista coffee brewed as a pourover, which had lovely blackberry and honey notes. There was a laid-back vibe on the Friday afternoon I visited and had I not already eaten lunch, I'd have found much to enjoy on the all-day food menu.

428 Hudson Street nr Leroy St. Website. Instagram.


East Village
The Lazy Llama
I was sad to hear when Bluebird Coffee Shop on East 1st Street closed its doors a year or two ago. I liked the petite but perfectly formed cafe so much that its macchiato was even my social media avatar for a long time. Like a phoenix — or a camelid, at any rate — rising from the ashes, however, The Lazy Llama has filled the Bluebird-shaped void. There's still very little room inside the cosy coffee shop — there are three small tables (now adorned with llama-themed cushions), and a few more seats at the window and outside.

There were single-origin coffees from several roasters available, as espresso and hand-brewed filter coffee. I had an Ethiopian Duromina roasted by Stumptown and brewed as a pourover, which had peach and vanilla flavour notes. The coffee was really good — and after my recent trip to Peru, I'll admit that the llamas were also a draw.

72 E. 1st Street nr First Ave. Facebook. Instagram.

Saltwater Coffee
I came close to visiting Saltwater in April when I ate at Motorino, the pizzeria right next door, but didn't quite have time. I couldn't let the Australian coffee shop evade me a second time, and stopped by for a cortado on Saturday afternoon. A big part of the appeal was the chance to try some coffee from The Little Marionette, the Sydney-based roaster I loved so much during my visit last year.

The coffee didn't disappoint — the latte art was impressive on my cortado and the coffee well-balanced and smooth. And yes, that is another example of Acme's classy dark blue crockery. There's plenty of foliage in the small, slim coffee shop too, and a few seating options, including the small tables by the window and the bench out on the pavement.

345 E. 12th Street bet 2nd & 1st Ave. Website. Instagram.

For more New York speciality coffee recommendations, please see my guide; I've also included below an updated version of my New York speciality coffee map:

Autumn Snapshots from Washington, DC

After experiencing cold, snowy climes on my previous two visits to Washington, DC, I was relieved to find it much warmer when I touched down at Dulles Airport. The metro extension to Dulles still isn't complete, and by the time I'd caught the bus to the end of the silver metro line and then journeyed into the downtown area, the heavens had opened. I checked into my hotel, the Washington Marriott Georgetown (something of a misnomer as it's really closer to Dupont Circle or the West End), and then braved the rain to head into Georgetown for an early supper. By morning, the temperature has dropped but the sun had come out. Perfect fall weather.

I went to Washington for a conference and had very little free time, but as usual, I did my research to find the best coffee shops and eateries close to where I was working. Here are some of the places I visited.

Food and drink
Georgetown
I read on a blog post offering restaurant tips for DC that if you're struggling to find somewhere good to eat in the city, try to find one of chef José Andrés's numerous and varied eateries. On my first night, I ate at America Eats Tavern, a restaurant offering 'modern takes on American classics on Georgetown's main drag, M Street. As soon as I arrived, I realised I'd been to the restaurant two years earlier, when it was occupied by barbecue restaurant Old Glory. Barbecue is also on the menu at America Eats, and I ordered a beef brisket sandwich, which came with spicy BBQ sauce and Saratoga chips. It was tasty and filling — just what I needed after a long day that began with three London Underground incidents that resulted in me almost missing my flight. The cocktail menu looked great, but I stuck to a 'cukes & lime' mocktail while watching the rain-drenched people of Georgetown stroll down M Street.

Foggy Bottom
For a completely different José Andrés experience, head to Beefsteak, near the GWU campus in Foggy Bottom, where I was based. The bright, modern, veggie-centric eatery serves creative and delicious vegetarian comfort food. I had the Little Wild Curry — rice, lentils and assorted blanched veggies whose colours spanned the rainbow. After indulging in rather more meat than usual, it was good to up my vegetable intake and the food was fresh and tasty.

With its location on I Street just a few blocks from the GWU campus, I went to CIRCA at Foggy Bottom three times: twice for happy hour drinks in the bustling bar and once for Sunday brunch with work contacts. I went for the southern chicken benedict: fried chicken with buttermilk biscuits, poached eggs, sausage gravy and home fries. Although my colleague's almond granola French toast looked amazing, I didn't regret my savoury brunch choice.

There are plenty of food trucks near the GWU campus, including several at the junction of 22nd & I. For a quick lunch, we popped over to Cap Mac one day for some comforting mac and cheese. We ordered the ragù option, which actually just ended up being pasta with ragù, rather than bearing much relation to the classic mac and cheese, but it was tasty and filling on a rainy fall day. We also shared a few dumplings from the nearby Yumpling truck.

Downtown
We walked past Bobby's Burger Palace on K Street, near Washington Circle, one night on the way to a reception and I thought it looked familiar. It turned out I'd identified it as a top burger joint when doing my research. The titular Bobby is chef Bobby Flay and I was excited to try the bacon crunchburger, which has potato chips as well as cheese and bacon on top of the patty. Alas, when we arrived, the eatery was about to close for a private event, but we were able to order takeout, which we devoured in the lobby of our hotel. The burger was great: juicy and very flavoursome. I probably didn't need the side of sweet potato fries but they were great too.

Taking a night off from all of the evening work events we'd been attending, my colleague and I decided to go out for dinner. We picked Espita Mezcaleria, a bar and restaurant known for its southern Mexican cuisine. It took me right back to my time in Oaxaca! After enjoying some creative mezcal-centric cocktails (I had the Tom Waits-inspired House Where Nobody Lives), we ordered a selection of food to share, starting with the chips and guac, followed by tacos al pastor and some stunning and beautifully presented ceviche, served with jalapeño lime ice, tomatillo cucumber salsa, kohlrabi, cacao and avocado crema. The restaurant itself has cool, industrial décor and was a fun place to hang out on a chilly Monday night.

Capitol Hill
Just before catching our train to New York from Union Station, we met a journalist contact at Art and Soul a southern eatery inside the Liaison Hotel. At lunchtime on a Tuesday, it was bustling with a Capitol Hill crowd. The food here is sourced from local farms and had I been on my own dime, I'd have loved to try the salmon, but in an effort to keep my work expenses down, I went for the fried chicken sandwich, which came with a habanero-mango glaze and guac. The food was really good and the service was excellent.


Sights
Georgetown
Georgetown is one of my favourite parts of DC, and I love to stroll through the neighbourhood with its red-brick streets and pastel-coloured buildings, especially in the autumn when the leaves are starting to turn and the Halloween decorations are starting to come out.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was looking a little depleted — they are fixing two of the locks — but I still enjoyed jogging along the towpath with its mix of modern and new architecture.

The Mall
On my past two trips to DC, the National Mall has been snow-covered and is muddier rather than verdant. This time, it was in much finer condition. I woke up early on my first morning to go for a run through the Mall, and managed to catch sunrise from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. There were a few military celebrations taking place, and I also ran into a couple of Navy workout squads, down by the reflecting pool.

Downtown
Although I was mainly based at GWU, I went into my company's office in the National Press Building, just across from the White House, on a couple of days. I always feel a stab of pride and excitement when I work from this building and I love the grand building.

Outside Whole Foods, meanwhile, the pumpkins were out in full force.

Union Station
My first visit to Union Station was brief, but I enjoyed the grand architecture and I was pleased to note that there was a Blue Bottle coffee shop there.

Shopping
Georgetown
M Street and the surrounding Georgetown streets are my favourite place to shop in DC. A lot of my favourite clothing chains, like Lululemon and Madewell are located there, along with some great independent boutiques.

Slightly groggy from my flight, I went to the Georgetown Apple Store on my first night to buy a new iPhone, only for Kanye West to show up wearing a USPS jacket and to deliver an impromptu 'keynote' speech on top of one of the tables. It was very surreal, and even got written up by the local press.

Dupont Circle
One of my favourite book shops in the world is Kramerbooks, near Dupont Circle. It's fairly small but has a very well curated selection of books, as well as gifts and stationery. There's a cafe/bar too.

Washington DC Specialty Coffee Guide: 2018 Edition

This is the third in my series of guides to specialty coffee shops in Washington, DC. Part 1 (2015) is available here and part 2 (2016) here, but the map below includes coffee shops featured in all three posts.

After two wintry visits to Washington, DC, in February 2015 and 2016, I was pleased when the opportunity arose for me to attend a conference in the city in the more clement climes of October. Although I had very little free time, I managed to visit seven specialty coffee shops — six that were new to me, and one that had undergone a major refurbishment since my last trip — mainly by getting up extra early and going for a coffee run. Most of the coffee shops I visited are part of increasingly expanding mini-chains, like La Colombe and Bluestone Lane — a big change since my last trip. This time, I was staying near Dupont Circle and working mainly in Foggy Bottom, areas where I'd already frequented most of the independent cafes. Next time I come, I'll have to find time to explore the coffee scene in the less central neighbourhoods.



Downtown
Compass Coffee
I first visited the original Compass Coffee roastery and cafe in the Shaw neighbourhood in 2015, and enjoyed both the coffee and the pared-down design and branding, inspired by the founders' time in the Marines. I wasn't surprised to hear that they had opened more coffee shops since then, but it's impressive that the Compass army now numbers eight shops in DC.

I popped into the 18th & I location during a lunch break, where I enjoyed a lovely cortado, brewed using one of the Modbar espresso units on the long counter. I'd hoped for a pourover but they weren't on the menu at this branch. Still, an espresso-based drink was perhaps more appropriate when enjoyed Italian-style at the gorgeous, custom-made walnut high table. They have bites on offer and beans for sale too. On a Saturday afternoon, it wasn't too busy but I can imagine it's a different story during the morning rush.

Compass Coffee is located at 1776 I Street nr 18 St and various other locations. Website. Twitter. Instagram.


La Colombe
If you've ever been to the cities of the Northeast megapolis and are a fan of fine coffee, you'll be no stranger to Philadelphia roaster La Colombe. They now have five cafes in DC, so I was glad I had the chance to stop by the I & 17th coffee bar one rainy morning after an early run. The small coffee shop is beautifully decorated with a stunning marble coffee bar and light wooden accents. There were two filter coffees available as a pourover (an Ethiopian and a Costa Rican) when I visited and two batch-brew filter coffees — the darker-roast Corsica and a medium-roast coffee from Yunnan, China, which I tried at another La Colombe in New York later in the week. Instead, I ordered a cortado with the Nizza espresso blend. Although a little darker than I usually prefer, the coffee had a smooth, well-balanced flavour when brewed as a cortado. There is a large, wooden high table for perching, and a few smaller tables near the door.

La Colombe is located at 1710 I Street nr 17 St and various other locations. Website. Twitter. Instagram.

Dupont Circle
Emissary
When I can, I try to choose my accommodation based on proximity to good coffee shops, but I didn't have a choice of hotel on this trip. I was particularly pleased, then, to find that Emissary was only a few blocks away. The cosy, rustic cafe serves Counter Culture coffee by day, and then food and wine by night. I didn't get to visit at night time, but on a sunny Friday morning, it was a lovely place to visit. My cortado, brewed with Counter Culture's Hologram espresso, was perfectly brewed, and there was a great ambiance in the bustling coffee shop. Emissary have tried to foster a bit of the Swedish fika spirit in their cafe, and although I had a busy day of meetings, I did manage to take a few minutes to enjoy my coffee in one of the window seats.

Emissary is located at 2032 P Street nr 21 St. Website. Instagram.


Foggy Bottom
Swing's (return visit)
Soon after my last visit in 2016 — and just shy of its 100th birthday — iconic DC coffee shop Swing's Coffee closed for two years for a building overhaul. I was glad to discover that the renovated coffee shop in full swing on my return. Located just across the street from the White House, Swing's had a line of people out the front door when I first arrived on my walk in to my office one morning. I eyed the brew bar with envy but I was running late and needed to go for something quicker. I opted for the single-origin Nicaraguan coffee that was available on batch brew and was impressed with how good it was.

Inside, the décor hasn't changed a great deal — many of the fixtures features from the coffee shop's early history still remain — although it's a little sleeker. And it's still a must-do on any specialty coffee tour of DC.

Swing's is located at 1700 G Street nr 17 St and various other locations. Website. Twitter. Instagram.


Georgetown
Blue Bottle Coffee
Another of the US specialty coffee mini-chains to have expanded in DC since my last visit, Blue Bottle now has five cafes in the city, including a handy location inside Union Station. I visited the Georgetown branch, which occupies a gorgeous red-brick building down near the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. I picked it partly because it was open at 7 am on a Sunday morning, but mainly because I was in the market for a really good pourover coffee, and Blue Bottle is usually a good bet for hand-brewed filter coffee.

Inside, the cafe is gorgeous, with light wood fixtures, plenty of seating (including some cool mini-booths at the edge) and large windows that let plenty of light stream in once the sun has risen. I was tempted by the avocado toast on the menu, but I wasn't quite hungry enough yet, so I stuck to a Rwandan Rulindo Bushoki coffee, brewed as a pourover. The coffee was very well brewed and had some delicious fruity flavour notes. There weren't many other customers that early in the morning, but I enjoyed listening to the baristas — clearly passionate about coffee and their work — chat as they prepped the breakfast dishes and dialled in a new decaf.

Blue Bottle is located at 1046 Potomac Street and various other locations. Website. Twitter. Instagram.


Grace Street Coffee Roasters
Located just across the Ohio and Chesapeake Canal from Blue Bottle, Grace Street Coffee Roasters occupies a hip, industrial-chic part of Georgetown where red-brick exteriors house sleek, modern interiors. The coffee shop and roaster is one of several eateries inside 3210 Grace Street, and the open-plan space was bustling when I visited at lunchtime on a Sunday. I particularly liked the plant-centric decor.

They weren't serving any pourovers — perhaps because it was so busy — so I decided to try the Ethiopian Ardi espresso, brewed as a cortado. The plum and lemon notes of the espresso came through very nicely, and I enjoyed my coffee while indulging in a touch of DC people-watching, while sitting next to the small roaster at the back.

Grace Street Coffee is located at 3210 Grace Street nr Wisconsin St. Website. Twitter. Instagram.


West End
Bluestone Lane
I only found out on my penultimate day that there was a branch of the Aussie (by way of NYC) coffee and brunch mini-chain Bluestone Lane just a couple of blocks from my hotel. There's also one in Georgetown. Like every other Bluestone Lane I visited, the West End branch has gorgeous, turquoise-accented interiors, and there's a lot of seating in the high-ceilinged building on 23rd Street.

I went for a big breakfast on my last morning, enjoying a piccolo (hooray!), which tasted much nicer than its latte art might suggest. Convincing myself that I needed to up my fruit and vegetable intake while on my trip, I ordered the avocado toast, which was delicious, with great sourdough toast, perfectly smashed avo, heirloom cherry toms and feta. One of the reasons I went to Bluestone Lane was to try a fêted District Doughnuts doughnut, which they sell, but distracted my my avo toast, I forgot to pick one up. Next time!

Bluestone Lane is located at 1100 23rd Street nr L St and various other locations. Website. Twitter. Instagram.

For more DC coffee recommendations, head over to my 2016 and 2015 DC coffee guides.