Rex

864 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

Editor's Review

Rex may be a smallish room in a somewhat bland, underserved part of Manhattan—just a bit west of Columbus Circle—but this diminutive spot manages to deliver a lot under no-nonsense uptown conditions: a fairly broad array of homeade pastries, sandwiches and other kitchen specialties, Rishi teas, and Counter Culture coffees prepared with enthusiasm and knowledge of what's on brew. The gracious baristas, the twelve-seat shop (with WiFi no less!) and curious burlap light fixture fill this out as a true oasis of what fine coffee shops aim to be in a surprising location.

A spot like this actually makes you realize just how much is happening beneath the surface in every corner of a city like New York, and the room is usually full with a broad cross-section of students, hospital staff, and just about anyone else on the north side of Hell's Kitchen who likes good coffee. The food is as good as the coffee, actually, but the hours are a bit more limited; weekday breakfast is from 8pm-11am, and lunch is from noon-4pm. On weekends they serve breakfast sandwiches and cuban heroes from 8am-3pm. Pastries, as long as they hold out. Long live Rex!

Review: Josh Madell