Cafe Grumpy is HANDS DOWN, the greatest coffee shop in New York. I fully plan on searching for, and visiting as many coffee shops as humany possible while I live in NYC, but this place has a place in my heart.
From the moment my sister brought me there for the first time, I've been a Believer. These people really know their coffee. Moreover, they're not snobs about it - although they've caught me off guard a couple times (we won't hold that against them).
Their coffee is delicious! Everything of theirs that I've tried has been impressive. I LOVE their cappucino's. I would get one EVERY TIME I went there during the cooler months. Then after my first cap, i'd move on to regular coffee for the rest of my stay. In the summer months I prefer their iced coffees.
Cafe Grumpy uses this special "one cup" style machine for specialty (non-espresso) coffees, by the name of "Clover". It truly makes a delicious cup of coffee, and can be quite entertaining to watch. These cups are priced according to the type of bean you choose. This selection is always changing, but it seems like they might try to retain a few popular choices. This specialty "Clover" cup is a tad expensive, but it's definitely worth trying. Two of my siblings get this everytime. Rumor has it that Starbucks bought out the manufacturer, but for the time being Grumpy has the machines at both locations.
Speaking of "both locations" -- I forgot to mention that they have TWO locations in NYC, and are possibly opening more soon. The other spot is in Chelsea, and is different enough to warrant a second review by me.
Their barristas are incredibly talented, and clearly love what they do. Their appreciation for coffee, and the skills they display while preparing coffee drinks is second to none. Quite a few of them make delicate, complex decorations with milk in their espresso drinks. I've seen a series of hearts, leaves, etc. They're quite impressive.
Grumpy has a nice website as well -- at http://www.cafegrumpy.com - where you'll find their story, as well as information about both locations, AND a link to their Blog. That's right - you can read all about their love of coffee, and the crazy things they do. Training parties are hosted by employees, where they perfect their tricks of the trade. It was actually a very enjoyable read.
The Greenpoint location is considerably larger than the Chelsea joint. They both have free WiFi, but Greenpoint's size accomodates more people, and allows you the luxury of camping out for a while. This likely works in their favor, unlike many other coffee shops - because when I'm there for the afternoon (or sometimes the better part of the day) I've been known to buy 5-10 drinks, as well as food.
I don't care if you already have a favorite coffee shop. If you haven't tried Cafe Grumpy, then you really don't know what you're missing. There's so much more to say about the place, but as you can tell, I've already written way too much. read more