Five Cafes to Hit in New York City

Where’s the good coffee? That’s the number one most common thing people ask me when they get to New York. And what about a bite to eat? You’re in luck. In a city with hundreds, if not thousands, of places to eat and drink, I’ve narrowed it down to five of my favourite places I always recommend for a trip to Manhattan. I hope you’re hungry!

Bluestone Lane Greenwich

I can honestly say I’m at one of Bluestone Lane’s locations five times a week. It’s my regular work space and coffee destination. I feel like I’ve become part of the furniture. I love the Australian cafe environment – from the design to the lovely people who work there, it’s like my little home away from home. Even better, Bluestone Lane offers many traditional breakfasts found in the land down under. I definitely recommend a healthy serving of Avocado Smash with an added poached egg. If you’re after that Aussie experience aboard, hit up the Greenwich location and don’t be afraid to order a long black. They even do Magic’s! If you never heard of that coffee before now, you know how to find out.

Cha Cha Matcha

Matcha has become so popular for its health benefits that’s now the basis of a number of cafe bars. My favourite is Cha Cha Matcha. The team do a wonderful job of integrating this green tea derivative into a number of different offerings. Matcha is a slower release form of caffeine and the fellas who started Cha Cha have their own farmed source after going directly to the plantation themselves. You can get your traditional matcha latte or try my favourite, the Iced Coconut milk Matcha, offering nutty, refreshing goodness we all can use. They also have a matcha soft serve which is “out of bounds” phenomenal. Hit up the Vegan Banana Bread if you need that little sweet touch too.

Two Hands Tribeca

Elevated breakfast in a super casual environment, these legends are Aussie owned too. The kitchen at Two Hands Tribeca keeps busy dishing out options you’d expect to find in Melbourne like field mushrooms with bean puree, beet-cured Salmon bowls, chilli scrambled eggs… shall I keep going? I’m proud to call the owners amazing friends of mine. Oh and they just opened for dinner too… #GameOn

Abraco

If you’re looking for the best espresso in the city, Abraco is saucing out your consistent hit. The character of this hole-in-the-wall operation is something you just can’t miss. When you place your order try and listen in to their codes. It’s cash and standing room only, with a line always out the door in the mornings, and that’s not because of the tiny operation, but because the coffee is seriously good. The fact that they’ve been there 10 years speaks wonders. Everything you see in the cabinet is baked on site and if you leave NYC without trying their Olive Oil cake I will have a delivery to make!

Jack’s Wife Freda

This great café is one of the first places I ever went upon touching down in the city. Jack’s Wife is dishing out those colourful healthy numbers our nourishing stomachs will welcome with open arms. In my opinion they are one of the first American spaces to catch onto the health conscious way of cooking, with their quinoa bowl being my go to dish. With a Mediterranean flare dishes are super vibrant and they still have your hearty egg numbers you would have grown up with. It’s always packed on weekends so either go on a weekday or put your name down early.

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