From time to time I'll crave a good chai and while chai is fairly common in coffee shops these…read moredays, I do think there's an Americanized version of it that's Westernized and a more authentic version.  When I passed by Chaivio at Fulton Center, I was hopeful that they'd serve the authentic one, given that they're so chai focused! They had so many options (and I was curious about a few of the others) but I opted for the masala chai just to see what their baseline was.  You place your order at a handy kiosk right in front of the shop and the tea came out fairly quickly.  Before ordering, I did ask if the masala chai had ginger in it since I didn't see it listed in the description and the barista said it didn't.  I was a bit surprised since most authentic versions that I've tasted before usually do have ginger (they did have a ginger chai which I'd try next time) but figured it'd be worth a shot anyway. I enjoyed the drink but thought it was missing the ginger flavor I originally expected.  I also opted for half the amount of sugar and it wasn't sweet enough which surprised me but just a note for next time!  I'd skip the masala chai next time but wouldn't rule out the other options since the shop has promise!

Chaivio was a nightmare for me to find because I was getting all confused, but so y'all know, it's…read moreon the lower level of the Fulton Center. You pass it on your way to the PATH if you're getting off at Fulton. That being said though, what an incredible treat. It's so hard to find actual, good chai in NYC, and Chaivio is literally the only place I've seen that serves so many different types of chai, in both hot, iced, and frappe versions. I went with the cardamom chai, which tasted so lovely. It's basically like an hug for the insides. You can taste all of the spices inside, and I loved every sip of it. I also tried a samosa which was exactly the snack I needed to tie me over to lunch. I'm usually never this far down in Manhattan, but I can't wait to try an iced version sometime soon!

What a blast. Exceeded my expectations. The combos are endless, delicious and fun. Great staff. The…read moremanager daily was great. I highly recommend trying. I roederd the dirty dirty, Sabrina carpenter short n sweet, Hagshead, cannon, Dewey, and the coffee was strong. The pretzel crossaint barrel was buttery, salty and flaky.

I ordered the Montauk with Brown Sugar Boba. This was my first time at Cool Sips, and I was…read moresurprised by how good my order was. I eyed a few different flavors, so would I go out of my way to stop by again? I think so. The boba is more reminiscent of jelly or popping boba than traditional tapioca boba in my opinion. It wasn't the boba I was expecting, but it was good. I ordered on the tablet at the desk, which was quick and convenient. There were a few groups that stopped by, but the wait for my order was quick, barely 5 minutes, on a Friday evening. This is very much a to-go spot, so it was quiet and in a non-crowded area.

We stopped by Uluhuluh to kill some time while we were waiting to get off a really long waitlist at…read morea restaurant nearby. The interior is tiny and definitely meant to be a grab-and-go spot. There isn't a traditional counter, so we ordered everything through a digital screen. The three of us shared the SUNNY SIDE UP MATCHA LATTE with 30% sugar, which hit the perfect "not too sweet" mark. It's a pretty milk-heavy matcha, and I personally would've preferred a stronger matcha flavor. The little "egg" on top (looked like whipped cream and topped with a dollop of passionfruit syrup) is cute for Instagram, but felt a bit more gimmicky than drink-enhancing.

I came here on a Sunday night, and it wasn't busy at all. If you're just ordering drinks, it's this…read moretiny shack outside. I got the matcha jasmine and it was like okay, not good but not bad. The jasmine taste was pretty strong, but I couldn't taste any of the matcha. Instead, it was just grainy. I wasn't craving a sweet drink so I didn't get the sunny side up matcha drink but now I'm wishing I tried it.

visiting from austin, tx and mcm was one of the highlights of our trip! jay made the best latte…read morei've ever had--the iced honey latte with cinnamon was incredible. we loved it so much we came back again, picked up four ceramic mugs, and got the chocolate croissant both times (so delicious and clearly high quality). on our second visit, i had the chance to meet one of the owners and see some of his art, which made the experience even more special. wonderful coffee, beautiful space, great people. please come to austin!

MCM is my favorite place in FiDi to get a high-quality matcha. I love that they offer pistachio…read moremilk - something that very few coffee shops seem to offer. It just adds a fantastic flavor without even needing extra sweeteners. Jae, the barista, is an absolute gem and I enjoy our conversations every time I come in for my matcha - Jae really takes time to speak to customers, crack jokes, and makes us smile - and it just adds volumes to the experience. Happy to say I'm officially a regular!

Simpl coffee is located in a very tiny space in FiDi…read more I ordered a latte with oatmilk and it was good. Definitely recommend this coffee shop.

This spot is very small and gave fidi energy with its clientele and small portions. I got the "Real…read moreStrawberry Latte" with their in house beans and wasn't impressed. There are enough spots in the area if you're willing to walk a few minutes so I don't really see anything special about this cafe. The barista was friendly and the drink wasn't bad but I wouldn't come back tbh.

This place completely caught me off guard in the best way. Walked in on a whim and now I can't stop…read morethinking about it. The space is super clean and minimal, but not in a cold way--it just feels very intentional. You can tell a lot of thought went into everything, from the setup to the little details like color choices and incredibly cute cups/caps. The coffee is seriously good. Not just aesthetically pleasing, but actually well-made. As someone who grew up around good coffee (I'm Colombian), I can tell when it's done right--and this is it. The texture of the milk alone says a lot. Also worth calling out: the pastries. We tried the croissant and the matcha cookies and both were SO good. Simple, but done really well. There's also a second floor with seating, which I was not expecting and honestly makes a big difference if you want to stay a bit. Feels like a low-key hidden spot. The team there is also very kind and surprisingly good remembering faces. Came in just to check it out and now it's part of my regular rotation.

Overall rating: 3.5…read more Really friendly place but the matcha ($7) was not good. A little hesitant to try other drinks given the area. Doesn't seem worth the hype.

Glad there's new Wheelcake spot in Chinatown after Bearing was gone a while ago…read more The Wheelcake size here was much bigger than usual. I ordered the Ham Cheese and Taro Coconut Togo. YUMMY! Would wish the hams were slices instead of chunks but no biggies. Will come back to try other flavor! L

Cute little shop located in China Town! Inside is cute, tables to sit at and wait. Order at a…read morekiosk. Got the strawberry matcha (it was okay, matcha could be better), passion fruit smoothie (this was good), and the strawberry yogurt drink (this was sooooo good I miss it T-T, should've gotten it in a large). I really recommend trying their yogurt drink series!!! Also the cups are so cute. Drinks took a bit of time to come out but not too long.

At first glance, the concept, name, location, and overall symbolism of this place suggest something…read moremeaningful; an effort to connect cultures through trade, exploration, and shared experiences. It creates an impression of depth and intention, which initially drew us in. The location itself is excellent, and on Sundays it attracts a lively, diverse crowd. The atmosphere felt welcoming, with people from many different backgrounds enjoying the space. My friend and I each ordered a drink and stayed for a while, as many others were doing. As this is a café, it seemed reasonable to assume that purchasing an item allows you to sit and enjoy the space. Most tables around us were occupied by customers with a single drink - some even shared between two or more people...while they chatted and relaxed. Toward the end of our stay, however, the manager approached us and told us that we "could not do this again." We were genuinely confused (and appalled) and asked for clarification. He explained that it was very busy and crowded and that we had stayed too long with only a drink each. This was surprising, especially since many other patrons appeared to be doing the same. To be fair, it is certainly understandable that businesses, particularly in busy locations- face all-around pressures such as turnover and capacity. I always try to approach businesses and to review with empathy for the challenges that owners and staff deal with on a daily basis. However, in this specific case, the interaction felt unnecessary and poorly handled. There were no visible signs, policies, or guidance indicating time limits or minimum orders. Had such expectations been clearly communicated, we would have respected them without question. Instead, being singled out in this way felt unfair and somewhat disrespectful. This is a disappointing experience to reflect on. I've tried to find a more balanced perspective - perhaps it was an unusually busy day, or external pressures played a role...but it was veryyyyy difficult to overlook how the situation was handled in how we were treated. It is unacceptable and reprehensible. We left feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome, which ultimately overshadowed the otherwise appealing atmosphere. Unfortunately, based on this experience, we will not be returning.

Food/Drink: This cafe offers a variety of coffees, lattes, milk teas, smoothies, and fruit teas as…read morewell as small snacks and bites. I tried the jasmine green milk tea which was good but nothing special. This place doesn't specialize in anything and isn't particularly good for its drinks or food. Service: Staff are friendly and welcoming. Ambiance: The cafe is a good size with many tables and chairs. The decor is not particularly nice, but it's a good quiet space to do work or sit if you need a place to be. Cafe is a bit dark and dim, and the bathroom isn't kept too clean. Overall, I would recommend this place if you need a place to sit and do work but not if your priority is getting good tea/drinks.