Perfect spot for a sweet treat. Large variety of coffee beans, tea and nice selection of cookies and such. Iced cappuccino was well balanced and delicious! read more

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea was founded in 1985; they source, roast in small batches, and brew coffee. There are four locations in CT. This location was on the corner with steep steps; just a note, it's not wheelchair accessible. We were walking by and needed our caffeine fix. A family member also recommended the coffee shop to us, and has been going for years. Inside, there were a few tables to sit at. The customer service was good. I ordered a medium iced latte and it was good. It's a good spot to do some work too on your laptop, if you can find a table. Coffee can be purchased by wholesale too. Overall, a cute coffee shop serving coffee and tea. They're doing something right if they've been around since 1985! read more

See all

Needed a quick coffee and stopped by Wiloighby's. There was nothing spectacular about their coffee but I didn't mind it. Street parking only! read more

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Friendly staff, clean toilet , nice ambiance except too much milk on my cappuccino it could be better. read more

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea - Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Went back to Willoughby's today to see if they had any fall flavors and was pleased to see a yummy spiced pumpkin on the menu, so of course, I ordered it! The ladies working the counter were friendly and helpful. I also grabbed a peanut butter flaxseed bar for some sustenance. The latte is delicious (giving me all the cozy fall vibes), and the bar is pretty yummy! read more

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

See all

Look at all those flaky layers! So delicious! Iced Hazelnut mocha is delish as well. Service was quick and helpful, love this spot! read more

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea - Chocolate Croissant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

When I was last at Willoughby's more than 10 years ago, I semi-regularly travelled to New Haven for business and I had substantially less coffee knowledge than I do now. One of my Pandemic Era hobbies was learning about coffee, and that is when I first learned that CT's own Willoughby's ("W's") is a nationally respected coffee roaster. In fact, Forbes named W's one of the 12 best US roasters in 2018. Who knew? I had an event in New Haven yesterday evening and I planned my arrival so that I could visit W's before they closed at 6. I've previously said in a different review that coffee shop reviews are one of the more subjective forms of reviews since Yelp reviewers may have widely different coffee habits. For me, Willoughby's is great for four reasons. First, W's allows customers to buy 4 oz. sizes of roasted beans rather than the more common 12-16 oz. sizes. Since I already had coffee at home, this allowed me to buy five different smaller bags, rather than one or two large bags. Second, Willoughby's has a huge selection of small batch roasted beans for immediate sale. I grind and brew a lot of coffee at home and I like to have both favorites and new types on hand. Coffee beans I hoped W's would have included, Ethiopian Natural and Washed, Kenyan SL 28 and SL34, Sumatra other than Lintong, and a cool blend. Double check, check, check and check. I ordered an Ethiopian Wush Wush (queue Til Tuesday), an Ethiopian Yrgacheffe, a Kenya AA Kiamugumo, a Sumatra Mandheling, and a Mocha Java Blend. I made a home pour over with and flash-chilled the Wush Wush this morning, and it was great. If the others don't match my expectations, I'll update my review. Third, W's sometimes has rare and in demand coffees available for purchase. For example, at one point, a particular Panamanian Geisha varietal fetched one of the highest auction prices of all time. W's was one of the only US roasters to sell that coffee. They didn't have Panamanian Geisha for sale when I visited, but I wouldn't fault Union League Cafe for failing to have a live unicorn to greet customers. So W's gets a pass on this one. Fourth, W's offered me, not one, but two, types of iced coffee - a "Guatemalan French Roast" or a house blend. I appreciate it when people look out for the cold coffee drinkers like me. I opted for a small black iced Guatemalan. It was good and balanced, and had dark chocolate and nut flavor notes, but I can't say it was great. I'll try the blend next time. In general, I prefer a lighter roast with fruit notes and some brightness, like the Wush Wush, in summer. If your coffee habits are similar to mine, I think you'll love Willoughby's. Five Stars read more

See all

I stopped by Willoughby's to grab a quick hot cocoa on a cold day. It is a very cute coffee shop and the baristas were really kind! I didn't feel rushed when I ordered and my drink was made in a very timely manner. The hot cocoa was very mediocre. There was nothing special about it. It wasn't too sweet and it did taste very powdery. The location is very tiny, but busy. There are tables that people can sit at and enjoy their drink, study, or have a conversation with someone. However, there is not much space so many people were just standing around waiting for their drinks. I personally ended up leaving after I grabbed my drink because there was no space to sit down. Although I didn't really like the hot cocoa, I might come back again to check out their coffees or teas. read more

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

See all

Cute little place, friendly service, tasty coffee. Have been here a few times and I'm never disappointed. The seating area is very small, so be forewarned if you're looking for a place to spread out or to work for awhile. read more

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

See all

superb coffee, bagels & especially the crumb cake. Have to mention the large windows with excellent views. lots of court room people, students & just everyday type crowd. I highly recommend. read more

As an avid coffee drinker, this was the spot while visiting CT. The inside area was very small, but the big windows looking out into the street added to the ambiance. Perfect litte coffee spot and the staff was very kind. We returned every morning of our visit here. Miss it already! read more

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea - Vanilla iced latte & buddies - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Nice for a quick, good quality coffee. It's in a cute corner spot and has a plethora of beans and information on coffee. There are some good coffee/tea items to buy for at home brewing too. The decor was plain and the scone a little dry, but the drinks were spot on. read more

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea - beans - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

See all

The beans are roasted locally and the coffee is always fresh. The staff have always been friendly.

Coffee connoisseur, here... While traveling for work, I always like to seek out the smaller and more independent coffee shops... Found this place while in New Haven for work, as they were the only place open on an early Sunday morning... It's a medium sized place near the University... The first thing I noticed being a coffee snob, is their use of airpots over caraffes...This indicates to me that they brew in smaller quantities and keep the coffee fresher for longer... Cream and sweeteners are available for the consumer to do it themselves, so I wasn't worried about the cashier doing it differently than I... Then I tasted it... Damn!.. Really good coffee... Very happy to have found this place... read more

Stopped into this location today 11/10, to buy a pumpkin pie latte which sounded delicious. There was a female and 2 males working in the 830 hour. The female origionally caught my eye because she was short with one of her coworkers, the same coworker that delivered the drink she was making me. He announced the drink and a half calf latte, without saying pumpkin so when I asked what he said again she chirped up and was real short in her response saying "that's what it is!". The service from her was real poor, the drink was just ok and her treatment of the coworker wasn't acceptable. Go ahead and skip this place when checking out the area. read more

I've heard great things about this place, but never had a reason to stop in that was convenient for me. One Saturday, we decided to hit it up for our morning coffee. It was quiet with a steady in and out of patrons. It is a super cute place with a few tables and no bathroom. Seasonal drinks and blends as well as wide variety of beans. Prices were as expected and on par with Starbucks. Drinks were amazing...we got an eggnog latte and chai with a shot of espresso. The drinks were super duper hot tho and I didn't end up being able to drink it until we went back to our car like 15min later. I guess that comes with the territory of true freshly-made expresso. Staff were helpful and friendly. Place was clean with nice seasonal decorations. They have an area to get some quality gifts for your coffee connoisseurs. It's a great local place that is in the heart of New Haven while also being on the outskirts of the Yalie scene. Very enjoyable and will be back when yearning for a great cup of coffee. read more

See all

Writing this review in response to Olivia Ks review - I was at the coffee shop and can say that Olivia's zoom call was super annoying - she was talking so loudly and the volume was super loud on her computer. I visit most weekday mornings and there are usually many people sitting at the tables. This morning there were none bc you were talking so loudly and didn't have the courtesy to use a headset or take your conference call outside. I was there when your were told- very nicely - that you were disturbing the customers. You responded snidely and continued your call - saying this would never happen in NY and that people in CT are mean. You were and are the antagonist of this situation. Perhaps big shots like you should conduct your important speaker phone zoom business calls in a fancy office instead of a public coffee shop? read more

Fast friendly. Yea busy at rush hour, but that's fine with me. That's it I more to add. Shirt and sweet read more

I first came into Willoughby's after seeing how busy the nearby Blue State Coffee was (The hands-down favorite coffee shop of the Yale student body). A small shop without a bathroom, Willoughby's features a small menu of hot and cold coffees, teas, and coffee beans to buy in bulk. Location-wise, Willoughby's has a really nice aesthetic, highlighted by the large windows opening up to the corner of Grove and Whitney. There's about 8 small tables that seat 1-2 people making a great place to chat up with a friend or to do some independent studying. The staff were friendly and I felt welcomed in the cozy coffee shop. As much as I wanted to love Willoughby's, I was pretty disappointed with the standard house brew coffee. It could have been an off day, but the coffee tasted stale and slightly worse than the quality of dining hall coffee. I try to judge coffee houses based on their standard black coffee so there's a possibility the speciality drinks some other Yelpers have mentioned are worth a visit, but I wasn't very impressed. I came back a week later to try a hot tea, which I enjoyed, but it's also quite hard to mess up a drink containing hot water and a tea bag. I'll definitely come back to Willoughby's for the nice environment and friendly staff, but I'll be sticking with tea and won't be recommending their coffee anytime soon. read more

See all

I'd like to to give ZERO STARS. They wouldn't let my toddler use their restroom to pee. I'm all about *restroom for customers only, but a toddler? A damn toddler. Gross place. Never again. read more

I'm a tea drinker - without the bag. I recently relocated cross country but when I visited CT for a week, this place was on my to-do list. They did not disappoint. I go to stock up on tea. The young lady who helped me - both times - is so helpful. I always ask for her recommendation and she really knows her tea. The cascara is fabulous and the lapsang souchong is, too. Lastly this is the most affordable tea I've found, as well as the best. read more

My tea was delicious... the inside gave a slight diner vibe to me which is why the 4/5 but i would certainly return.

Great & fresh coffee. The variety is staggering! I get all my coffee here. I used to get it online, but no more.

I am so disappointed- I work from this coffee shop daily and spend hundreds a month on food, coffee, tshirts, bags of coffee beans for friends. I tip the workers every single time. The woman who resembles the wizard of oz witch (I think the owner), must have not taken her meds. I had to take an impromptu zoom with a major pharma client and forgot my headphones this client spends millions with me and had to take the call. The call was brief-I run a major media company. She literally was in my zoom call yelling at me, which I was scared and lost my train of thought. She claimed she could not hear the customers, when the Backstreet Boys music was so loud I can barely hear my client! I explained the situation to her and she passive aggressively said "have a nice day she could not hear the customers" lol. She could have whispered "excuse me can you pls lower the volume" So odd to treat a regular daily customer like this, when I never take calls from there. They should put up signage saying no calls/phones.. I would expect an establishment that I frequent would support me as I support and tip them. We have been patronizing this establishment since inception on Chapel Street. My brother even served it at his wedding! ** and if it gets any crazier Gormen B. evidently the Managers husband wrote me a nasty note on yelp in his wifes defense, telling me to "Grow Up" "Im Entitled" I should "Look in the Mirror" etc! I just needed to take a 2 minute zoom with the wi-fi:) I should have just had the free coffee in my building and saved money and abuse! I love to patronize the independent stores especially post pandemic. Last I checked we have freedom of speech, which is the point of Yelp! Also, I am not the only one who commented on being mistreated by this manager, Kristine B. many others in the feed said the same. @Kristine per your below fairy dust sprinkly, magical wand comment. Not sure what you are smoking, Its not the land of oz, not the public library, it is a coffee shop in New Haven and I needed to take a 5 minute important unexpected work call- that yes, might have been loud. Yesterday, there were tons of loud lawyers in house, I simply put my headphones on, let them speak - honestly, who really cares about loud talking one single time, things happen and life is short! *Please done come to this coffee shop if 1) You might have an important call 2) You need to use a restroom - they dont provide 3) You need a phone/macbook charger- they dont have any Honestly go to Starbucks, its so much easier, faster wi fi, public restrooms, chargers, better scones, and no drama. loud coffeeshops have a heartbeat. If you want Magical, which seems like the wrong adjective to describe a New Haven coffee shop, I would go to Alice's Teacup on the Upper East Side or Afternoon Tea at the Plaza ‍ read more

The best coffee beans ever. We order a blend of Sumatra and Sumatra French Roast which has the perfect balance of strength amd taste.

Worst service ever. Rude employees. This cafe doesn't even let you charge your devices AND TAPES THE OUTLETS SHUT. with nasty employees why should we order? Why even be open at that point? I came with my roommates and the employees were rude from the beginning and spent time talking shit behind the counter. Never going here again. Not worth your time. read more

Pretty disappointed by this cute café. It's so aesthetically pleasing. My boyfriend and I stopped in because I was a bit early for my train and we decided to get breakfast, but saw this instead of the Dunkin' we were looking for. We both ordered hot black coffees and I had a plain bagel with butter and my boyfriend got a blueberry muffin. The bagel had a weird taste and we both couldn't put our fingers on it and his blueberry muffin tasted like a corn muffin. We couldn't finish our coffees because of the taste and ended up just throwing it out. We both wished we had just found and gone to Dunkin' instead. It's also pretty small in there and we were boxed in by some rude lawyers who don't know how to say excuse me or basic manners, it seemed. But I guess you have to expect it with Yale so close by. The people who come are of no fault to the café, but just be warned you will be in close proximity with some less than pleasant people. Overall, pretty disappointed with the food and coffee from here so the next time I'm in the area and early for a train, I'll be going elsewhere. Honestly not one star because the girl who took our order was super nice and she brought my bagel to where I was sitting. So sweet! read more

Picked up a coffee grinder and filters. Full service coffee shop. Iced Mocha and house blend drip were both satisfying. I recommend them

I am definitely a repeat Customer of their ESPRESSO MILANO whole beans coffee, staff is nice and helpful! They have a good selection of coffee and teas read more

Came here on a Friday afternoon looking for a place to study. The inside of the cafe was smaller than I expected, and I was a little disappointed to see no restroom in the establishment - guess I won't be doing any long hauls here. I had an iced green tea. I think they put in some sort of syrup or sweetener in it because it ended up a little sickly sweet. Looking at their baked goods list, I anguished over which scone to spend precious calories over. Finally settling on a cranberry ginger scone, I was again disappointed to hear that they did not actually have that available. Maybe you could cross it off the list or somehow mark it as not in stock if it's not? Overall, was able to get some work done at the cafe, but likely won't be coming back with the same goals. read more

Best Coffee Beans in New Haven, hands down. Worst employee experience in New Haven, hands down. I miss the old Chapel St. location, where I could get great coffee and the best "anarchist" literature in New Haven plastered on the walls -- made for a great morning. Right before Chapel St. closed, I was in line while the place was being "cleaned" of it's liberal leanings and a big-time New Haven lawyer told the substitute manager (from the current location), "You've killed the 'soul' of this place". His office, it turns out, was right across the street from the Church/Whitney/Grove location, but he still walked to Chapel St. Yeah. Miss that place. Oh, but the current place has good beans. Get the Ethiopia Yrgacheffe. read more

I had their cafe latte here only twice, and on the go. They were very good and flavorful. However, it was too creamy for me. Next time, I should buy their coffee beans to make coffe at home. But then again, I do like their cup and logo. Maybe I'll try their iced coffee. read more

Really good coffee and exceptional service!

Solid coffee spot. Centerally located and always has a great selection. Just like any other downtown coffee shop, it is a little pricey. However- I have always found the coffee to be strong, delicious and great. Overall this is my go to spot for coffee. read more

This is such a cute place. I can see why the Yale students and professionals gravitate here. There were 20 somethings working behind the counter who seemed eager to assist me and helped me figure out what to order. I opted for the iced green tea which was unsweetened but had a great flavor and didn't require anything more than sliced lemons. I will be sure to stop here again but try the coffee which smelled divine. On further thought, the coffee would've gone great with the donut I had from Tony's Square Donuts which is right passed the traffic light. All in all, I think this is a great place for good coffee and good conversation. read more

Willoughby's Coffee & Tea - Iced green tea with lemon. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

July Iced Coffee Report : Excellent plain old iced coffee. Even when they are busy, they are quick. I like to drink my iced coffee outside. Even when it's hot, the shade is nice. How do they do it? But often, and even when you ask, they don't leave enough room for milk. I'm always gulping down cold black coffee, trying to make room, while I'm standing at the rather hectic milk and sugar island. Today, after careful scrutiny of the baked goods, I got a lemon poppyseed muffin, which was a nice, crumbly dry texture. The others (banana, blueberry) looked like the mushy, oily kind of muffin. The lemon poppy was a little too sweet for me, though. read more

Caution should be taken if purchasing tea... They use unrecognizable grading codes and have inaccurate knowledge of tea growing details... read more

Ah, can't say much more than homey coffee heaven. Bold, balanced, and flavorful espresso. For me, in New Haven terms, Willoughby's is to coffee what Pepe's is to pizza. read more

The coffee was great! But the service was EXCEPTIONAL! Above and beyond. We were driving home with two small kids in the car and needed a shot of caffeine for the final leg. We called and found out this location was closed and they suggested we go to their other location which was open. When we arrived, it was closed! OH NO! Well, the Church St. staff were awesome and apologized. Even though they had been closed for almost 2 hours, they had us come in and provided us our coffee (and a few treats) on the house! I will tell you, quality is really important to us when choosing any type of restaurant/cafe but nothing trumps outstanding customer service and this place has both! read more

Here are the basics: Great coffee. Wide selection of beverages. Well-lit. Half a flight above ground-level (for a different perspective of people-watching? Not that there's so much foot traffic out there...) BUT (!) what I *really* want to discuss is their pastries. I think they have the best pastries of any New Haven coffee shop, i.e. there is probably a stick of butter in each slice of bundt cake. And that's really important to me. read more