My day began with the loveliest surprise: a perfect croissant and a divine strawberry custard…read morepastry from Red Beard Coffee & Bakery. After one bite, I felt compelled to write this immediately. Red Beard is a genuine East Village gem--an establishment filled with heart and soul, impeccable hospitality, and an evident reverence for craft. Cihan, the owner, creator, and visionary behind it, has brought something truly special to the neighborhood: a Turkish-inspired bakery and coffee destination where every detail feels considered. The croissant was, quite simply, exceptional. Its exterior offered the most satisfying delicate crispness, followed by an exquisite succession of airy, meticulously defined layers. At its center, it was impossibly fresh, feather-light, beautifully buttery, and so tender that it seemed to melt away with each bite. It is unquestionably among the very best croissants I have had in New York City--and, in my view, rivals those served by many esteemed French bakeries. The strawberry custard pastry was equally memorable: silky, luscious custard; beautifully fresh strawberries; and a refined balance of sweetness, texture, and lightness. Nothing overwhelmed; every element was in harmony. Red Beard Coffee & Bakery is not merely a place to stop for coffee or a pastry. It is a destination imbued with generosity, beauty, heart, and soul--alongside serious culinary craftsmanship. A wonderful East Village discovery, and one I will be returning to with great pleasure.

really lovely cafe - the baked good were top tier; i got the weekend special tahini crème bun that…read morewas a perfect balance of sweet and savory. there's also a decent amount of seating, which feels rare nowadays, so is super welcome :)

I think I had one of the BEST salmon bagels of my life here!!! First off, they do not skimp on the…read moresalmon, which is a huge green flag. So much salmon and it appeared to be of very high-quality and was super tasty! I absolutely loved all the toppings, especially the dill and the addition of a lemon to squeeze on top was such a nice touch. Some of my friends got some of the pastries and other breakfast sandwiches and they all loved what they got as well. This is a great bakery, and hopefully I'll get to try their restaurant at some point!

I've been on a cardamom bun kick recently and am trying to find a La Cabra backup. I might have…read moreheld too high of expectations for Smor and ordered: Cardamom bun Cardamom oat latte Although a bit cheaper than La Cabra, I was not that impressed here and wouldn't come back. I ordered online and for whatever reason it said the order was ready ASAP, but then within 45-55 minutes so that gave me mixed feelings. The cardamom bun is very bread heavy-for the first few bites, you'll bite into the cardamom spice then nothing else after. The oat latte had very minimal to little of a cardamom taste so the $0.50 upcharge for the syrup flavor felt a bit of a waste. Good to keep in the back pocket, but not to yearn for.

Small coffee shop on lower east side with one person working there atleast when I went there was…read moreonly one person. I came here to try the Korean cereal iced latte. They make a reg iced latte and then add this korean cereal called jolly pong. The guy working here was very nice. Also he told me that at night this place turns into a speakeasy if you can find where the door is that will take you to it. There were some pastries here but I only got the coffee. The cereal tasted like a bit sweet and caramel. It made the iced latte have some more interesting flavor to it.

This is a coffee spot I can't stop thinking about, and I wish I had one of their specialty coffees…read moreright now while writing this review. Many specialty coffee spots have been popping up all around Manhattan, and many have been trying to one-up each other with various flavors and combinations or revamp classic Asian sweets. Cafe Joah is an adorable coffee shop in the East Village that is a bit of a walking journey or train ride but well worth it! My friend ordered the Strawberry Matcha Latte and asked if there was a lot of sweetness inside that drink, the cashier/barista informed her that yes and that she could tone down the sweetness. I ordered the Jolly Pong Cereal Latte, which is a trending specialty drink all over social media. This cereal latte was delicious from the crunchy cereal factor and taking sips of the latte. The latte is slightly on the sweeter side but paired perfectly with the cereal. Do remember that you can ask the cashier/barista to make alterations to your drink based on the sweetness level or type of milk used. My only 'but' with this location is the door entrance, which closes abruptly and loudly. I know this is more of a repair on their end, and this doesn't affect my review of the overall service, drinks, and experience. Highly recommend taking some time to go to this location, order their specialty drinks, and chill inside (space is limited, so do keep that in mind if you are bringing a group of friends)

So Good Coffee is a coffee shop in Greenwich Village. I believe that they recently went viral for…read moretheir breakfast sandwich, which is what I came here for. It is rather small inside but there is one table in the back with two seats. There are only like two items for food as it is a coffee shop. Not super busy at the hour I went. I got their Egg, Cheese, and Sausage on a Homemade Chive English Muffin. It was made fresh so it came out piping out. The cheese that they use was super savory and the homemade chive English muffin was exquisite. It costs extra to add meat, but I bet that this would be just as scrumptious with only egg and cheese. I would come back to get the breakfast sandwich because it was that good. I also want to try their coffee!

Small spot. Strong coffee ! Food fresh and hot. Made to order…read more My gf enjoyed hers I didn't like mine but I don't eat cheese beef or pork. This was my gf recommendation. Friendly staff

With so many viral froyo spots popping up in NYC, I've never really seen a tea-based froyo before…read more I've been waiting for Kolkata Chai Co to bring back their summer-limited chai soft serve, but this year they dropped a chai froyo instead--and I honestly think it's even better! We literally attracted so many eyes walking down the street holding this... people kept asking where it was from. They specialize in chai, so you already know it's gonna be rich. They also have a mix of classic and creative chai drinks. ＊Chai Frozen Yogurt Super chai-forward with a chai froyo base, chai butter syrup, and Parle-G biscuit crumbles. Parle-G is a classic South Asian tea biscuit usually dunked into chai, and the crumbles soak up the flavor. The texture is icier than soft serve but lighter, so it's super refreshing on a hot day.

Great vibes but unfortunately awful chai froyo…read more - Chai froyo: 3/10, icy, and the chai flavor is off. Shared w/ two friends, and we didn't finish it. I liked the cookie crumbles tho

Got the chance to try 88 Coffee at their pop-up at the New Britain Museum of American Art for their…read moreAPIHM celebration. I tried the salted foam Vietnamese coffee and it was good! I ended up mixing the foam into the drink to sweeten it up a bit. I'm not sure I'd be a fan of the original, just a bit too bitter for me. They were super quick with everyone's order and friendly. I'd definitely check them out if I come across them again!

I had the salted cream Vietnamese coffee at a popup and it was phenomenal! I still think about it…read moretoday, after I finished the first one I had to fight the urge to go back and order a second...

Kolkata Chai Co. 199 East 3rd. St…read more New York, NY 10009 Chai Matcha Gulab Jamun Donut Breakfast Kati Roll Located in the East Village near the corner of Avenue B and East Third Street is an authentic Indian chai cafe. These are a few of the most popular breakfast menu items I explored: Chai Matcha: When I spotted the vibrant photo of the tea on the outdoor sidewalk billboard and the cafe window, I knew this drink was going to be a hit. I especially loved the appearance of the matcha layered over the milk, but it had to be stirred for maximum flavor; I no longer had the green over ivory visual. The tea had an earthy, refreshing taste with a hint of coconut sugar. I definitely recommend exploring this drink chilled, but you could also enjoy it heated. The choice is yours. Gulab Jamun Donut: This pastry is topped with white icing, sprinkled with pistachios and centered with a syrup soaked gulab jamun. The spongy donut has a rich, sweet taste. The round, compact dumpling is the best part of the pastry. Breakfast Kati Roll: This crispy outer paratha was packed with scrambled eggs and bits of vegan sausage. The inside didn't have the most stellar appearance, but it tastes a lot better than it looks. As a bonus, a complimentary water cooler with ice is available. As another bonus, there is a mini chai market within the cafe selling groceries that are imported from India. As a third bonus, help yourself to a complimentary "I just switched to Kolkata Chai" sticker. It makes a great addition to any sticker collection. Indoor seating is limited to a narrow counter with two stools, but there are a couple of outdoor benches and a picnic table. Kolkata Chai Company may be a hole in the wall, but this cafe is on a roll. #kolkatachaico #chaimatcha #gulabjamundonut #chainotchaitea #kolkatachai

I've been to Kolkata chai a couple of times in the past and really enjoyed it! My most recent visit…read morewas a little disappointing. I wanted the soft serve chai fro yo, and I feel like the recipe was changed. It was very yogurt forward (sour), with a subtle chai flavour... which resembled a weak chai with milk that has gone bad. The texture was also not very smooth. Service was reasonable, as there was only one person working. Seems like their menu items have expanded since my last visit...which I will be sure to try next time.

I'm giving this 3 stars because I appreciate that they donate to Pakistan, and I always like…read moresupporting businesses that give back. Unfortunately, the customer service and the drinks were a major letdown. We ordered the Double Tea (karak chai) and the Kashmiri chai, and both lacked flavor. The Kashmiri chai was especially disappointing, we took a few sips and ended up throwing the whole thing away. The karak chai wasn't much better, after a couple of sips, we couldn't finish it either. The café has a nice location with plenty of seating, but the quality of the drinks didn't match the prices. At these price points, I expected much better flavor and a better overall experience.

The ambiance is super cute and it's a really cool spot. It's a room with a bunch of couches,…read morepillows, and carpets for you to sit and hang out. You also have to take your shoes off before entering. I'm giving this place a lower rating though because for a place that calls themselves the "chai spot" they have terrible chai. It's just not flavorful and pretty bland. They have a couple different chais that I've tried and all of them are pretty subpar. I would go back solely for the ambiance and probably just get a tea or something simple.