Kitchenette

Kitchenette

Address: 1272 Amsterdam Avenue at 123rd Street

Neighborhood: Harlem

Internet: Yes. Ask the server or barista for the password.

Review: Blocks from Teachers College at Columbia University, Kitchenette provides both a café area and full service restaurant. If you’re there just for a coffee or dessert you can sit at the counter or at a table. The décor is bright and pleasant and the antiqued furniture makes for a relaxing ambience. The display of pastries as you walk in would tempt even the most devoted dieter and the raspberry coconut cake is worth the splurge. While more intrusive and a bit more cramped, there is still space to work on a computer in the restaurant portion of Kitchenette. Here you can order breakfast till 4:30, a personal favorite being the Bacon and Cheddar omelet.

Ratings (out of 5)

Ambience ****
Food *****
Coffee ***

Café Mocha

Café Mocha

Address: 116 Second Avenue at 7th Street

Neighborhood: East Village

Internet:

Review: Café Mocha is a favorite spot to hit before an invigorating visit to the Yoga to the People Studio on St. Marks and Third Avenue. This café offers an outdoor seating area as well as soft benches and small tables on the inside. The cappuccinos and lattes are generously portioned and well prepared. The pastries always look enticing and the chocolate chip cookies are soft and delicious. The atmosphere is very relaxed, if a bit dark, and hasn’t been crowded in my experience. A great locale to sit and people watch or read a good book. Pastries and drinks can be ordered at the counter or from a server. There’s a small counter where one could sit although I prefer the corner nook by the window.

Ratings

(out of 5)

Ambience ****
Food ***
Coffee *****

The Coffee Pot

The Coffee Pot

Address: 350 West 49th Street Between 8th and 9th Avenues

Neighborhood: Hell’s Kitchen

Internet: Yes, 30 minute time limit

Review: What this café lacks in ambience it makes up for in space and comfort. Offering 30 minute wireless internet passes and big comfy chairs, this Hell’s Kitchen café is situated just far enough from Times Square to be somewhat relaxing. It offers coffee, pastries, wraps and salads and is a good spot for a quick lunch or a leisurely coffee. In general, the coffee and food are average tasting and moderately priced. There is enough space to spread out and stay for awhile.

Bis. Co. Latte

Bis. Co. Latte

Address: 667 Tenth Avenue at 47th Street

Neighborhood: Hell’s Kitchen

Internet: No, No computers allowed.

Review: Once one of my favorite stops, this quaint and well kept shop has become a little too uppity for its own good. While I would still recommend trying the homemade biscotti or a warm cupcake, there are a lot of rules to follow if you plan on lingering. Computers are no longer allowed out in the café, presumably because of the aesthetic and if you are staying, don’t even think about asking for a paper cup. Despite this, the cupcakes are delicious, particularly the vegan peanut butter chocolate cupcake, and the biscotti range in flavors from savory to sweet. The café has created over 60 varieties of biscotti that you can order online or take out. One of my other favorite café items includes the steel- cut oatmeal with slow cooked fruit and toasted almonds.

The Cupcake Cafe

The Cupcake Café

Address: 545 9th Avenue (Between 40th and 41st Street)

Neighborhood: Hell’s Kitchen

Internet: Yes. How? Ask a barista for the code.

Review: This Hell’s Kitchen haunt is situated across from the bleak, industrial doors of the Port Authority and next to a homeless shelter. Location aside, this is a great spot for working on your computer, enjoying a long city read or a leisurely coffee date. Rarely ever crowded, this shabby chic café features beautifully designed cupcakes. The buttery frosting is tasty and masterfully crafted into colorful flowers but the cupcakes themselves are often dry. Coffee, cappuccinos and lattes are reasonably priced and well made.