New York City runs on coffee, so it\u2019s no surprise that the city is replete with excellent coffee shops\u2014and we\u2019re not talking about the big chains like Starbucks, Dunkin\u2019, Tim Hortons and Peet’s Coffee.<\/p>\n
Over the years, plenty of beloved brands have staked their claim in New York and expanded\u2014Joe Coffee, La Colombe, Think Coffee\u2014and for good reason: they\u2019re all excellent. But there\u2019s something to be said about the little guys. The truly independent spots that fuel New Yorkers\u2019 endless days<\/a>, while also providing the kinds of spaces the city has become known for: Vibey, cool rooms filled with eclectic ephemera, unique paintings or the owners\u2019 own fascinations. (We just heard about a plant store-cum-dry-cleaners that\u2019s opening soon in New York City.)<\/p>\n In many ways, these singular shops provide the beating heart of the city\u2019s culture. Walk into one on any given day, and you\u2019ll likely find students camped out with laptops, remote workers tapping away between meetings or a parent grabbing a much-needed pick-me-up after school drop-off. If you really want to understand the vibe of a neighborhood, spend time in its independent coffee shops. Pay attention to who\u2019s there, how long they stay and what the room\u2019s atmosphere is like\u2014you\u2019ll quickly get a sense of the people who live there and the character that defines the area.<\/p>\n And so, given the plethora of top coffee shops across the city,<\/a> we\u2019re focusing here on the truly indie ones; those that boast just a single location. The reasoning is simple: when there\u2019s only one shop, owners and staff tend to pour every ounce of energy into making it exceptional\u2014from top-notch coffee (sometimes sourced from far-flung countries and brewed using specialized techniques) to pastries that won\u2019t leave you feeling weighed down and, most importantly, the kind of atmosphere you\u2019ll want to linger in.\u00a0<\/p>\n We\u2019re also conscious of the fact that a couple of viral local spots are not on this list\u2014and that\u2019s intentional. Although the likes of Nolita\u2019s Enly<\/a>, known for its tiramisu iced latte, and Caffe Paradiso<\/a>\u2014trending for its salted brown butter oat milk latte served on tap\u2014are certainly deserving of attention, we tried to steer clear of overly crowded coffee spots where it might be hard to find a place to quietly sip your drink.<\/p>\n Here are the best independent coffee shops in New York City, with just one location that\u2019s worth making the trip to visit.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t