Yahoo Lifestyle Coffee is the new cool kid on the NYC block
It was only a matter of time before cool brew came to New York City. Long the land of drip coffee – available everywhere from the corner deli to Dunkin’ Donuts - you can now seek out decent flat whites and lattes thanks to a growing list of Aussie café owners who’ve taken the coffee obsession in the US to the next level.
So popular is the flat white that you can now order one in Starbucks! But we don’t recommend it. Get your caffeine fix from these baristas instead.
Owned by Melburnite Leon Unglik and Kiwi Nicholas Curnow, Little Collins is named after the thriving, café-laden Melbourne street. Before opening three years ago, Nic says; “There was good espresso and food in New York but nothing like the cafes you see in Australia.”
With an excellent aroma and down-to-earth service (staff go through a rigorous training regime before they’re cleared to pour shots and know customer’s names and orders by heart) on the menu, word of the Lexington Avenue café spread fast.
Their roaster of choice is Counter Culture Coffee and for milky coffees they’re currently brewing with Big Trouble. “We are tasting somewhere between 8-15 coffees a month,” says Nic. “From those we select the ones we think are dynamite and that our customers will love.” Orders are perfected via slick ModBar espresso machines. “We were the first café to have the under-counter machines in New York,” says Nic. “It removes that barrier between customers and the barista, making it much more inviting for people to talk about the coffee and their day.”
“We sell a lot of espresso-based drinks which is surprising because brewed coffees like drips, pour overs and cold brew are usually the big sellers in the States but espresso is by far our most popular.”
While Little Collins caters mostly to rushed workers seeking their weekday fix, it’s also become a popular spot for weekend brunch.
Enjoy with your coffee: You can’t go past the ‘Smash’ – the avocado smash is their top seller.
Bluestone Lane Coffee - Various locations
After moving to New York in 2010 to attend business school, former AFL player Nicholas Stone noticed that while New Yorkers were using caffeine as a stimulant, the coffee scene he was accustomed to in Melbourne was lacking.
“I started seriously thinking about bringing the Australian premium coffee experience to New York and beyond, creating a lifestyle orientated brand rather than just a drug dispensary.”
Nick’s vision resulted in an elevated experience where customers can escape and feel like a local while enjoying the smoothest brew and great food, Bluestone now has nine establishments. Eight in NYC and one in Philadelphia (where the hipster coffee scene is rapidly percolating). With Americans growing to love the flat white (Bluestone’s biggest seller alongside cold brew) the company’s plans for an east coast takeover are on track. A Brooklyn location is slated for April.
“Starbucks adding the flat white to their core menu has transformed the awareness of the beverage but we feel New Yorkers are really enjoying better quality coffee experiences and seeking them out with desire,” says Nick.
Enjoy with your coffee: You can’t go past a lamington for morning tea.
RELATED: Ten of the best hidden bars in New York
Two Hands - Nolita and Tribeca
Two Hands – so named for the Heath Ledger movie of the same name – opened 18 months ago in Nolita, an area affectionately known as “Little Australia”. Not that ‘Sydneypreneurs’, Giles Russell and Henry Roberts, were going for an Australian café to start with.
“It just evolved that way,” says Henry. It’s not a bad thing!” The guys, both in their late 20s, knew each other from Sydney’s hospitality scene and when they met up in New York four years ago, the idea of a café serving great coffee and fresh food was born. Their brew is sourced from Nicaragua and poured with precision. Their roaster of choice is Café Integral and all espresso-based orders are served with two shots – the latte being the most popular. “In Australia you have this single shot and double shot idea, whereas in New York most coffee roasters and cafes pour double shots as standard.”
Two Hands aims to educate the consumer’s palate. “We are moving away from the ‘have it how you like it’ thing,” says Giles. “This is how a flat white comes, this is how a latte comes. We’re not being arrogant about it, this is how we think it works best and people relate to that.” They’re relating to it so much that Two Hands has just opened a 60-seat restaurant in Tribeca. While coffee was initially their hero, the food definitely doesn’t fall behind.
Enjoy with your coffee: Sit down and take your time with the Ricotta Hotcakes
RELATED: Step back in time: 11 pictures of New York from last century
Brunswick in Bedford Stuyvesant is the latest establishment from Melbourne hospitality aficionado Alex Hall who opened his first café Milk Bar on the Lower East Side in 2009. “There wasn’t a decent place to get coffee back then, so we rolled the dice and hit that neighbourhood at the right time,” says Alex, adding, “It was busy from the get-go.”
Always up for a challenge, Alex took on the Bedstuy space before the area “blew up” like the rest of Brooklyn has. Alex has taken a minimalist and modern approach to the capacious exposed brick interior, focusing on impressive light fittings and plant appeal. No matter where you’re sitting while sipping your brew, there’s something interesting to ponder. Alex says when he first started out in New York’s café scene they were selling 80 per cent drip coffee and 20 per cent espresso coffee. “Now it’s flipped, the customer understands the espresso type more.”
While the Bedstuy ‘hood is still developing, American filter coffee is most popular but the Aussie-style latte and flat white are not far behind. “The coffee industry is very strong here, I was back in Australia and depending where you go, the coffee is of equal quality here. In Australia there is more availability but when you find a good place in New York, it’s just as good.”
Enjoy with your coffee: The cheddar chive biscuit sandwich more than satisfies.
Four Kiwis brought the thriving espresso culture all the way from the islands of New Zealand to the island of Manhattan. Luke Harwood, Jason Woodside, Kirsten & Craig Nevill-Manning are serious about drinking, making and sharing some of the world’s best coffee while showcasing their passion for inspiring art, design and music at their Soho establishment in the most exciting city in the world. The convivial hole-in-the-wall digs, a former alleyway, brews ethical coffee sourced through Direct Trade. The beans come from Counter Culture Coffee who foster mutually supportive relationships with coffee farmers. Happy Bones aims to keep everyone happy by donating a percentage of profits to Free Arts NYC, so you can sip on that latte knowing you’re contributing to art education and mentoring programs for underserved children and their families.
Enjoy with your coffee: The art on the exposed brick walls and international publications available to peruse.
