I wanted to like this place. I wish my experience was as beautiful as the decor, with communal seating and white paint throughout. I walked in and started perusing their menu and the counter person yells over asking what I would like. I tell her to give me a few minutes to decide. There are only 4 other people in the establishment. Two of whom I know and come over to say hello as they were already leaving. Counter person walks over and interrupts our greetings to ask if I have made up my mind. I tell her to make me an espresso. I continue on with conversation. In the midst of making the said expresso, she interrupts again to ask what else I want. I tell her nothing. My friends wait for this woman to finish my drink. We continue talking. I ask a second counter person if there are any other sandwich offerings than the lone, stale looking sandwich in the case with pastries. She says that they have not received their new shipment yet. Espresso arrives and I order the pistachio cake because the pictures I saw on yelp are the quickest thing I can think of. After paying for my order, my friends and I begin talking as I go to grab sugar and napkins. At this point, the first counterperson again interrupts our conversation to ask if we like peanut butter, and that if so we should try one of their peanut butter pastries. No thanks for the non stop sales pitch. Ugh. I love how this place looks, but pushy service like that doesn't even happen at established, large chains. If you want folks to frequent, you must allow for a pleasant experience. The espresso cup was half filled and the pistachio cake had a light flavor that was nothing to get excited about. Not in a rush to go back, and I don't have a reason to recommend. read more

My wife and I just moved into Harlem. We absolutely love this coffee shop. Wished it opened a bit earlier, but this is our weekend staple. Coffee is amazing. Food is simple and delicious. Couldn't ask for more. read more

PROOF Coffee Roasters - Floral game on point. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

See all

I surprised and excited when I was walking to work and saw this shop! It is literally a block away! This can be a problem! lol You can tell the place is new and still putting the final touches together. The coffee bar was being managed by two women, both very nice. I ordered a skim mocha. The mocha flavor is different than I have had before, not a sweet (I like mine boarding increasing my diabetic status), but the coffee itself was good. I also got an apple turnover. It is not homemade, but still very good. Overall, I will be frequenting this establishment! read more

PROOF Coffee Roasters - Love me a skim Mocha! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

The coffee is so good and the espresso shots are hand pulled, so you never get that burnt taste. The chai is delicious and they offer a large selection of milk/non-dairy milk options. Lina is my favorite barista to chat with when I come in for my drinks. Such a great coffee shop! read more

This is my favorite in the area. Amazing coffee and a good place with plenty of seating. Great for studying or meeting up with friends

How is everybody here so sweet. I don't get it. The music here is always bangin' too. The food and drinks are really good too for a good price as well. There's also plenty of plugs anywhere you sit. read more

The Olive Oil Pumpkin Loaf is delicious! Definitely grab one when you go. The coffee is pretty solid, too. There isn't the bitter taste you can get at other coffee roasters. I also recommend the vanilla cinnamon latte for a warm winter treat. The staff is friendly and gracious and makes you feel welcome. I am so glad to have a local coffee shop just a couple blocks from my apartment! read more

I had an excellent experience here at PROOF Coffee Roasters. Atmosphere is very unique and fun. Every single thing that we have ordered was extra fresh and delicious. Very pleasant, attentive and professional. I wish I could give PROOF Coffee Roasters more stars. read more

Wanted to like this place, but they don't seem to know how to make iced lattes. The first time I went in, I ordered the Nutella Latte and asked if it could be served iced. The barista said all of the drinks could be iced. When I received my drink, it was Nutella congealed at the bottom of a cup of iced milk with an espresso shot in it. It was disgusting, but I assumed that the barista was just mistaken about being able to make that particular drink in an iced version. I went back a second time and ordered an iced mocha, assuming a basic drink would be better. Wrong. Same thing happened again. Chocolate syrup, not mixed into to the drink at all, just sitting at the bottom of the cup. It tastes like when you were a kid and you tried to make chocolate milk with Hershey's syrup and it never quite tasted good. If you're looking for iced drinks, do not go here unless you want congealed flavor on the bottom of a cup of cold milk. Luckily it's getting colder out, so I hope their warm drinks are made correctly. I won't be going back to try. read more

I actually really love this place. It's simple yet so aesthetically pleasing. I'm not big on purchasing food from coffee shops because they're usually overpriced but their spinach quiche is amazing. Try it at least once. Also worth noting: PROOF/ACP is a very good place to drop by and catch up on work - the WiFi is top notch. The baristas are also very friendly. There's one that does American Sign Language with me - she's a light. Love this neighborhood gem! read more

Great coffee, pretty good food. Last time we stayed in NYC this place was within walking distance and we stopped in two mornings. Note: don't order anything with avocado in NYC. It's just.... it's not right. However, I had the prosciutto toast the second morning and it was yummy. And again - the coffee is legit. read more

See all

Love their coffee as I go frequently in the mornings before work. Baked goods can be a bit boring but tasty nonetheless. I love whenever the have Dough doughnuts, however, best to get them when they are fresh otherwise they taste rather stale over time. read more

Exceptional cup of coffee. Friendly service. Will return. Clean and quiet and not a million people on their laptops

Came here after I left another cafe in hopes of finding great service and tasty treats. This was my second time here, first time sitting. Ordered the Pistachio cardamom loaF & small coffee. First of all, the loaf is DELICIOUS & MOIST, the coffee was good as well. Service was good, I came when the shifts were changing so I had 2 people, the woman was very sweet. The guy also nice and efficient. Café is spacious, clean and there's 1 table to sit outside. Free WiFi & cute accents throughout the cafe make it feel cozy and welcoming. However, it was just a bit cold. The AC was blasting at 61 degrees on a 72 degree and raining day. Not ideal but not a turn off either. read more

Great coffee in Harlem! They serve pastries from Ovenly as well which is a delight! Harlem is definitely changing a lot and this seems to be a welcome neighborhood addition. read more

Coffee, Community & Conversation, what more could you want?! Seriously, Proof Coffee in Harlem is the perfect neighborhood coffee shop. My husband and I look forward to our conversations with Lina and/or Damian every morning. The coffee is delicious and the vibe is warm and fun. Folks talk in line. It's the rare NYC gathering place where folks actually MEET their neighbors. The walls feature art from local artists. I can't overstate how much I love this place. Check it out once social-distancing allows. You'll fall in love with it too. read more

SO good! This one is from Stamford CT location they just opened. It's worth it and delicious - A++!

The brand of coffee they use is not my favorite at all. So I don't buy from them anymore. But it is really strong if u like that style and the place is really cute plenty of outlets to work. And the people are always nice. However even if I did like their American coffee.. 5 dollar for an ice coffee black is really way to much. You don't even see those kinds of prices downtown using the same brand.(counterculture) and it's not even cold brew. So all in all I really want to like this place because it's super close to my apt and super cute and super friendly but they need to change their coffee to no have the heavy bean taste idk how to explain it. -to not be so strong that even when I bare through it I'm not having a panic attack from how strong it is. And they have to no sell ice coffee for 5$ that should be like 350 max honestly. I've been a barista in st marks and I do drink a good bit of coffee 5$ is unheard of 3 stars for effort ? read more

Between the 'rona, the murder hornets and the world literally being on fire, I'm halfway ready for the aliens a la Independence Day. But Damien and Luna's smiling faces (and bomb playlists) at my local coffee shop gives a semblance of normalcy as if to say: here's your delicious oat milk latte, O - you will be ok and this too shall pass. They're the best and I'm happy to have them as calming constants amongst this chaos. read more

Highly recommended cafe! Coffee is always tasty and they have a nice array of sweets/ sandwiches! (Get there early on the weekends if you want a doughnut plant doughnut) The interior is very relaxing and a great place to do work! read more

PROOF Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

I heart this harlem gem. Relaxing... Exactly what Harlem residents like myself desired.

I'm not really sure why this coffee shop is constantly out of things. Today was the second time in a couple months that they were out of lids. LIDS. People can't take a lid-less coffee on the subway, that's just asking for a disaster. On more than one occasion, they've been out of any given milk. Not sure who's in charge of ordering materials/ingredients but I think that procedure needs to be reevaluated heavily by management. As the best coffee shop in a several block radius, the standard is a bit higher than you may think. I really want this shop to succeed because that's what this community needs, but if you can't (at bare minimum) have consistency then I'm definitely not going to continue coming there every morning like I have been. The Starbucks across from my office is still very convenient and I can order that drink ahead on my phone. Step it up, folks. read more

Very good coffee with a nice and quiet ambience. I went with a friend and it was very chill. Everyone working on their laptops, no noise, no hazle. Their coffee is pretty good and they serve it on REAL mugs. You may find this obvious but it's not. Hard to find a coffee place today that doesn't serve their coffee in a piece of carton. OK prices with many choices, but it depends on what you want. They charge a .75 cent surcharge for ice!! Wow! That's robbery man! Really? It's just water! Same with the alternative milk like soy or almond. A coffee can end up costing more than $5 which I find outrageous. After all it's water drained through some beans that cost probably $5 a pound. The joint is not big so bear in mind that you may find it packed. Almost all the tables are communal and if someone brings their work to the coffee shop then that table is going to be out of the equation. Nice staff and a bunch of pastry options for the sweet tooth. Everything seems organic, gluten-free or vegan which is great because you have options for every person. Definitely a nice touch to the neighborhood! read more

Coffee was overpriced; about $5 for a Black Sea salt latte. Was tasty but wasn't super hot; chairs weren't that comfortable, but the WiFi was good and it was a good place to get work done. Was allowed to bring in our own food so that was a plus as well. They only accept credit cards from 2-6 read more

PROOF Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

I come here for one thing: Doughnut Planet's Black Out doughnut. Thanks ACP for saving me the commute to LES or Chelsea for my favorite donut in the city. Otherwise, a cute little space with friendly staff. read more

After seeing so many lovely photos of this place on Insta, I decided to pay them a visit on today's Sunday stroll. Really not worth crossing two avenues and walking up 15 blocks. Although if I lived closer, I may give them a second chance. Normally I would give 2.5 stars if that were possible but I don't want to be uncharitable to a small business in a neighborhood that could use more of them. Firstly, their prices just aren't appropriate for the area. Everything is about a dollar more than other venues in the neighborhood. Definitely a "WTF" considering the place is cute but not exceptional. My matcha latte was okay but not carefully prepared and still had big lumps of powder in it. Kind of disappointing considering the price. Also I noticed a lot of dirty dishes piled up and customer service wasn't great. They were out of a lot of basic things and while my prosciutto toast was tasty, it wasn't worth the 20 minute wait while being the only person ordering. And as much as I hate to say this, the woman behind the counter is kind of off-putting. She comes off pushy and speaks loudly. Not good vibes in a coffee shop. read more

I have been following the opening of this fine establishment via Harlem Bespoke blog and was anticipating it opening up. I love Starbucks but I love to support a local coffee shop in my neighborhood as well. Plus I feel like local coffee shops care more about the most important component of coffee....ESPRESSO and minus all the bells and whistles of a millions sweet syrups. This morning I was on my IG feed and saw a post mentioning they are open and serving breakfast. I decided to make it a mission to include them in my day. They are right at the corner of 135 and 7th ave and next door to the IHOP. The storefront has a very inviting appearance and the barista def greets you with a smile and a warm welcome. While waiting for the gentleman I peeping the scene in terms of food. The selection is very limited and I was looking for breakfast items they mentioned on IG but maybe I was expecting too much. In their display of food they had coffee bread , croissants, egg salad sandwich, turkey sandwich, and a pesto mozzarella sandwich. They do have the ability to heat all of these items which is awesome. The setup is pretty nice in which they have a large community table in the back and a couple benches for you to sit and enjoy your caffeine. Their hours are 7 days a week 7:30am-6pm, but I wish they were open a little earlier for those who want a cup of joe on our way to work. Anywho the final test was the coffee obviously and I ordered a mocha with soy milk. The barista, Valentina, prepared my drink and it was perfect. No need to add any thing extra to the drink. ACP Coffee is a great addition to the Harlem neighborhood and I will be back to frequent this business. read more

PROOF Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

I love this little coffee shop! The baristas are SO nice, the coffee & matcha are both good, and it's a great place to sit and do work or study for a few hours. read more

I wish I liked it, but the coffee just isn't good. How are you serving stale coffee at 7:30 a.m.? Why are the pastries flavorless and also stale on a weekday morning? The first time it happened I figured it was a fluke. I went back a few more times because it was on my way, and again - just not good, especially for the price. I should have known. This place was empty every time I went in, even times when I went a little later in the day, there might be one other person in there. If I wanted stale bodega coffee, I'd go to a bodega. read more

This place sure is attractive and bright. And it has the opposite of the hipster vibe of other places I've been which is a major plus. But The overpricing was a turn off with a 16 ounce iced coffee going for 5.50. That is a dollar more than the hipster counterparts, and in those spots a large is 20 ounces. Happy with Ovenly baked goods, but I noticed a staff person transporting frozen muffins into a fridge for a slow thaw, which made me wonder how old the cookie I purchased actually was. What the ...? Sadly, I ordered an avocado toast that was just plain bad. Prepared on a thin slice of stale refrigerated bread with oxidized (i.e. gray) tasteless avocado, it was a complete fail. Tried to revive it with a little salt and was offered the box of regular old table salt. I mean seriously, spring for some kosher or sea salt, especially since the place is "decorated" with a lot of extraneous high priced swag -- soap and soy candles. Random, and not in a good way. Similarly, I was turned off by the array of protein bars and Kombucha drinks on offer. Not that I don't consume those things, but it feels like less would be more in this case, and considering they are not crazy busy I wonder how long those extraneous items are going to hang around. The elegant cleanliness was undercut when they decided to do what seemed like a totally unnecessary floor mop in the middle of the afternoon. I mean who wants to be assailed with the smell of cheap disinfectant and the look of an ugly industrial yellow bucket and dirty mop head while sipping a coffee? I have honestly never seen such a thing. Coffee shops should smell like COFFEE, not Fabuloso. My preferred disinfectant by the way, so I'm not hating on the Fabuloso. Finally, the place was hot, as in the a/c was set at 82 degrees. Are you kidding me? I am not a crazy a/c person. I have yet to turn mine on this season, so I am not advocating keeping the place like a meat locker, but there is too much natural light coming in to make 82 feel anything like cool and pleasant. Wanted to jump into the fridge at some point with those frozen baked goods. I guess this means I did not love it. Too bad, because this is my neighborhood. Would love to frequent but don't think I will. read more

Proof is a very neat and boutique coffee shops in an excellent pre-war place. It's coupled with friendly staff great art and most of all excellent coffee and delicious treats. read more

I don't know why I keep coming here. They used to have gluten-free pastries (ie, muffins, cake slices, cookies, etc.) but they never have any when I go. Granted-I usually go on weekend afternoons, but they never have any. And the line is always so confusing. I'll have to find another coffee spot. I used to like coming here. read more

Best coffee ever! This cozy spot is a great discovery. Baristas are qualified kind and passionate. The atmosphere is relaxing and everything is well-finished. I recommend this place for coffee lovers and not.. f you are not I'm pretty sure you'll become after their cappuccino. Lovely! read more

PROOF Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

This location of proof is roomy and has a great atmosphere, not to mention the great coffee offered at all their locations.

I really wanted to like this place due to their proclaimed "variety of teas" and vegan goodies from ovenly, but unfortunately had a bad experience this am. Was meeting a friend here so when I walked in I checked out the menu then said I was going to wait for her to show. The cashier all but rolled her eyes at me. Ok I'm discombobulated because I haven't had caffeine. No need to treat me (or anyone else) rudely. Also: the place was empty. So if the fear was that I'd take space away form someone who'd be paying, um nope. A few minutes later, my friend shows and we go to order. I ask for a London Fog with almond milk, light on the vanilla. First the cashier blinks back at me like she didn't understand what I ordered. Then I get a cup of tea with some milk, not steamed, and vanilla. I mention to the barista that a London Fog is an Earl Grey tea LATTE (aka steamed milk) and she tells me that isn't how she knows the drink. Now I understand it's a bougey order - not denying it. However, it's a bougey order I was introduced to at a similar hipster coffee shop in Harlem and which is now on the standard menu at Starbucks so like...no excuses to not know how to make this. And also: customer-fucking service please and thank you. I finally get the correct drink - although she didn't go light on the vanilla at all but I didn't want to complain again - and wait for my avocado toast. It takes about 20 min to make that and my friend's nutella toast. Hers was good. Mine? Disgusting. The avocado was some weird fluffy texture and not creamy at all. I mean I know it's not avocado season and we don't live in CA and I expect some wateriness to my avocados this time of year but like - I make it at home and it's never like that. Plus, it wasn't salted and peppered at all. The toast was meh at best and over toasted. Overall a super disappointing experience. Will stick to the Chipped Cup/Lenox Coffee/Double Dutch chain and Monkey Cup. read more

The proof is in the coffee! Dope spot, lots of cool weird drinks, Damien and Zach were pumping good tunes and slinging great coffee. We'll be back! read more

NOTE: I know one of the owners however I'll try to keep objective as much as a can. Also my review is primarily about COFFEE as I'm not a foodie but I'm a 3rd wave specialty coffee fan (check my other reviews). I've been to 4 different states for great coffee. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3rd Wave Specialty Coffee hits Harlem! This is newly opened coffee shop is the sister of the original Nolita Mart & Espresso Bar ( https://www.yelp.com/biz/nolita-mart-and-espresso-bar-new-york )in downtown Manhattan. The owner focuses on tasty great coffee with high level service. When I came here I ordered a Stumptown Ethopia Duromina slow pour. I thought the barista Chandler did a great job on it though I'm not fond of Stumptown. COFFEE: Like the original, Stumptown is the primary coffee on drip (contrary to the slow pour philosophy of the original). On Chemex and the beehouse slow pour options, they have several of the selection from downtown - Curvee and One Village. They also have Chromatic on retail bag. The diversity of roasters is a strong point with both shops as they carry out good roasters that are not featured anywhere else in NYC. FOOD: Outsourced pastries (Ovenly and more). They also have been listening to the customers and have breakfast and lunch plates. DECOR / SEATING: Clean and bright. The ceilngs have the original metal plating and walls have exposed brick. The front area has wide open windows that bring in alot of outdoor light from the street (Adam Clayton Powell) as well as 2 windows from the rear yard. Much more brighter than the original. They have a communal table that you can use for a group as well as small 2 seat tables for study. Additionally, there is artwork from local artists showcased on the wall. WIFI: It was stable and requires password but no time restrictions. RESTROOMS: Has a restroom but the configuration is a long rectangle layout. Can be claustrophobic but it is clean. The staff is trained to keep things customer service oriented. PROS: In an area dearth of 3rd wave coffee and small business feel, this is a great addition to the area. The baristas are coffee lovers (Chandler was my barista and definitely experienced as he has worked in other well known shops in Manhatan if not other countries). The customer service is high level and trained as they ask what they can do for you without a frown. The coffee is definitely good coffee. A previous reviewer mentioned that they love Starbucks which is fine but the coffee definitely BLOWS away the burnt taste of Starbucks. The place is new, clean, and friendly feel to it. CONS: This is a personal one for me. I'm not a fan of Stumptown and wish they have the policy of brewing any bean on the shelf when it's not busy as the original shop has. A feature that allowed me to try different beans. It's not major. Also this shop is not handicap accessible as the coffee shop is on the first floor (not ground). However just call the shop and they should still be able to service you. You can't use the CUPS app as you can in the downtown shop. OVERALL: If I'm in the area, I'll hit this place up. It's not pretentious and the great customer service (thanks Chandler and Liz!) makes it a regular place I would go to if I lived in the area. read more

This is my favorite coffee place in the neighborhood! It has a relaxed neighborhood vibe, the atmosphere is great, the playlist is always amazing (I end up Shazaming half the songs to create my own playlist). And the Wi-Fi is actually really great. Most importantly, the coffee is really delicious, and I am admittedly a coffee snob and don't say this lightly. The baristas are super friendly, they know your drink and are always super attentive. Special shout out to Zachary, who's always on top of his game and knows exactly what I order. Highly recommended this place! read more

I just happened to stop by here today, and I am a fan!! I ordered a cup of Flat White(Originated in Australia according to a lovely barista: having a higher proportion of coffee to milk, allowing the espresso to dominate the flavor) and a piece of espresso short bread. My cup had a perfect balance of bitterness from great roast and milk that was so velvety! Espresso short bread had just a right amount of sugar to pair my cup though you might like to get other sugary baked goods if you have a sweet tooth. It was perfect for me and my friend. He said his Americano was also fantastic. I will definitely try other baked goods with maybe Matcha Latte next time. The space has a clean airy atmosphere and a good wifi connection. I am excited to have this coffee shop within a walking distance. read more

See all

Seeing Rosy's face means I'm in for a really good latte . Making Monday's more bearable one coffee at a time.