KOKE IS IT! It is rare that a TikTok gem lives up to the hype but this place really does. I am a long time neighborhood resident and cannot speak highly enough about this place. Female run, with an incredible and friendly staff with INCREDIBLE drinks. (Highly recommend the iced matcha with banana milk.) Black Sesame soft serve goes hard as well. Nothing but love for this place. read more

Visited Koke after seeing all the hype on social media. They offer a variety of desserts and drinks, ranging from lattes and coffees to pastries and soft serve. I came specifically to try the soft serve. At the time, they only had two flavors available: black sesame and banana. I opted for the black sesame. The serving size was generous, which was nice, and the presentation was great. The soft serve itself was smooth and had a nice texture, but it wasn't very sweet. It had a strong black sesame flavor, which some people may enjoy, but I personally think it could have used a bit more sweetness. As it melted, the texture became a little grainy, so I'd recommend eating it fairly quickly. The line was also a bit long, and we had to wait outside before getting in. Overall, I'd come back to try some of their lattes or other soft serve flavors since the black sesame wasn't my favorite, but I can see why this place has gotten so much attention. read more

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Stopped in specifically for the black sesame soft serve and was not disappointed! At the recommendation of the person at the counter, we topped ours with both crispy rice puffs and a drizzle of the chocolate sesame sauce. I did have to go back up to one of the staffers after picking up my frozen confection because we realized that the drizzle had been omitted, but its absence was swiftly remedied. Both extras were additive to the experience: the rice puffs contributed a textural element to the experience, and the drizzle offered a bonus punch of sesame to the otherwise mild soft serve flavor. We came toward closing time, so I didn't try any of their pastries. The samples in the case weren't looking particularly tempting at that point in the day, anyhow. I'd definitely be interested in trying their matcha drinks in the future. And they have a really cute merch selection. At this moment in NYC's fro-yo craze, it's pleasant to have pleasing alternatives (vegan, even!) to change things up. read more

Koke - black sesame soft serve with crispy rice and chocolate sesame drizzle - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Heard about this relatively new matcha place in Greenwich Village so I had to check it out! I got the matcha latte with sakura cream foam. The matcha was well-mixed and smooth. Matcha flavors were strong, more of the earthy, grassy profile. The sakura foam reminded me of strawberry yogurt but it does have the sweet floral taste. While I'm not sure if I liked the combination, I did like the components separately. They only have oat, banana, and almond milk options. Their mochi cookies were fire! Both the matcha and sesame cookies had prominent flavors respectively. I loved the contrast of chewy mochi in the center with crunchy nuts all around and buttery cookie. There are only a handful of spots inside and some tables outside. Staff were kind. Curious to try their other drinks and desserts! read more

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Arguably the best black sesame soft serve in NYC...and it's 100% vegan and gluten-free!? This black sesame soft serve from Koké is so smooth, creamy, and nutty. Somehow it even reminded me of black sesame tofu pudding (豆腐花). What honestly impressed me most is how well they do vegan desserts. If nobody told me, I genuinely wouldn't have guessed. I've already gone back a couple times since they opened in April lol. They're from the team behind Fouet and specialize in plant-based, gluten-free pastries. ＊Black Sesame Soft Serve $7 (plus rice puff $1) The black sesame flavor is very rich, but you can add extra black sesame drizzle if you'd like an even more bold flavor. I was so impressed by how smooth and creamy the soft serve was. especially since black sesame ice cream can sometimes be grainy, but this one was sooo silky. ＊Black Sesame Latte $8 It's unlike any black sesame latte I've had before. They add caramel amazake (甘酒), a traditional japanese fermented sweet rice drink, which gives it a naturally sweet, slightly sake-like, and subtly tangy flavor. I personally enjoyed it, though I can see it not being for everyone. You can also order it without the espresso shot. read more

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If you love matcha, this cozy NYC spot is definitely worth a visit. I orderd their matcha soft serve ice cream and It's incredibly flavorful, hitting that perfect, authentic balance between earthy, rich umami notes and just a touch of sweetness. The texture was beautifully smooth and creamy. I also ordered the seasonal strawberry matcha latte. The layers looked gorgeous, and the drink itself was so good--the fresh, sweet strawberry puree paired wonderfully with the high-quality, vibrant green matcha. It wasn't overly sugary, letting both distinct flavors shine through. read more

Koke - Matcha Soft Serve - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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Cute new gluten free and plant based Japanese inspired coffee/tea house. Got a keema curry dog, salt butter pan and adzuki bean tea (decaf) the first time I visited. Liked that my cup had a paper lid rather than plastic. The butter pan (recommended by an employee and fellow customer tasted a bit like a denser chewier less sweet brioche roll). They also make a similar basil/tomato and miso almond version (our fave). Enjoyed the keema curry dog. Very flavorful. Topped with red peppers and cilantro. Had to wait in line but staff pleasant and service fast. Bakery visible behind the counter. Offered a punch card to earn a free drink. Not much space to sit. This is an ambitious new concept with a unique menu. Will surely be back to try more of their offerings. Since writing this tried most of their offerings. Fab soft serve (flavors change matcha, black sesame, banana...) and delish mochi in matcha, black sesame and chocolate. They also make a tasty and unique matcha & apple treat. Their drinks are mostly fabulous and unique. Love the ginger lemon balm amazake, ice teas and everything they do with hojicha is fantastic. Koke offers a truly unique and thoughtful menu featuring many in-house fermented treats. Big fan. read more

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A very small delicious matcha treats shop in West Village. We were excited by the pictures and the fact that it's vegan and gluten free. We were so impressed! Super yummy soft serve with wonderful toppings. I highly recommend the crisp rice topping. We also got the matcha mochi cookie and it's amazing! The staff were very nice and calm despite the busy warm day. I'd definitely go back! read more

Koke - Matcha mochi cookie (gluten free and vegan) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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Small joint in NYU area, we have been wanting to try this place and finally stopped by one hot weekend. Tried the banana and black sesame swirl soft serve with miso caramel drizzle. Drizzle was slightly salty which went well with sweetness of soft serve. I preferred black sesame over the banana. (I was imagining the Korean banana drink flavor lol, but I'm sure thats not natural flavor). read more

Koke - We loved the black sesame swirl ice cream - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Delicious drinks from matcha to espresso with a variety of milk options. One in particular is their banana MILK. I am highlighting their banana milk as it is super delicious and unexpected. I was warey at first as I usually do regular or oat but they had an option for milk. It must be the new trend but if definitely is a must try. Their house made pastries are a nice compliment as well: the banana bread was moist and full of flavor. I tried their savory vegan natto avocado dog which tasted like healthy yet fun and unique. Located near NYU so there are a lot of students who seem to dine here. Only a few indoor seating inside. Staff are a friendly and fast woman run team. Pet friendly. No bathrooms. Accepts cash, card and Applepay. Indoor and take out available. read more

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Best part of my experience here was buying their in house syrups they make (black sesame and miso caramel) in little jars for about $7! Tastefully packaged and I've been using it for my own drinks at home. Fun option if you are vegan or gluten free. read more

Koke - Seasonal matcha with strawberry milk and Sakura foam on top ($9) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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I kept on seeing Koke pop up all over my social media and I was super excited to try out this spot with my friend! We came right after opening on a weekend and there were already several people in front of us - so be prepared for crowds if you're planning to stop by! As someone with a severe gluten allergy, I was so excited to try a ton of different items from their 100% gluten-free menu! This was where things didn't exactly hit the mark for us... we ended up getting the: -black sesame mochi cookie: 5/5, this was by far the favorite thing that I tried! the black sesame flavor is so strong and I loved how chewy the mochi texture was inside the cookie, would come back to this cafe just to get this cookie! It's a bit on the smaller side but I think it's quite unique - we also didn't have time to try the matcha version but I'm sure it tastes amazing as well! -matcha apple crumble: 3/5, the flavor of this pastry was pretty good but the texture was beyond moist, it was quite soggy throughout and because we took our pastries to go, it fell apart pretty quickly in our bag -salt bread: 3.5/5, I really enjoyed the buttery, savory flavor of this bread but I went in expecting it to be similar to the popular korean salt bread that's become super viral these days and it was very, very different. The texture of the bread is quite chewy and mochi-like and definitely not as airy and light as I thought it would be, nor did it have that crispy of an exterior. All in all, it was still very good gluten-free bread - I'm just not sure why they marketed it as salt bread! -banana milk latte: 3.5/5, super smooth and creamy, the banana flavor wasn't artificial but it was still quite strong -strawberry milk matcha with sakura foam: 5/5 for the aesthetic and presentation, though 2.5/5 for taste. like many others have commented, I didn't quite enjoy the taste of the foam - it was quite tart and left a bit of a weird aftertaste in my mouth and mixing it in with the rest of the drink didn't really do any favors. really appreciated how strong the matcha flavor was though - I think in the future, if I were to come back, I'd probably go with a regular matcha latte! Big shoutout to the wonderful servers who were so cheery and bubbly so early in the morning! I wish there had been more seating options since the storefront is pretty small - we ultimately took everything to go. read more

Koke - Banana milk matcha and strawberry milk matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

This drink gets a 10/10 for presentation but maybe a 6/10 for taste. The black sesame mochi gets a 9/10 for taste. I was randomly in the village when I passed by this establishment. The interior was really small but it has a very old-fashioned charm. I was originally there to try their sesame soft serve but was a little disappointed to find out that the soft serve was sold out. No matter, I went for the strawberry milk matcha with sakura foam. The first few sips were absolutely amazing. There was sweetness mixed with the tart flavor of cherry. As the drink melted some more, the sweetness disappeared and the drink started tasting a bit bland. As for the mochi cookie, it was absolutely wonderful. The chewy nature of the mochi mixed with the crunchy texture of the outer cookie left my mouth watering and wanting more. Service was fast and I appreciated all the recommendations I received. read more

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Stopped by Koke last weekend after seeing some posts about them online - ordered a few pastries and drinks. For the food - natto avocado dog was a 10/10, I loved the bun it was on and it had great flavor! Both pans (miso almond and basil tomato) were just okay however, didn't love the texture. For the drinks - not sure mulberry is for me, will probably stick to matcha next time. Weird powder texture. I really like that they offer banana milk as an option though, definitely sets them apart from other cafes! Service was fast and staff was super friendly. Seating is pretty minimal, 2 strange school desk type of seats, 1 counter area with 2 stools, and a bench outside. Definitely not a place to hangout and eat. read more

Koke - Specialty Latte with Mulberry - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Came on a weekday and there was a small line. I got the seasonal special the strawberry milk matcha with Sakura foam. They also offer mulberry here which is their decaf version. I think there was a good amount of matcha in the drink and the sakura foam gave it a little tart taste which I wasn't crazy about. Maybe I should've stuck with regular matcha or tried the banana milk. It is pretty though. They offer pastries and soft serve here too. Matcha or black sesame. I also tried the salt butter pan and the matcha mochi cookie. The salt butter pan was like a mochi biscuit! Really liked it and the matcha mochi cookie was okay. Very small spot with just a few seats but overall good spot! read more

Koke - Salt butter Pan - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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Amazing plant based and gluten free cafe with great drinks and food. The fermented ginger drink was absolutely delicious. Everything here tastes incredibly fresh and healthy. They even make their own natto which is so good. Would definitely recommend this cafe. read more

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Really small shop theres maybe 4 seats. I got the Sakura rose foam matcha which was beautiful and smooth to drink. The service was nice. read more

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I kept seeing Koke all over my tiktok for you page and was super excited to visit. I came around 2pm on a Sunday and the line was long but it moved fast! I got a sakura matcha latte and the matcha mochi. The matcha looks super pretty, 10/10 on the presentation. I did not enjoy the taste though. It tasted almost...sour? However, the matcha mochi was wonderful. Probably will not return, although the staff were super nice. read more

Like folks have said, 10/10 for looks but ~6/10 for taste. Not worth 10+ min wait in my friends' and my opinions. I got the seasonal special with mulberry as the base and it was fine and I was able to finish, but in contrast my friends' drinks (sesame latte and hojicha latte) didn't taste too great... unfortunately those drinks ended in the trashcan read more

Koke - Seasonal special - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Got the black sesame soft serve and it was pretty good!! Not too sweet just perfect!! read more

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The best black sesame soft serve I've ever had. Fast and nice service. Only a few seats inside. Will definitely go back! Also some good drinks / teas - in particular the mulberry is unique! read more

Koke - black sesame soft serve - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Unfortunately they are not yet gf certified so I couldn't try any of the food, but I got the Amazake which was amazing. Staff is super knowledgeable. Definitely recommend! Cute spot to pick up and go or sit/work read more