Blue Bottle Coffee — Chelsea

Editor's Review

Blue Bottle brings San Francisco's meticulous cafe culture to this first Manhattan location, after which an empire of locations landed on both the East and West Coast (plus Japan) showcasing this consistently clean operation of pristine design and coffee. Brewing their own beans roasted in Williamsburg, this spot is business up front, party out back (walk over to 14th street to see action through the windows). 

The front bar deals in espresso and pour-over only, always with one blend and one single origin choice per brewing method, plus a couple of sweeter buzzy options like the signature New Orleans chicory cold brew. It's mostly a mostly to-go sort of trade, while a communal space upstairs hidden from the commoners' view is a small space to lounge and sip and be part of a decidedly more curated experience. Grab a housemade pastry, which will likely contain some sort of offbeat ingredient like saffron or rosemary – or indulge in the buttery goodness that is a made-to-order liège waffle at the upstairs bar.

Review: Katrina Yentch

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