I didn't know what benefits are reaped from a picky barista, so I looked up the origin of their name. It actually comes from the BBC TV series, "Peaky Blinders", which in turn comes from a real-life British gang that operated in the 1920's. That comes into play with the period decor in here, and apparently they tried calling themselves "Peaky Barista". However, customers didn't gravitate to the name, so they switched it to the current name. Now you know. Jamie W and I were in the mood for some caffeine after downing a couple of dogs and a papaya drink at nearby Gray's Papaya (review: https://yelp.to/IiUu4gxMSv). We almost turned around when we saw all the tables were occupied, but then the small table next to the busy restroom suddenly opened up. We swooped in before a laptopper could make a move. We ordered a couple of $6 Large Iced Lattes (Photo 2), and they managed to satisfy. COFFEE - 4 stars...they managed a smooth, chilled mix AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars... crowded, typical for the Upper West Side SERVICE - 3.5 stars...serviceable enough TOTAL - 4 stars...from Peaky to Picky, I guess RELATED - Thirsty in NYC? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/PFS6PxG4y_ read more

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We stopped by the Picky Barista to get some caffeine and some pastries while in the area - We ordered: +a Chai Latte with oat milk, extra hot - super watered down, tasted artificial, and was not even prepared hot +a Virgin Rum Pina Colada Latte with regular milk, extra hot - a summer special; this didn't taste anything remotely to a pina colada; wasn't even hot as requested +a Sesame Cheese Roll - this seemed to be 'heating up' in the toaster for like 45 minutes, and it wasn't even warmed through when we received it; it was all too much bread, dried out, and hardly any cheese inside Honestly, the 'baristas' that were on site were unfriendly, and it seemed as if they really didn't care how they were preparing and what was being put out. The place itself is cute and well-decorated with limited seating, but the negative energy is just not it. This place is not worth a visit. +unfriendly baristas +ill-prepared drinks +cold pastries read more

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Picky Barista, you have found a picky coffee-ista, ha! I had been looking for a warm & cozy café to catch up on work in this neighborhood, and at last, I found it! The wood, blues, yellows and even the tacky but endearing hat wall fit right into my comfy, cozy snobby café obsession. The WNUA 95.5 vibes up in here are awesome. Trying the pistachio mocha latte and strawberry iced matcha. Very, very good. The no bathroom is why it's 4 stars...cus, why?? read more

We returned because we needed a place to sit down but the barista did NOT wash their hands after emerging from the bathroom! I was shocked. The tables were full of crumbs and spills and the garbage was overflowing from the trash can onto the floor. The barista was sullen and had a confrontational look on her face. We left. Then we looked up the sanitation code and found this: New York City Department of Health public records reveal that Picky Barista was recently hit with critical health code violations. In fact, health inspectors documented a lack of proper hand-washing facilities for the staff and serious issues with pest control and filth flies in food areas read more

This place is always hopping with a long line for coffee, home goods, and a neighborhood atmosphere. If you're in a rush, this is not a good spot to visit given their level of foot traffic. I came here on a weekend and sat at their little bar area which is a nice, quaint spot to wait for your food to be served. There are pastries, and other edible items that are quite delicious and made in house. While waiting for my food to be served, I drink my large sized coffee cup (which wasn't that big) about 1/3 of the way through. In order to get a refill, there is a charge which is to be expected, but it would've been nice to have just a quick top off like some of the other neighborhood. Coffee spots tend to do. Weekend days are not the time to pull out your computer and do work either in this place. You are not allowed to even use your computer which is cute in its own intention to stimulate discussion along patrons but also bizarre depending on the mood you're in. Overall, a decent coffee shop with great baked goods in house but their smaller than average portion sizes and unique rules put an asterisk next to the experience. read more

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a great place to remote work & to drain your wallet - there were a bunch of tables of people happily typing away on their computers or reading a book. it's a very light and sunny indoor area that's decorated while maintaining a clean ambience. - I ordered an iced Americano with a splash of almond milk. the espresso was perfect! not burnt, too dark or watery. the almond milk was (thank goodness) not from a silk or grocery store cheap brand - my prob is that there was an up-charge from the 12 ounce to 16 ounce despite having the same amount of espresso. the very lovely worker informed me it's 2 shots in each, so I'm paying extra for 4 ounces of water?!? - my friend got a small iced vanilla latte, which was not too sweet, which was tasty but almost 8 dollars. read more

Picky Barista - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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Good coffee, clean shop! We had a basic vanilla latte and a peppermint mocha and both were cute. read more

Picky Barista - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Cute shop service was so so slow. The balkan coffee was ok. Super strong and interesting flavor. The feta cheese boureke took them forever to prepare. Tasted good though. read more

Picky Barista - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Sadly this coffee placed missed the mark for me. There were a lot of customers, so perhaps I'm out of step here. We all ordered coffees. They came in 2 sizes. I ordered a small & it was REALLY small. My friends got larges & they were smaller than normal. My order was a hazelnut latte. I could barely discern any flavor & the drink seemed like a lot of milk & very little coffee. Oh well. read more

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This place is always fairly busy whether it's a line of people waiting to order or all seats being occupied. Amazingly there's always only one person/barista working behind the counter and yet it never seems to take too long to get a drink! The few times I've been here I've tried a variety of drinks. I've enjoyed all except their brewed coffee. I got an XL (16 oz) for about $4.75. It left a really bad taste in my mouth. I've also had a chai latte - good! A gingerbread latte, which was a winter special and I loved that I could still order in March! More recently I had a raspberry mocha, which is a spring special. It was a good drink but their "large" for almost $7 seemed expensive. I would not consider the cup I got a large. I also tried two pastries - the Balkan croissant with jam (heated) and the Nutella bun. The croissant is not your typical croissant. It's more like bread (or the bun) but I enjoyed it. The Nutella bun was okay, a bit bland so I'd probably skip that. read more

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Cute new spacious coffee shop conveniently located not far from the subway. A lot of people just hanging out on their laptops. The cold brew was delicious, tried it with the coconut milk. There are also pastries but I didn't really look at the selection other than notice that it doesn't appear to be gluten-friendly. The barista was nice and helpful, but seems to be the only one working the front on a weeknight so I wouldn't come at this time if in a rush. Unfortunately I'm lactose intolerant and they charge a lot for a splash of non-dairy milk so I wouldn't specifically come here again for a coffee for myself. read more

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Service was nice and fast, and the shop is very cute and clean. I ordered the Rose Vanilla latte which was smooth, but unfortunately not particularly strong in the vanilla or rose flavors, which for the price is a bummer. read more

The Picky Barista has a great vibe! The coffee is delicious every time I visit. It is a small atmosphere, so get there early. The chai latte is delicious . The have bar height seating and couches for your comfort. Enjoy! read more

Picky Barista - Chai latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Cozy coffee shop with lots of seating, wifi, and a bathroom. The staff are attentive and fast. I had an oatmilk matcha latte, and it was very creamy. read more

Perfectly nice coffee shop! The baristas were very friendly. But man is it hot in there!! Don't go if you plan to sit for any amount of time in the summer. read more

Picky Barista recently opened up in UWS and it is such a cute coffee shop. It has an open and cozy atmosphere, perfect for both relaxing and chatting. On weekends, there is a no laptop policy, which was also nice. I ordered the Chai Tea Latte, which I didn't love--all I could taste was the cinnamon. I loved the atmosphere, though, so I hope to try the Matcha Latte next time. read more

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The sign outside says 'peaky barista' so that's a little confusing. It's a cute cozy spot close to the train station. The barista was adorable and so sweet. I came in around 5pm to hang out for a bit while waiting for our dinner restaurant to open, and sat on the couch. The cafe was quite full, but the noise level was at a pleasant level. I got the iced strawberry matcha latte with oat milk, and it was delicious. read more

Picky Barista - Strawberry matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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I love the ambiance here ! At first I was questionable how good my drink would be but the barista made possibly one of the best cortados I've ever had ! Would recommend for anything coffee related. It's been ages since I had a cortado with actually good foam read more

I should've just gone to Starbucks to get an actual large coffee. First, I never make reviews but honestly so many things were wrong. When I ordered the coffee they asked if I want 3 or 4 extra shots of espresso, I said 3 and they said I'll be charged for a 4th anyway with how they ration it out? Silly. So I just said give me the extra shot since I'm paying for it. Second, the coffee was lukewarm. And third, subpar. Fourth, can't believe the owner has the audacity to say THIS is an "XTRA LARGE". read more

Picky Barista - "X-TRA LRG" caramel oat latte with 4 espresso shots - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

The Picky Barista is a very cute coffee shop with lots to offer. We each got a flavored lemonade. They were very flavorful and lemon-y! I would recommend stopping by here, and I would love to return to try some coffee. read more

Picky Barista - lemonade - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

On a hot Sunday afternoon there was no air conditioning. This does not make it conducive to drink hot beverages. My other real problem is that they only have one type of ice tea. It is always a custom blend. If you don't like one of the ingredients, there is no other choice. They do have a restroom, but it is up 3 steps which makes it difficult for someone who is handicapped. There is one station with straws, cups and napkins. There is one place to throw your trash and a sign saying no liquids. There is no accommodation for a half finished drink. And for all this, it is very expensive. This place has potential but too many issues to overcome for my taste. read more

My latest obsession aka finding caramel cappuccino wherever I go - Picky Barista delivered. Loved it on a hurried morning when I needed caffeine very badly. Cute little place that also had some delicious looking bakery items. Coffee rating: 9/10 read more

Bad coffee. Bad cookie. Bad pastry. Yikes. I would've loved to have enjoyed any of it. I guess I finished most of the coffee. But the baked goods were trash. read more

I've lived in New York City all my life and have owned and worked in food and beverage industry NBC studios , Rainbow Room and others this Cafe is a great atmosphere and the staff is friendly and helpful, I'd recommend it if your in the city . read more

The good is that the atmosphere is so cozy! Warm colors and many seating choices. The barista is patient and carful and clearly had a good relationship with the regulars. The bad was the muffin was so dry, it wasn't edible. I'll go back to give the place a second chance as the coffee was decent and the work space ample, yet I won't go with a muffin. No pictures as I took the muffin to share with an octogenarian friend who spat it out. read more

Move over Irving Farm, hello new neighborhood spot. So happy to see that Peaky Barista opened a location! (although I was sad to see Sherry Herring go) I'm a big fan of the Peaky Barista location up on 102nd, which is cozy but slightly cramped. This one is definitely more spacious, with lots of light coming in, high ceilings and a good amount of seating. As people have started to discover it, it's definitely becoming a popular work and study spot, but as of now it perfectly straddles the line between lively and too crowded. They use Stumptown beans here, and their drip coffee and espresso drinks are consistently good. Service is friendly to boot! Overall, just a very happy addition to the neighborhood. read more

The best name! The Picky Barista! I want my Barista to be picky and make sure my beverage is just perfect!! And they do! This coffee shop is a lovely little place on the upper west side with other locations! Inside is so happy with washed brick walls, wooden tables, a bicycle hanging on the wall reminiscent of being somewhere else in a quaint little town, and a happy yellow couch with yellow flowers on the coffee table!! They have great lighting inside, and the location for most of the morning into the afternoon gets the perfect hit of sunshine beaming in to lighten up ur soul! The coffee is delicious and they make the drinks one by one, no rushing here to pump out drinks! They have great baked goods and some breakfast dishes such as avocado toast and one or two eggs dishes so you can eat a little something. Please DO NOT miss the vanilla cookies!!!! They are so tasty and the softest crumbly cookies I've ever had. Light to eat and perfect to dunk! Please be picky about your coffee spot and come to picky barista!! read more

Picky Barista - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Great spot for a proper coffee/espresso or even a tea. Barista/staff are super helpful/friendly/attentive. Love the ambiance of this place from the moment you walk in. Very unexpected for the block it's on but executed well with minimal effort. Recommend getting a beverage and/or baked good but other food items looked lack luster. (Personally did not try but food coming out did not pique my interest to even consider trying next time) Fairly lively often so seating is sparse. You can definitely enjoy a quick coffee here, but it'll definitely be more of a grab and go spot for me. read more

This was a super cute and cozy place. The staff are super friendly and jovial in a very welcoming way. I had an oat milk latte and a vegan banana muffin both of which were great. I'm not in this neighborhood very often but I'll definitely stop by next time I am! read more

The baristas are lovely however; not only is this place over priced and the manager is EXTREMELY rude. He is a short white man who, in an empty cafe on a Sunday afternoon, told me and my girlfriend we weren't allowed to use our laptop. We will not be patronizing this place again, as the manager's patronizing and rude behavior and policing of technology is completely unnecessary and frankly bizarre. I'd recommend changing the policy and making him attend some professional development training to be less rude to customers. I will be telling everyone in the neighborhood to steer clear of this place and go somewhere else. read more

Picky Barista - a complete EMPTY cafe where you're not allowed to use any technology for no reason. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Came in Sunday, later in the afternoon and though it was fairly busy, we were still able to get a table. I got iced tumeric latte with oat milk and a walnut crescent and enjoyed both very much. The girl working behind the counter was very nice. Great decor, nice ambiance. Prices were very comparable to other similar coffee shops in New York. Would come back! read more

Staff is pleasant friendly Environment overall filled with folks enjoying time with others, working individually on laptops, families with children ( sometimes can be overly joyful) and lots of wonderful dogs ham and cheese sandwich, somewhat of a disappointment Food offerings a bit over priced Coffee is very good read more

Very pleasant place for a soft drink or a coffee. And the barista, despite being alone and dealing with a long line of clients, stayed very professional, pleasant, focused, and efficient. She did an excellent job. (Sunday afternoon 9/8/24) Atmosphere is nice, Italian music, tables outside. Hibiscus cherry iced tea with a slice of banana bread was delish ! I liked it! I will come back. read more

Small cute clean coffee shop with great music and several tables. In addition to the coffee menu, there are some pastries and a few entrees. The mini honey cookie was healthy, not sweet, and good quality. It was dry and a bit hard on the outside, but it was dense and chewy on the inside. read more

Picky Barista - Honey cookie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Amazing spot for coffee. The drip is strong and delicious, the food options are great for breakfast or a light lunch both on the go and sitting inside. The ambiance is chill and easy to work in or take a break with friends. The music wasn't too loud and gave it a great vibe. read more

We were early for a dinner reservation down the block, so we stopped in Picky Barista so I could grab a coffee. Coffee was good, baristas were nice, and the space is very warm and welcoming. It's a super cute place with tons of seating for work or to just grab a coffee to chat. read more

Location, vibes are stellar. Really good drinks, great staff. BUT.... The food is the main drawback. Cardboard city. So as long as you're not hungry, would recommend 10/10. read more

We went to this coffee shop on a Saturday morning, and it was busy enough to have some atmosphere however, not so busy that you couldn't find anywhere to sit. The bright warm lights made for a very nice ambience, and the buzzing chatter in the background was nice too giving it a classic cozy coffee shop vibe. We both ordered our espresso drinks, I got a flat white, and my girlfriend got an Americano. The coffee was actually really good! In my opinion, there arent a ton of great coffee spots in the upper West side around this area. Usually the coffee isn't great, and there aren't really any places to sit, linger, and chat. I really like this spot, and I will be back, however, it was quite expensive. read more

Picky Barista - a woman standing at a counter in a coffee shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Had Picky Barista's UWS quiche, which had been sitting out at room temperature the entire day. Bad idea because got terrible food poisoning in the evening. read more

I visit this coffee shop every week. Great music playing and great coffee. I love that they have larger food options too like egg sandwiches. The one thing that bothers me is the seating. The coffee shop is full of a variety of wobbly uncomfortable stools. You are scared to lean back in the ones that have backs in fear of falling back, and your other option is to be stuck without a back to lean against for a while if you plan to hang out. There are 3 tiny tables that I'm sure my husband couldn't even bend his knees to sit under because I barely can. All of that being said, the decor is beautiful old wood and rustic light fixtures. It's currently my fav place to work. Please please take a look at your stools before someone cracks their head open. Thanks! read more