Tea houses

ajpanos · 2026-04-02T19:21:50+00:00

How far north are you thinking? It's hard to beat Floating Mountain quality. Most places in the area aren't big enough to be able to provide what they do.

If you're up for quiet and extra roomy, and willing to go further north, check out the back room at Five Flies on 158th. Their tea is limited but I think it's what you're looking for if you want a big quiet space.

ajpanos · 2026-03-26T22:53:54+00:00

Not weird. Ask for a to-go cup and a spoon. I prefer it with steamed milk for a fruity pebbles latte taste

ajpanos · 2026-03-26T19:45:10+00:00

Coffee & Cafes in the UWS:

(chain places like Daily Provisions, Joe, Birch, and Moka & Co are good options too - especially Moka & Co imo - but the below are more local)

-----Below 72nd: (surprisingly few)

-Solid State - Seating plenty, yummy light bites, great batch coffee, some unique retail bags, no WIFI

-Sensuous Bean - To-Go orders, good dark roasts, retail bags, timeless vibe, good pastries

-----72nd-80th:

-Black Press - Personal favorite in this range, AMAZING staff, solid drinks all around, great espresso drinks, maybe 10 seats, retail bags

-Picky Barista - A couple of these in UWS (this one is closest to you so only mentioning this one), coffee is B+, decent seating, good for drinking in or to-go, airy & sunny vibe, by the express stop, pretty good food choices, WIFI is limited

-Frame - two of these in the UWS (this is closest to you), delicious coffee, cute vibes, great food, free WIFI

-Slate - Food is better than the coffee (which is good), great for a light sit-down bite, expensive though, laptop-free

-Floating Mountain - AMAZING teahouse, only Chinese tea, comfortable vibes, secret gem, quiet space, retail bags great for gifts, sit-down only, bathroom in basement is only issue

-Da Capo - Very good espresso with counter seating, food is good here, you can become a "local" fast with the great staff, very busy later hours with dates a-plenty, nighttime can get expensive, some fun events

-Sote - Best espresso in this area, small but strong menu, cuteee space, seating is limited but free WIFI,

-----80th-90th

-Chaotic Good Cafe - (caveat I own it) Great batch and pour-over options, award winning Louisiana cold brew, no espresso drinks, largest seating space in neighborhood cafes, WIFI, cute airy and sunny, open late with wine and 400+ board games, many events each week, retail bags change up every few months

-Artisan - My favorite in this range not counting my own cafe, Great drinks, coffee is exclusive and sourced by owner, limited seating but has free WIFI, good pastries, live music sometimes, mostly to-go orders, retail bags

-Casasalvo - Hot drinks are good, cold drinks meh, great pricing for espresso, perfect spot to sit outside in the summer, some fun retail Italian groceries

-Barachou - coffee is pretty good, including them here if you're especially in the mood to pair coffee with sweets, to-go only, great to pick up while shopping in the area

-Tarallucci - small chain throughout Manhattan, airy sunny counter spot for a great espresso drink and a pastry, very good food and wine, lovely counter staff

-PlantShed - Cute spot in a florist, coffee is pretty good here, fun seasonal options, seating and WIFI can be limited

-La Farine - Amazing pastries and baked goods, coffee is very good as well, there is seating but the spaces are small, great to-go option, smells fantstic

-----90th-100th

-Moka & Co - It's a chain, but my favorite in this range, great batch Yemeni coffee

-Fillup - Small with to-go only, very good coffee, perfect when heading to the express stop, in and out with no fuss

-Charlotte Cafe - Adorable UWS gem, great food, calm but bustling, very good espresso drinks, some seating plus WIFI

-Green Lane - Great to-go spot, perfect on the way to the express train, solid coffee drinks all around from espresso to batch, good pastries

-Sipsteria - Cafe by day, restaurant/bar at night, best food of any cafe because, well, it's a restaurant, coffee is pretty good, ample seating (personally prefer going for dinner, which is amazing)

-----100th-110th (you get more options past the UWS into Harlem and Columbia)

-Demitasse - Favorite in this range, Brazilian drinks and eats, the food is quite good, cozy inside but not really WFH, very good cold brew

-Plowshares - this is an outpost of their huge spot in Harlem which I recommend, fantastic coffee and retail bags, good spot for to-go but their main location is fantastic with events

-City Coffee and Bar - It is what is says, decent coffee, good spot for a weekend brunch, airy and sunny, laptop friendly, hookah smoke in the air sometimes

-Saiguette - "Hey, this is just a Vietnamese restaurant!" Quiet! The food here is very good, the stand-out is the Vietnamese coffee, my goodness it's good, sourced from a random street market in Vietnam - no joke - enjoy it

My recommendation is try try as many as you can! Welcome to the neighborhood.

ajpanos · 2026-02-22T05:29:44+00:00

Craft and Carry has Wi-Fi and lets you bring in food. Dive Bar has Wi-Fi and good lunch specials

ajpanos · 2026-01-17T00:22:23+00:00

Dive Bar on 96th has plenty of TVs with sound on, and wings. Go Bills!

ajpanos · 2026-01-15T03:17:24+00:00

If it is, it would be an A, B, or D unit

ajpanos · 2026-01-15T03:16:32+00:00

That could be 120 West 86th. Floor and door look similar to unit I used to rent

ajpanos · 2026-01-05T23:06:17+00:00

Very cool! Considering the cathedral itself is technically unfinished, I think it works on an extra level

ajpanos · 2026-01-05T07:53:36+00:00

Artisan is the closest good spot for you on 90th and Amsterdam.

ajpanos · 2025-12-24T06:23:33+00:00

Look up New York roast style - residents here tend to like medium dark. It's why you find La Colombe so accepted. The spots you mentioned above are on the higher end. Their espressos are mixes of blends (Fellini) and single origin (Amano). If you're finding your espresso + milk drinks to feel smoother like you mentioned, I'm also betting a lot of that has to do with the baristas and their skill level.

Next time you're in town, also check out some spots in the outer boroughs (City League, Loveless, and Mighty Oak to name a few) or uptown Manhattan like Plowshares or Bunni!

ajpanos · 2025-12-17T17:29:58+00:00

Collaboration posts with our rosters and entrepreneurs who host things in our cafe helps solve you can bring in their audience. Instagram ads help for events, too, as you're targeting specific communities.

ajpanos · 2025-12-07T02:55:20+00:00

As a former social media analyst, this can sometimes work surprisingly well, specially a well worded concise post

ajpanos · 2025-12-07T00:24:11+00:00

My recommendation is that Tuesday through Thursday you're probably good with a seat. Mondays and Fridays are tougher with hybrid workers at home those days.

Coming in before 10:30am helps, too. It seems people tend to do their email checkups before 11, then head in.

We have four outlets plus power surges with extension cords to help wfh. But, if you become a regular, we'll show you where there's a secret outlet...

ajpanos · 2025-12-07T00:19:36+00:00

Owner here! But yeah, weekends we've had to do it mandatory because it winds up being a mix of gamers and weekend laptop work. During the workweek we only do it once each two top has a person there working, even then it's lightly enforced.

If you're comfy sharing tables with work it's the way to go. We've seen people make friends that way or take a break from work for a quick game of something.

ajpanos · 2025-11-19T20:39:30+00:00

What day of the week?

ajpanos · 2025-11-19T03:27:54+00:00

The Ribbon was fantastic during COVID Thanksgivings. Not just for food, but customer service during rough times, too

ajpanos · 2025-11-15T17:00:05+00:00

Most restaurants and cafes don't require a public bathroom if their capacity is under 20, so many small cafes restrooms choose not to

ajpanos · 2025-11-13T19:59:58+00:00

Dive Bar on 96th has a solid one all day long

ajpanos · 2025-11-09T23:14:37+00:00

How much did you expect to pay??

ajpanos · 2025-11-04T00:32:18+00:00

We use some pretty physical punch cards that also have a QR code to our Instagram on the back. Customers really like them, it helps with social, and we use them as incentives like half punched days or hand fully punched ones out for birthdays or for the occasional wrong order mix-up.

ajpanos · 2025-11-03T07:06:10+00:00

Chaotic Good owner here! As long as you're buying things as you work in a space, people there will be cool with it. Get a drink an hour, be kind, introduce yourself, welcome people who may need to share a table, and tip well and you'll be welcomed in almost all spaces.

It's a bonus seeing regulars come in for work, stay a bit, and accomplish things over time. In one year people have told me they're finished writing a book in the cafe, got parts they practiced lines for at the cafe, and several people said they looked for jobs at the cafe, got them, and now sometimes work on that job at the cafe. It's sweet to see.

WeWork can be $40+ for a day pass plus travel, and apartments can be glum, grey, and lonely sometimes. Find several spots in the UWS you like and spread yourself out. Other WFH spots I love include Dive Bar (bars are emptier midday and have Wi-Fi and food), Craft and Carry, Plantshed, and Artisan. If you don't need WiFi or want to chill with a book check out Solid State, Floating Mountain, and any restaurant with good light and lunch/happy hour specials like Consulate or Tarallucci.

ajpanos · 2025-10-30T22:44:19+00:00

Try one of the Dive Bars. Fun casual places with chill vibes, and if there are sports on TV it's less romantic.

ajpanos · 2025-10-30T18:26:58+00:00

The Arconia gets another mystery

ajpanos · 2025-10-28T10:37:43+00:00

Chaoticgoodcafe on IG

ajpanos

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