Hi!
Now that I'm 2+ years into my espresso journey I find that it's harder and harder to find an espresso that is significantly better than one I could make at home.
What are people's favorite places to get a consistently good espresso based drink that is beyond what you can achieve at home?

I work in Bushwick and find that most of the time, Sey Coffee, pulls a shot so good that even before I taste it the smell alone is just incredible. I don't know how they do it with just 16g in and 39g out. I also tried a Rwandan single origin at Joe Coffee's Pro location on 21st that blew me away with earthy flavors I've never experienced at home.

Does anyone else have a recommendation I absolutely have to try?

If you find yourself in the east village:

La Cabra on 10th has excellent coffee and some of the best pastries in the city. Try the Cardamom bun...actually, try them all. Very popular spot so I usually either get an espresso and throw it down or a pour over and a treat and take it to go. Fancy pants coffee worth the fancy pants prices (to me).

Abraço on 7th. I hesitate to mention this place because it is super chill and very very good. I would hate to see it turn into a tourist spot like La Cabra. Much more of a local vibe. Single cafe with no second location or commercial feel. The roast and bake everything they sell. Limited menu and seating but this place is legit. My favorite. Makes me want to open my own place like this.

Sey: I went there once. I thought the espresso was too sour to be enjoyable. I'd give them another chance but Bushwick is a total pain from where i am.

That place on 7th. Yeah it's good. The bakery is excellent and a good match to the coffee. It's a different feel than when it was an actual hole in the wall across the street, but the coffee tastes the same. It's the only place i bother going to in the city.

I also like the old school Bensonhurst atmosphere of Sorrento on 18th between 77th & 78th. RAI on the TV, foosball & pool tables, the works. Not crazy about the coffee though. There was and may still be a place next to Ciccio's pizza on Ave U in Gravesend with even more of the Italian cafe in a time warp feel. The coffee is very much in the Italian coffee style. In any case,Ciccio's is worth a visit.

Via Quadronno on 73 between Madison and 5th is a great Italian place if you like a nice Italian style.

There's a place in Brooklyn that roasts and had a shop in Brookfield but closed Noble tree that was good.

La Cabra hasn't been as excellent as it was when it opened, I think-possibly too much demand? Still worth checking out. I like Abraco too but my last couple trips haven't been great. Cafe Integral is worth a visit. I really miss Box Kite on 72nd-besides Sey, they were the most consistent shot in the city for me.

I forgot to mention Cafe Integral. I like that place too.

Also worth mentioning is Outro. They are a CounterCulture shop but they do it very well. The food is superb too. I used to go there before I got into making espresso at home so I have a soft spot for that place but I still think they do a good job. Fun fact: they've been on the TV show Impractical Jokers a couple of times. Too bad it wasn't when I was there.

Went to Frisson a couple times this week and the espresso was really tasty both times.

This discussion makes me very happy. I'm always hoping to find something special, but also am reluctant to get a coffee out when I can make one at home. I'm a cortado drinker too.

Sey is definitely at the top of the list.
Caffe Vita in Brooklyn and Manhattan is pretty consistent.
I've had very good coffees at Grumpy, and some merely decent ones.
I generally do not like Brooklyn Roasting Co but was pleasantly surprised by an excellent cortado at Der Pioneer bakery in Kensington (BK) which used their BQE beans.
An Aussie cafe, Hutch and Waldo on the UES, made one of the best coffees I've had in since Covid started. I tried to buy their beans on multiple occasions, but it seems they no longer sell them. The coffee had all the complexity you would hope every specialty coffee shop would deliver.
Haven't been in years, but Lucid coffee on Lex in midtown is a great spot. A super nice couple owns the place.
Everyman is also good, but have not been in a long time.
I tried 10,000 a few weeks ago. Despite the barista being an obvious noobie, the coffee was pretty good.
Zibetto is my recommendation for an Italian style coffee.
For those missing Greece, Pi bakery in the financial district made me a great freddo cappuccino.


Has anyone tried Arable coffee, in the lobby of an office building at 780 3rd Ave?
Has anyone been to Coffee Mob lately? I've not been in ages. They used to make a killer Chai and good espresso drinks.
My list of places to try also include, East One, Velvette, and Kos, just in south Brooklyn!

If anyone wants to share a google map or yelp list, that could be fun.