The Coffee Crawl Sipping my way through New York City…one coffee shop at a time.

I have been waiting to review this place since I began the coffee crawl back in December. As I worked through earning my MBA from Fordham Business School, Paradise Cafe was my second home. I would wake up, throw on some study/homework clothes (sweats and a t-shirt), pack up my backpack and head out to the cafe. Being one of the only non-Starbucks coffee shops in Chelsea and located on 8th Avenue between 16th and 17th Street, Paradise Cafe has quickly become a neighborhood favorite and hotspot among the Chelsea coffee lovers.

As you already have guessed, Paradise Cafe is an excellent option for those looking to study, get work done, and even catch up with friends. They have 11 tables each with 2 chairs, in addition to 3 bar tables with 2 bar stools each. In other words, ample seating! Depending on the baristas working that day, the music ranges from the radio (Z100 or KTU) to indie rock. No matter what music is playing, the volume is always just perfect for studying. The walls are painted a relaxing yellow color and are decorated with local artist work that are for sell. I just love how Paradise supports local artists. Also, while I was there the owner was working. He is a very nice man and took the time to walk me through all of the breakfast options available that day, in addition to the different flavors of iced coffee. Very nice and helpful!

One thing that jumped out at me and caught my eye was that they support local, organic and fair trade coffees and foods. One such display on their counter tells the story of Equal Exchange coffee (which they brew) as well as the organic chocolates that they sell. In today’s coffee market, having fair trade and organic beans are definite winners to any sales strategy. While I didn’t enjoy the chocolate bar on this trip, I sure will be coming back for more next time!

What I did enjoy on this coffee crawl was their delicious yogurt parfait and a cup of vanilla hazelnut coffee. The yogurt parfait (which I have eaten many times over the years) has never let me down. With layers of Stonyfield Lowfat Vanilla Yogurt, low-fat granola, fresh strawberries and bananas, I was a happy camper. To top it all off, honey was drizzled on top and seeped into each layer for that extra little “oomph.” Now, what I truly love about Paradise Cafe is their iced coffee. The vanilla hazelnut flavor is to die for. They always brew the Equal Exchange beans and every time it comes out delicious. You definitely should check out Paradise Cafe on your next visit to Chelsea when you want a great Starbucks alternative!

While traipsing around SoHo this past weekend with a good friend, we came across a fantastic-looking cafe. I was not even planning a coffee crawl while she visited, but I just could not let this opportunity pass by without my stopping in. Cafe Angelique, located at 68 Bleecker Street near East Houston, is the fantastic little cafe that crossed our path. I will refrain from over-emphasizing my joy at finding Cafe Angelique, but it was just the charming rest stop that we needed after walking around SoHo all day shopping.

Tucked away on Bleecker, with nothing more than an antique wooden bench to catch the eyes of the passersby, it would be easy to walk by the shop if not for the glorious front windows. Stretching the entire length of the space it was easy to see exactly what I wanted to try (although I ended up getting something completely different!) Upon walking into the shop, I immediately felt as if I had stepped into a garden party although indoors. The antique wrought iron outdoor-style chairs combined with the cutest shiny orange bistro tables gave the impression that a cup of coffee and a treat here and you could feel like you were in an English-style party set in a fantastic little garden. With seating enough for 5-6 couples, the opportunity to relax was great. Combined with wall pieces depicting the goods sold, the brand of coffee being brewed and a chalkboard hand-written menu letting the customer know what was to offer, the entire vibe left me completely relaxed and ready to indulge.

The first treat that caught my eye was the stuffed cupcakes. That’s right…stuffed cupcakes. I so wanted to try one but my better senses calmed me down and said no. However, there was one cupcake (well really all of them) that made my stomach cry for a taste: Outrageous Oreo. This delicious treat is a chocolate cupcake filled with crusted oreo custard and topped with vanilla icing and a mini oreo. I know, amazing. Go try it and let me know how it is! I then ventured down the bar area to the cookie and other treats that were on display in wicker baskets. (I just love all the little decorating touches that Cafe Angelique put so much thought in to). I instantly recognized the handiwork of one of my favorite bakers/chefs in the cookie industry: This Chick Bakes. I first tried her amazing peanut butter cup at Joe The Art of Coffee and this time around I just had to have her chocolate chip cookie. One word: phenomenal. Check out her site from the link above and order some today (they truly are out of this world).

For coffee, I tried theirs iced. Since the weather was amazing in New York City over the weekend, iced coffees are quickly becoming almost as popular of an accessory as a French Bulldog. Brewing Lavazza coffee, I thoroughly enjoyed my iced joe. A strong Italian roast, tasting as if it were ground in-house and definitely not stale, Cafe Angelique gave this coffee crawler an excellent beverage. With 3 locations in the NY Metro area (68 Bleecker, 317 Bleecker and 1 Piermont Road in Tenafly NJ) it is relatively easy to hop on a train, cab or walk over to the nearest location for a delicious treat to tempt your palette.

I know, the name of the restaurant/cafe sounds a little strange. And believe me, when I first strolled by this place in the Village I was shocked and stunned that a restaurant would serve coffee…..and hotdogs. However, why not combine two of New York City’s most prized possessions into one concept? The people at New York Hotdog and Coffee (located at 245 Bleecker Street near Carmine) have done so. And very well I might add.

First, let me provide a little background on the concept. According to placards scattered throughout the store, the shop is an offshoot from a popular Korean chain. Affectionately described in many magazines as “Korean whimsy meets street weiners.” I love that description. Very appropriate and fitting. Last year, they won MetroMix NY Best of Hotdogs! Pop art chairs and pictures adorned the walls, with framed hotdogs (plastic, of course) scattered around. It really is a sight to see. The staff was hilarious and helpful in assisting me with my dog. On to the food…offering a vast array of hotdogs, you can never get too bored. From vegetarian to beef to turkey to soy dogs they have it all. Also, there are healthier options with their Kimchi, Bulgogi, Dak Kalbi dogs (you’ll need to stop in to see what these are all about). Further, New York Hotdog and Coffee prides themselves on offering different tastes with each dog. For instance, take the Texan which is a chili cheese dog loaded with two types of cheese, jalapeno peppers and potato chips. Interesting.

That is not what I tried on my visit today. I wanted to keep it simple so I had the Plain dog which was a beef dog with sweet relish and chopped tomatoes on a toasted bun. My lunch came with amazingly crisped french fries and a coffee (of course!). The dog was delicious!! I’m not a huge fan of hotdogs usually but this was well worth it. The coffee was actually pretty good as well. A little on the light side, but ground in-house so the freshness was at its best, the coffee offered a good end to my lunch. Serving up Van Houtte brand coffee, it seemed to have a slight almond or amaretto twist. I’m not quite sure where that came from but it was delicious as well.

Also definitely check out New York Hotdog and Coffee’s website. It’s incredibly well done, cute graphics with fun sounds effects thrown in as well. The whole feel of the site is very whimsical, light-hearted and easy to navigate. I like playing with the left menu options because when you roll your mouse over a different title, a ketchup bottle pops up with a popping sound accompanying it. Check it out!

Again, venturing down to the Lower East Side of Manhattan, I found myself in the mood for another coffee crawl adventure. I already follow BabyCakes on Twitter and through their daily tweets I learned of the many tempting treats and sweets that they have to offer. From donuts to cupcakes, I definitely needed to give it a try. In no time at all, I ended up at 248 Broome Street between Orchard and Ludlow for my next coffee crawl.

What you may or may not already know about BabyCakes nyc is that they are a “refined sugar free, gluten free, wheat free, soy free, casein free, egg free, vegan, kosher” bakery. Yes, that’s a mouthful. But a very tasty mouthful, let me assure you.

When I first stepped up to their front door and opened it, the aroma that immediately hit my nose was delightful: fresh-baked cookies and cinnamon rolls. I’m not entirely sure where the cinnamon roll smell came from, but it was heavenly. I found out later from one of the baristas, that the smell was actually fresh vanilla cupcakes coming out of the oven (pictured). I knew right then and there that I would most definitely have to sink my teeth into one of those. Now, being a “normal” cupcake eater (dairy, eggs, wheat, refined sugar) you can imagine my hesitation at what these would taste like. Again, let me assure you that what you’ve heard and read about is completely true: these cupcakes are divine (more to come soon).

The shop itself was fairly small with the majority of the space being devoted to the kitchen and counter area. My friend and vegan-lover (check out her amazing blog Recipe For Life) scoped out and planted our belongings on the 2 stools available at the counter. Prime real estate for watching the baker and baristas work their magic. The decorations and interior design were very eclectic and random, yet comfortable. I loved the oldies-style that every piece had. There were old toy registers and signs and even a vintage toy oven touting the BabyCakes name (pictured). The music, chosen by the baristas on duty, was very apropos for the style of the shop: a light indie type rock. As an antique-lover and mellow atmosphere myself, this store’s ambience was perfect for me.

I was finally ready to place my order. After learning about gluten free and spelt flour I made an educated selection as to the type of goody I would enjoy. I went with the vanilla gluten-free cupcake with vanilla icing and (yes, and!) the ever popular brownie cupcake. Both were simply delectable. Mouth watering. Amazing. The icing had a slight lemon flavor. The cake was incredibly moist and, what I loved the most, it didn’t fall apart when I took a bite. The cake held its shape and allowed me to indulge without the usual mess. I actually inhaled them quite quickly however. It’s no wonder that BabyCakes’ cupcakes won NY Magazines Best Vegan Treat in 2010. Well-deserved. Very well-deserved.

After observing that they brewed one of my favorite brands of coffee, Stumptown Coffee, I decided to take one in a large (only $2.50). As somewhat of a self-proclaimed coffee conneseiur, I give this decaf a very high 2 thumbs up. The blend was light, smooth and delicious. The perfect complement to a more-than-satisfying dessert. Also, please take note of the sign in the picture…a frosting shot?! As you are all well aware of by now, sugar and sweets are my downfall and the next time that I visit BabyCakes NYC, that frosting shot (along with another brownie cupcake) is mine!

Watch out. This coffee crawler loves BabyCakes NYC!

This fantastic little article, discussing how New York is “Finally Taking Its Coffee Seriously” was forwarded to me by a few readers of The Coffee Crawl. Note that the latte art picture on the opening page of the article (also pictured below) is from Third Rail Coffee, a past crawl that I loved! Thank you NY Times for this fabulous picture and Third Rail for the beautiful artwork.

I’m thankful that the NY Times published this…it will help me for coming up with new venues to check out when I’m fresh out of ideas! So, enjoy the read. I thought everyone would appreciate this and love it as much as I did.

Yesterday was a glorious almost-Spring day in New York City. The sun was shining, not a single cloud could be seen in the sky and people were out and about. Such a fantastic time to live here. This definitely put me in the mood to meander around in search of my next stop on the Coffee Crawl. Hitting up one of my favorite neighborhoods, Chelsea, I walked along 9th Avenue to check out the beautiful architecture, new restaurants and of course, the coffee shops. I happened upon the cutest place: Three Tarts New York City. Situated amongst various bodegas, butcher shops, an old monastery, a cute pet shop and other sundries, Three Tarts was like a sweet oasis popping up from nowhere. So there I found myself, at 164 9th Avenue (at 20th Street) to begin my next coffee crawl.

Walking into the store I was immediately swept away into a French-like atmosphere. From the decorations, to the artwork that adorned the walls, to the delicious-looking tarts to the music playing, I had a sense of being in a cafe on the French countryside. A quick note about the music. I tend to harp on how important the atmosphere of a coffee shop is and Three Tarts nailed it with their light folk-style music: just loud enough to enjoy and even hum along with, I thoroughly enjoyed it. One interesting thing to note about this cafe is that it not only sells coffee, espresso and baked goods, but it also is a boutique selling various housewares and children’s toys, all with a French flair (see picture). Once I was able to tear my eyes away from the great dishware and cute stuffed teddy bears I reached the counter to place my order.

The manager-on-duty, who I assume is also an owner or manager, was incredibly helpful. Being that I am not well-versed on French pastries and desserts he aptly explained each of them with precision and quickly led me to a selection. Before I let the cat out of the bag as to which treat I ordered, I have to give a run-down of some of the offerings. The first thing to take note of is that everything is served in a small-sized serving. Almost every treat can be enjoyed with one bite-full. Yum. A short synopsis of their food consists of various truffles, tea cakes, panne cotte, petite fours, yumballs (with liquor – amazing), homemade marshmallows, chocolate espresso cups (pictured) that were baked in the cup which you actually get to keep! Three Tarts designs and creates everything in-house and with great detail and precision. Each piece of food was magazine-ready. Presentation is everything. I ordered the lemon tart (pictured at the beginning of the blog). Small, delectable, scrumptious and incredibly mouth-watering. I highly recommend this sweet, among everything else I’m sure!

The coffee that I ordered, a simple decaf, was also excellent. The strength, roast and bean grind was divine. After having a brief discussion with the same counter person from whom I ordered my lemon tart, I learned that their coffee is called 3 Bean Coffee, simply for the fact that they combine 3 separate beans from different regions. The coffee is locally crafted and mixes together South American with Indonesian beans roasted separately then blended to produce the rounded, full-bodied brew that I enjoyed. The woodsy taste of the outcome was delicious. Thankfully Three Tarts is on my way to work so that I can stop in for a cup on my walk to the office.

Two more items for sale that I would like to call attention to is the hot chocolate and the s’mores kit. The hot chocolate comes in signature as well as weekly flavors. This week’s flavor, and newest addition to the menu is peanut butter. I had a sample (of course) of this and it was heaven. Being a peanut butter and chocolate junkie is a dangerous combination! Add one of their homemade marshmallows on top (coming in espresso, raspberry, cinnamon, rosemary or vanilla bean) and you’ll find yourself in hot chocolate heaven. The Indoor S’mores kit also looked incredibly enticing. Sold in a reusable camping tin filled with graham chocolate chip cookies, fresh cinnamon marshmallows, skewers and matches, this kit makes a great housewarming gift and serves up nine s’mores. Priced at only $19 it’s a steal and on my list for a present at the next birthday gathering I attend.

Three Tarts New York City is a definite must-see and must-taste for any coffee lover or sweet-obsessor such as myself. Check them out. You won’t be disappointed.

Mid Town and Grand Central Station in the morning is the definition of busy, on-the-go business men and women. Looking for that latte or cup of coffee with quick service, little talk and a lot of taste, Aroma Espresso Bar hits the nail on the head of their customer. Located at 205 East 42nd Street (between 3rd and 2nd Avenues), this coffee shop is a perfect fit for the hustle and bustle area of 42nd Street.

Walking through the typical Mid Town thick glass-plated doors framed in chrome, I immediately got a rushed feel from Aroma. As a commuter this is perfect. As someone wanting to enjoy a freshly steamed latte and breakfast sandwich, not so much. However, I am reviewing this as a commuter since that is the theme they are attempting to achieve. The wall art was surprisingly themed with many silhoutted basketball players. I’m not sure if it was a nod to Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse or not, but it struck me as a little off. The seating was composed of long tables with 6 stools each, obviously meant for business meetings and larger social gatherings. If music was playing, I couldn’t hear it, which is probably ideal for those business meetings so that they do not need to talk above extraneous noises. The counter staff was efficient, friendly and most importantly, quick. I sat down in the front of the cafe and the only comment I have about the store is the front door kept swinging open and blasting in cold air. In the summer months this will be great, but seeing as winter is still hanging on, I ended up freezing a little.

Today’s treat for the crawl was a delicious latte. If it’s one thing that Aroma got right, it is their latte preparation. Perfectly steamed milk, just the right pull of espresso and a beautiful presentation were all it took to make this coffee crawler happy. Adding a bit of raw brown sugar and enjoying a small piece of Aroma’s mini chocolate bar, this latte hit just the right spot.