BEST COFFEE

[t3hg0suazn]

^stumptown can probably take care of you
and since you like chemex, maybe check out Hi-Collar cause they have siphon coffee

I agree that Everyman Espresso is my favorite in the city. Very third-wavey so it might not be for everyone. Abraco is also quite good for a darker espresso (they roast own beans)

[Faust]

Looking to buy some coffee beans or ground coffee for a chemex. I don't drink coffee so I have no idea but does anyone know where I can get some great beans in NYC, preferably downtown/LES area?

Union Market on Houston and Ave A or Whole Foods. Just don't by the store brand stuff but from one of the many niche roasteries. You can get all geeky about this - 90% of it is bullshit and you won't see much difference. Basically, light, medium, or dark roast, as to your taste, and look for the freshest roast date. The key is to buy whole beans and grind them just before you make the coffee. The rest is superfluous for the majority of humans.

[Yuriii]

Funny, cause I think it's one of the worst I've had - both at the soho and east village locations.

Surprised to hear it. Admittedly, their beans definitely feature fruity flavors that not all coffee drinkers are into. Seems to be a very third (fourth?) wave coffee thing to focus on bringing out the fruity flavors in the beans.

For a more classic Italian coffee flavor, I like a place by my work called Zibetto. The beans they use for espresso have a smoky, nutty flavor. Their cappuccino tastes of walnut fudge for me.

[stagename]

You can get all geeky about this - 90% of it is bullshit and you won't see much difference.

... is what most people would say about most of what we buy. Next time you're in Paris stop by La Cafeotheque, they usually have a coffee tasting menu and it helps in understanding how wildly different beans can taste like.

Again, it might be superfluous if you have a sub-par machine, but then the whole idea of paying 20$ for fresh beans and grinding them at home would be superfluous as well.

[Faust]

... is what most people would say about most of what we buy. Next time you're in Paris stop by La Cafeotheque, they usually have a coffee tasting menu and it helps in understanding how wildly different beans can taste like.

Again, it might be superfluous if you have a sub-par machine, but then the whole idea of paying 20$ for fresh beans and grinding them at home would be superfluous as well.

And they would be right.

Most people won't taste the difference, just like most people won't hear a difference between a CD and an MP3. Also, I was replying specifically to eleves, who said he's not a coffee expert by any means.

Also, La Cafeotheque was one of the worst coffee experience of my life. If you want good coffee in Paris, go to Kookaburra.

[stagename]

La Cafeotheque was one of the worst coffee experience of my life. If you want good coffee in Paris, go to Kookaburra.

I wasn't talking about my best coffee experience in Paris, I was talking about a place in Paris where you can sample a number of different beans in one go. And because I know you go there from times to times. 3rd wave being an American thing, and with a rather slow adoption from most places in Europe, I wouldn't recommend Paris as a coffee city. I do not know of any places in New York that offers this kind of thing.

Also, I recommend to go and try it out. Everybody, I mean -everybody- I brought there because of a similar argument could tell the difference. This is like saying "oh there's no reason to be all geeky about wine, 90% won't tell the difference, just take a cepage you like and stick to it. Or same with beers (e.g., get 10 different IPAs or ales or whatever and do a taste test). There are notable differences, even within the same taste profile, and about anybody with taste buds can tell you what they prefer, how the taste differs, etc.

[Faust]

I'm not saying you are wrong. The bigger question that lurks in the background of my statement is allocation of finite human resources like energy and time. My passions are fashion and literature, for example. I'd rather read books than do beer research for hours on end. First world problems.

[stagename]

[kamsky]

Caféotheque isn't so much bad as it is dated; a bit like Vivace in Seattle, if anyone gives enough of a shit about this for that analogy to obtain. I could go deep into this, but I don't know that I should bother.

Paris: Belleville, Holybelly and Télescope.

NYC: I'd second Everyman and would also give a vote to Third Rail.

I'd say it's alway contingent on who's making the coffee, and no shop is batting a thousand.

[porthidium]

I used to live with 2 coffee guys - one worked for Stumptown and the other for Blue Bottle. Only because of them (and all the different kinds of coffees they would bring home) - I can taste and understand the subtle nuances in coffee. Faust is correct, in the sense that, to most people - they won't be able to tell the different notes/tastes/flavors. That being said, I prefer Blue Bottle coffee.

I used to go to La Colombe a lot as it's right around the corner from my office in Soho. Though, I think it's too acidic/over-roasted/hurts my stomach.

My favorite coffee shops:
Happy Bones on on Broome St. Really nice interior, good lattes - served with faux tortoiseshell spoons
AP Cafe in Bushwick. Coffee is kinda shit but the cafe itself is beautiful/minimal/concrete/etc.

[t3hg0suazn]

I was in Paris. I drank a lot of coffee. I had a double espresso at each place, here's my order of preference (most are around/in the Marais):

1. Loustic - good single origin espresso of the week (Belgian roaster Caffè Nation), not too sour like most. Has wifi and room in the back.

1. KB CaféShop (formerly Kooka Boora) - my other favorite espresso (Five Elephant roaster), lots of crema. No wifi on weekends (probably for the better), might get crowded during prime tourist hours. It's on a nice corner of Rue de Martyrs with an impressive little market on Sunday morning.

3. Ten Belles - is Bodybuilder a blend from Belleville Brulerie? Anyways those are the two names on bean bags. Bodybuilder was blend of Costa Rican beans. Good flavors, just a hint of sour. No wifi, small space but not cramped. Everything run by one woman when I was there.

3. Boot Café - a darker blend (Café Lomi's Bordeaux blend), lots of crema. Similar to KB in taste. Very cramped, no wifi, run by single woman.

5. Holybelly - also Belleville/Bodybuilder, slightly sour but maybe that's just the beans. Has wifi. Seems this place is known for brunch and has crazy lines if you go in peak hours.

6. L'Arbe à Café - 3€ for a single shot of single origin Ethiopia Yergacheffe so it's quite expensive. The shot was prepared with care and did taste good. This place is more for selling beans so there's no sitting room and inconvenient hours.

7. Espressamente Illy - I went here just to calibrate. Basically everything is machine programmed. Surprisingly it tastes pretty much like a traditional Italian espresso, but it's the same price as all these other cafes so only come if in the area.

8. Fondation Café - another Belleville/Bodybuilder espresso, but quite sour for me. No wifi, only a little room inside, a few seats outside.

9. Coutume - double espresso came in a huge cup which I dislike, shot was sour in a "badly pulled shot" way rather than anything to do with beans. I didn't like their Tokyo location either. Crowded but once you get a seat there's wifi so you can hang around.

Telescope was closed for renovation but it looks like it'll reopen soon.

No one can escape the 'new wave'... I am of the opinion that the new roasters/beans do produce better espresso. But I read someone saying all the café owners follow the same tumblrs and it's pretty true. All the new cafés have the same look and feel, and I like the classic French cafés with little tables out front better. The espresso was worse of course but it's a tradeoff.

[Law]

Best coffee I've had so far in NY is this little joint called Ramini on West 37th street in the fashion district. Excellent Cappuccino and the 24 hour drip Kyoto is worth a try

[Faust]

Can I buy a hand operated, mechanical burr grinder, or are they useless? I don't have room for another appliance.

[underdog]

Can I buy a hand operated, mechanical burr grinder, or are they useless? I don't have room for another appliance.

They are great if you have a little time. Having a 5 year old at home a slowly created up of coffee is a luxury. If I have the time I do a Chemex with hand operated burr grinder and the grinding takes 3 - 4 minutes of cranking. It does an amazing job and when I can steal the time is definitely worth the work. Work it is but the great cup is earned then.

[Faust]

Thanks for the tip. Not sure if I want to add another 3-4 minutes in the morning to my french press routine :-)

New summer favorite in New York is Black and Tan from La Colombe. It's black iced coffee topped off with a latte they brew and have on tap. Amazing!

Fondation Cafe is my new favorite in the Marais. That same street has quite a few of the new wave coffee shops. Will try more of them next time. Also didn't get a chance to get coffee from The Broken Arm, because they have neither A/C nor outdoor seating. I really wonder when Paris will realize it's fucking global warming and gets with the AC program.