Percolating in Park Slope: A Go-To Guide to Local Coffee Shops
Park Slope takes its coffee seriously. Each of our many venues adds its own personal style in coffee, menu, entertainment, and ambiance for the varied needs of our diverse community. Whether you’re a serious coffee drinker, toddler-toting parent, or just need to find a place to spend the afternoon on your laptop, Park Slope has the perfect spot for you.
We’ve previously compared coffeehouses on the freelancers vs. babies matrix, but this time we’re taking a more thorough look. Here’s the first installment of our two-part low-down; check out part two here.
1. Café Dada, 57 Seventh Avenue, (718) 622-2800
Best: Service
Located in a former pre-war apothecary, Café Dada serves up an eclectic mix of French-Hungarian fare, authentic European pastries and rich Blue Bottle coffee. Because of the consistently great service and constant owner presence, this offbeat combination delivers and keeps ‘em coming. Whether you’re sitting down for a meal or lingering with the Times over a rich (and beautifully crafted) hot chocolate, you can count on Dada’s attentive staff to treat you with kindness and efficiency. The unique menu includes a sinfully cheesy Croque Monsieur with ham and béchamel ($11.95), a Nutella & Banana sandwich ($6.95) for the little one, and assorted sweet and savory crepes for the gluten-averse. Now hosting live music on Fridays, Dada brings weekend nightlife to a once sleepy block.
(Photo via PS Reader)
2. Café Regular du Nord, 158 Berkeley Place, (718) 783-0673
Best: Place to escape
Nestled on Berkeley Place right off of the bustle of 7th Ave (and with a sister location Café Regular in South Slope), Café Regular du Nord transports you to the streets of Paris with a simple menu, strong espresso, French décor, and difficult-to-find WIFI. Despite the small size and limited seating capacity, its European atmosphere attracts a loyal clientele of intellectuals, freelancers, and families who appreciate the somewhat pretentious and sometimes crowded shop. While ordering a cup of French roast coffee ($1.75) and a flaky croissant ($2.25), it’s impossible not to overhear and enjoy the stimulating surrounding chatter. Lucky patrons who score a cozy window seat can spend the afternoon curled up with a book and steaming latte. Community-friendly, Café Regular du Nord offers a discount to students, teachers, and Coop members.
3. Gorilla Coffee, 97 Fifth Avenue, (718) 230-3244
Best: Cup of strong coffee
An institution in Park Slope, Gorilla Coffee offers a variety of quality sourced organic beans from around the world for the serious coffee connoisseur. With a consistent signature product, free WIFI (although the shop recently covered up their electrical outlets), and sufficient seating capacity, Gorilla attracts a loyal crowd of hipsters, artists, and laptop-toting freelancers and students. The red and black walls, hip music, and no-frills ambiance make it an ideal spot to grab a cup of joe on-the-go, or on a sunny day, savor your brew and people-watch on their outside bench.
(Photo via Gorilla Coffee)
4. Konditori, 186 Fifth Avenue, (347) 384-2028; 240 Seventh Avenue, (347) 335-0767
Best: For meeting a friend
Konditori definition: 1) traditional Swedish meeting place to enjoy friends over great coffee, fine baked goods and confections or 2) where one goes for a coffee break. In the spirit of konditori, owners Per Englander and Ron Kaj offer authentic Swedish coffee (medium-bodied with a cocoa finish- $2.00) and pastries in two sunny and relaxed locations. Furnished with communal seating, free WIFI, great music, and welcoming baristas, both venues are ideal for writing, studying, reading the paper, or meeting a friend for some traditional Swedish cardamom bread ($2.75 per slice) and a macchiato ($3.00).
(Photo via Konditori)
5. Kos Kaffe Roasting House, 251 Fifth Avenue, (718) 768-6868
Best: For studying
With a spacious and bright interior complete with coffee bar, couch and two actual computer booths (if you don’t want to carry your laptop), Kos Kaffe (or “cup of coffee” in Hebrew) is a favorite destination for students and writers. Owned by a local couple that share a love of food and coffee, this happy space offers everything: great organic food (my favorite is the grilled almond butter and jam sandwich $5.95—it literally melts in your mouth), in-house roasted coffee ($2.00), friendly (and attractive—ahem) baristas, and WIFI, of course.
6. Noella Brew Bar, 72 Seventh Avenue, (718) 636-0424
Best: Place to knit
A serious coffee bar and knitting circle entwined (no pun intended), Noella shares its space with Stitch Therapy, a shop offering knitting lessons for the yarn-loving coffee drinker. With a bar in front, seating in the back, and WIFI, Noella is a solid destination for a quick meeting or study session. With friendly well-trained baristas and a small menu consisting of assorted pastries, muffins, scones and a quiche of the day, the staff generally offers to take your order to the back if you decide to grab a table.
(Photo via Noella Brew Bar)
7. Postmark Café, 326 Sixth Street, (718) 768-2613
Best: Ambiance
A cozy gem on 6th Street right off of 5th Avenue, Postmark Café is loveliness and charm rolled into a coffee shop. Walking through the door is akin to discovering a hidden treasure off the beaten path with WIFI, good coffee ($1.75), assorted baked goods, a communal table, games, smiling service, and an unexpected downstairs play room for kids. Midday attracts a crowd of middle-school girls who devour Postmark’s pizza bagels and hot chocolate. Events include a regular 10am story hour for kids on Fridays, as well as the Living Room comedy night every second and last Friday of the month at 8pm. The not-for-profit café is part of Church of Park Slope, and the baristas donate ALL of their tips to different charities of choice. Last month’s fund went to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Perfect for an afternoon with or without company, Postmark Café reflects the caring nature of our Park Slope community.
8. Tea Lounge, 837 Union Street, (718) 789-2762
Best: Live entertainment
Known as the place to catch live music, meet someone for coffee, grab a beer, or bring the kids to an afternoon mommy circle, Tea Lounge sits in a league of its own in our community. Despite its no-frills atmosphere and questionably dingy second-hand sofas, people flock to the Lounge at all times of the day—whether to sit with their laptop for hours over a single cup of guilt-free coffee, meet a date, or jam along to Sunday’s Open Mic. A study hall, coffeehouse, internet café and bar wrapped into one large warehouse of a room, Tea Lounge fits the many needs of our eclectic Park Slope community.
(Top photo of coffee mug via Gorilla Coffee)
