There are amazing coffee shops on the Lower East Side that you can go to for a delicious cup of joe.
At these places, you can get all kinds of classic coffee drinks, such as espresso, cappuccino, and Americano, and unique drinks, such as specialty lattes. In addition to that, at several of these spots, you can get single-origin brews, and at some of the cafes in the neighborhood, you can get delicious food with your drink as well. Some of these places also have a beautiful interior with vintage furniture or colorful decorations.
I made this Lower East Side coffee shops guide to help you decide where to go!
Best Coffee Shops on the Lower East Side
Cafe Grumpy
Why you should go to Cafe Grumpy: You can get unique drinks here, such as the “Tahitian Vanilla Latte”, which is made with espresso, homemade vanilla syrup, and milk
Cafe Grumpy is an independently owned and operated coffee shop that was established in 2005. This place focuses on serving high-quality specialty coffee to everyone and it has a welcoming environment. The coffee shop’s goal is to make people who come in “grumpy” happy.
Cafe Grumpy has 11 locations throughout New York City, and one of these is located on the Lower East Side, at 13 Essex Street.
Cafe Grumpy serves many different types of drinks, including mocha, latte, cappuccino, and Americano, and there are several unique specialty drinks.
One of the best unique drinks is the “Tahitian Vanilla Latte”, which is made with espresso, house-made vanilla syrup, and milk.
Another unique drink to get is the “Honey Oat Latte”. This latte is made with honey, oat milk, a dash of Ceylon cinnamon, and espresso.
There are unique tea drinks as well, such as matcha teas and turmeric lattes.
You can also enjoy the cup of coffee you order while sitting on one of the benches next to the entrance of this location.
Cafe Grumpy also serves all kinds of delicious food options. Some of the best items to get are the vegan blueberry muffin, raspberry-filled donut, and walnut fudge brownie.
Address: 13 Essex St, New York, NY 10011
Good Thanks Cafe
Great to know: The coffee you can get here is made with “Bueno”, which is Good Thanks Cafe’s own blend
Good Thanks Cafe is a coffee shop with two locations, one of which is situated on Orchard Street on the Lower East Side. The cafe is open every day of the week.
The coffee that you can get at this place is made with Good Thanks Cafe’s own blend, called “Bueno”, which is an ever-changing blend. You can get cold brew, espresso, cortado, mocha, and other types of drinks at this place.
In addition to coffee, you can also get all kinds of other drinks here, including teas, juices, beer, cocktails, and more.
Good Thanks Cafe also serves delicious food, which makes the cafe perfect for breakfast and lunch as well.
The menu includes various dishes, including dishes made with eggs, toast, sandwiches, bowls, and much more. One of the best dishes to get is the “Homemade Banana Bread”, which is served with burnt honey buttercream.
Another dish to get is the “Breakfast Sandwich”, which is made with bacon, caramelized onion, sunny fried egg, avocado, arugula, and lemon aioli.
You can also get the “Kimchi Scrambled Eggs”, which consists of soft scrambled farm eggs, kimchi, scallion labne, microgreens, and arugula on sourdough.
Address: 131 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002
Pause Cafe
Why you should go here: You can get delicious food with your coffee at this place, such as the “Apple Cinnamon French Toast”, which is a combination of apple pie and French toast
Pause Cafe, which is located on Clinton Street, is a coffee shop on the Lower East Side with a cozy atmosphere and a beautiful interior.
The menu of this cafe features all kinds of coffee drinks, including unique ones, such as the “Moroccan Spiced Drip Coffee”, as well as classic ones, such as espresso, cortado, and cappuccino.
You can also get different types of iced coffee at Pause Cafe, such as “Iced Americano” and “Iced Cortado”.
Other drinks on the menu include “Iced Moroccan Mint Tea”, “Superfood Chai Latte”, and “Matcha Latte”.
In addition to great drinks, you can also get different types of food at Pause Cafe, including omelets, croissants, danishes, toast, sandwiches, and much more.
For example, you can get the “Granola Fruit Yogurt”, which is made with Greek yogurt, maple granola, and fresh berries.
The “Apple Cinnamon French Toast”, which is a fusion of French toast and apple pie, is another great dish on the menu.
Address: 3 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002
Ludlow Coffee Supply
Why you’ll love this place: This place has a relaxing vibe and you can get all kinds of freshly baked pastries with your drink here
Ludlow Coffee Supply is a coffee shop that is situated on Ludlow Street where you can get a delicious drink every day of the week from 7 AM till 11 PM.
This place has a relaxing vibe and a beautiful interior design that makes you feel at home.
Whether you want to have a classic coffee drink or a more unique one, you can have that at this place. The menu includes various classics, such as cortado, americano, and espresso.
You can also get one of the “Ludlow Signature Lattes”. For example, you can get a salted caramel latte.
In addition to that, you can pair your drink with all kinds of freshly baked pastries and other baked goods at this place, such as chocolate chip cookies and croissants.
Address: 176 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002
Flowers Cafe
Great to know: Flowers Cafe has a beautiful exterior with a lot of colorful flowers
Flowers Cafe, which you can find on Essex Street on the Lower East Side, has a beautiful outdoor seating area that features a lot of colorful flowers, and an interior with decorations. This place serves great coffee.
You can choose between various hot and iced coffee options, and the coffee shop serves all kinds of drinks, including cold brew, iced mocha latte, espresso, and Americano. There are also unique tea drinks to choose from, such as the “Matcha Lemonade”, which is a matcha that is mixed with lemonade.
Flowers Cafe also serves many types of halal American dishes that you can have with your coffee. For example, you can get all kinds of omelets, bagels, toast, pancakes, sandwiches, and other dishes.
One of the best sandwiches to get is “The Experience”, which is made with grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, a basil pesto sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese.
Another delicious sandwich to get is “The Boardwalk”. This one is made with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrots, red onion, hummus, and an avocado spread.
Address: 39 Essex St, New York, NY 10002
Caffè Vita
Must-try: The nitro cold brew
Caffè Vita is a coffee shop with locations in several states. One of the locations of Caffè Vita is located on the Lower East Side, on Ludlow Street.
At this place, you can get all kinds of single-origin brews as well as dark roast coffee.
You can choose from many different types of drinks. For example, Caffè Vita serves several types of cold brew, including nitro cold brew.
Other types of coffee that you can get include mocha, Sevilla, Valencia, Mezzo, and filter coffee.
This place also serves different types of tea drinks, including chai and matcha, there are different types of hot chocolate, and there are seasonal drinks. For example, during the summer, there are special types of drinks.
Address: 124 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002
Roasting Plant
What makes Roasting Plant unique: The beans are roasted in-house here to make sure there is as little time as possible between roasting the beans and the brewing process
Roasting Plant is a chain of coffee shops with several locations throughout America. You can find one of the locations on Orchard Street, and this is one of the best coffee shops on the Lower East Side. It’s the original location of the chain.
What’s special about this place is that the coffee beans are roasted in-house at every location, ensuring there’s as little time as possible between the roasting and brewing process, and you get a fresh cup every time.
When you order a drink at this place, you can select the type of specialty bean that you want. There are single-origin beans and there are special blends. Each cup is brewed to order in less than a minute, during which the chosen beans are ground.
You can choose all kinds of classic coffee drinks, and you can make each one iced.
Besides coffee, you can also choose from many different types of tea drinks at Roasting Plant, including unique ones, and there are other drinks as well.
Address: 81 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002
Black Cat LES
Why you should go to Black Cat LES: This place has a beautiful interior with vintage furniture and relaxing sofas on which you can sit while enjoying your drink
Black Cat LES is a neighborhood-driven coffee and tea house with a cozy atmosphere and vintage furniture that you can find on Rivington Street on the Lower East Side.
You can choose from lots of different coffee options, and the drinks are made with a house blend or single-origin beans.
Some of the drinks you can get include macchiato, espresso, and chocolate cappuccino.
You can also choose between many iced drinks. For example, you can get an iced caramel macchiato.
Black Cat LES offers various tea options too. The types of tea that you can choose from include black, green, oolong, white, and caffeine-free tea.
Besides great drinks, you can also get all kinds of food options at Black Cat LES, including sweet and savory options. For example, you can choose one of the bowls, such as the “Soho Strawberry”, which is made with fresh strawberries, white and dark chocolate flakes, flaked coconut, almond milk, and chocolate sauce.
Another great option is the “Ann St. American Breakfast”. This comes with aged sausage, Himalayan salt, cracked black pepper, parmesan cheese, and truffle sauce.
Address: 172 Rivington St, New York, NY 10002
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Coffee on the Lower East Side Tips
Before deciding where to get coffee on the Lower East Side, I recommend finding out if there’s another place in the neighborhood that is near one of the coffee shops that I mentioned where you want to go afterward.
For example, close to Good Thanks Cafe, you can find the Tenement Museum, and going there is one of the best things to do on the Lower East Side. I added a map to make it easier to plan this.
Lower East Side Coffee Shops Map
As you see, there are great coffee shops on the Lower East Side. I hope I helped you decide where to get a cup of joe!