Everyman Espresso – If you’re looking for a local joint on Manhattan Island, Everyman Espresso is your place. I arrived about 15 minutes after opening (7AM), and was quickly greeted by the sole barista. It was fairly obvious that Everyman Espresso has some very loyal customers. During the 30 minutes I sat in the shop, at least 10 customers walked in who were promptly greeted by name. The café has an industrial aesthetic that strangely feels quite homey. The cross-stitched wifi password may have contributed to that feeling. Overall the coffee at Everyman was quality, but did not stand out in a remarkable way. I would happily stop by if it was near my destination, but I would not say it is a coffee shop to go out of the way for. I give it a 3/5.

Gotham City Roasters – The first thing that struck me about Gotham City Roasters was how much the inside of the store looked like a bottle of Soylent. (google “coffiest” if you don’t believe me). Gotham’s aesthetic was straightforward and to the point. The menu was plainly displayed, the stark interior was decorated with black and white, and the coffee was served in very baron mugs. After sitting for a few minutes though the place started to really draw me in. It was still early enough in the morning where there were not many customers, so I was able to have a great conversation with the barista. He had a great playlist going, and was quite knowledgeable about coffee. The coffee was also delicious. I had a pour-over of an Ethiopian blend and it was quite good. It had prominent fruit notes, and I greatly enjoyed its company as I watched morning commuters walk to work. Overall, I would say Gotham has a great thing going, and its located in a great area. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, stop by for a quick cup. Just don’t expect to be able to pick up any cool merchandise (unless soylent just really does it for you). I give it a 3.5/5

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Devociòn – Devociòn has the best aesthetic of any coffee shop I have ever been to. Period. Entering the shop walks you right past their large roasting room. Devociòn imports all their coffee from Colombia, and it goes from farm to cup within 30 days. While this doesn’t mean too much, (as the roast date matters much more than how long green coffee is stored for), it shows how much they care about their coffee. The hallway opens into a large space with a gorgeous skylight. I approached the bar and ordered a pour-over of their “citrus” coffee and a ham and cheese croissant. The coffee was great, but it was the breakfast pastry that stole the show. I could have eaten four of them. Devociòn has the aesthetic of a museum courtyard with the atmosphere of a close friend’s living room. The baristas are friendly, the coffee is great, and the food is amazing. I give the shop a 4.5/5. I highly recommend visiting Devociòn even if you are nowhere near the area.

Sey – Sey coffee is quite unique as it is built inside of a renovated garage. At this point of my journey I had already had 2 pour-overs, so I decided to order a latte. While the latte was good, I do not think it justified the long trip out to the shop. There was nothing in my mind that really set the shop apart. This may be because I was on my 4th cup of coffee, and honestly was a little over caffeinated at this point. If you are in the area, I would recommend stopping by and grabbing a cup, but besides that I would hit up any other 3rd wave shop. Overall, I give Sey a 3/5. They knew what they were doing, but they are doing the same as every other small coffee joint.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Parlor Coffee – I don’t know if I would call the Parlor Coffee Shop really a “shop”. When you walk in you are greeted by large bags of green coffee, a large coffee roaster, and a coffee bar that is playing killer tunes. The shop is only open to the public Wednesday-Sunday, but if you can, I recommend stopping by for a cup. I was the only customer walking in, and the baristas were busy cupping a single origin Ethiopian. I ordered just a cup of batch brew and sat down at the bar. The thing that drew me into Parlor was the overwhelming sincerity of the baristas. They genuinely cared about coffee and were more than happy to include me in their cupping ceremony. As I sampled the different cups with them I couldn’t help but feel a part of their group. If I lived in NYC, this would definitely be a place I would like to hang out. Overall, I would give it a 4/5. Make sure you are visiting during a time they are open, and make sure to ask them for an official Parlor Coffee Cupping spoon.