Highest-rated cafes in New York City, according to Yelp
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the Enlightenment, cafes would regularly entertain the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British empire, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute. Unsurprisingly, Boston's London Coffee House opened in 1689, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Later on in Philadelphia, Merchant Coffee House, also known as the City Tavern, would host the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere, as well as witness an early reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country, as well as one of the first to use a La Pavoni espresso machine. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become part of our personal landmarks, so where have others gone to find their refuge or perhaps their perfect dose of caffeine? Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in New York City using data from Yelp. Rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see if your favorite spot made the list.
#30. Stuart Cinema & Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 79 West St Brooklyn, NY 11222
- Categories: Cinema, Venues & Event Spaces, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Stafili Wine Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (49 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 796 Greenwich St New York, NY 10014
- Categories: Wine Bars, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Fujita Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 6703 Park Ave West New York, NJ 07093
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Doctor's Cave Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 856 Marcy Ave Brooklyn, NY 11216
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Cafes, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#26. 5C Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 68 Ave C New York, NY 10009
- Categories: Cafes, American (New), Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Social House Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 60 Broadway Brooklyn, NY 11249
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Cafe Xochimilco
- Rating: 5.0/5 (12 reviews)
- Address: 3801 29th St Queens, NY 11101
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Techne Kafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (12 reviews)
- Address: 410 7th Ave Brooklyn, NY 11215
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Casita
- Rating: 5.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 318 11th St Brooklyn, NY 11215
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Wine Bars, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Alita Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 797 Grand St Brooklyn, NY 11211
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Beets Café
- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 142 Rockaway Ave Brooklyn, NY 11233
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Brooklyn Tea
- Rating: 5.0/5 (152 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 524 Nostrand Ave Brooklyn, NY 11216
- Categories: Tea Rooms, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Sun&Moon
- Rating: 5.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 41-53 53rd St Woodside, NY 11377
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Cafes, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Crave Burger Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 61 Baldwin Ave Jersey City, NJ 07306
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Philippe's Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: 306 Court St Brooklyn, NY 11231
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#15. All the King's Horses Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 521 E 12th St New York, NY 10009
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Babe & Al
- Rating: 5.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 2036 Bedford Ave Inside Ideal Supermarket Brooklyn, NY 11226
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Roast Cafe Bistro
- Rating: 5.0/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 3701 Park Ave Union City, NJ 07087
- Categories: Cafes, Bakeries, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Sippy Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 200 Franklin St Brooklyn, NY 11222
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Cups and Books
- Rating: 5.0/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 2024 Bedford Ave New York, NY 11226
- Categories: Cafes, Bookstores
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Lil' dove cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (17 reviews)
- Address: 589 Palisade Ave Jersey City, NJ 07307
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Café Calaca
- Rating: 5.0/5 (18 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 505 Franklin Ave Brooklyn, NY 11238
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Box Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 115 Palisade Ave Jersey City, NJ 07306
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, French
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Cafe Moca
- Rating: 5.0/5 (12 reviews)
- Address: 108 Central Ave Brooklyn, NY 11206
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Frisson Espresso
- Rating: 5.0/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 405 W 44th St New York, NY 10036
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Le Paris Dakar restaurant
- Rating: 5.0/5 (17 reviews)
- Address: 563 Nostrand Ave Brooklyn, NY 11216
- Categories: Creperies, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Black Milk Coffee and Crepe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 666 Franklin Ave Brooklyn, NY 11238
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Creperies, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Caffe Aronne
- Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 112 Greenwich Ave New York, NY 10011
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Seitan's Helper
- Rating: 5.0/5 (15 reviews)
- Address: 2 Morgan Ave Brooklyn, NY 11237
- Categories: Cafes, Delis, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Saint Michel Cafe and Food Art
- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 462 Irving Ave Brooklyn, NY 11237
- Categories: Cupcakes, Custom Cakes, Themed Cafes
- Read more on Yelp