Legit Coffee

Some years ago Starbucks had become such a behemoth that competing locations opened across the street from each other in lower Manhattan, and so it was that an older couple from a foreign country that escapes memory started “Mud Street Coffee” with the aim of taking back coffee from the Behemoth from the Upper Left. (By which I mean Starbucks, which is from the Northwest.)

Too bad street coffee sucks.

Last week found me in New York for work — and lots of “more please I’m jet lagged” espresso. I took the opportunity to investigate what appears to be a successful Northwest reinvasion, albeit a more understated, high quality type kind of reinvasion, featuring Seattle’s Caffe Vita and Portland’s Stumptown Coffee Roasters.

Day one had me headed to the Stumptown at the Ace Hotel (another new Portland institution) at 29th and Broadway, partly as a practical matter. My hotel was in midtown, and not having been in the city in ten years, I didn’t feel like dealing with the subways just yet.

The three-year old shop was a bit of a mixed bag for me, though possibly because the the vibe of the place — a strange blend of midtown suits and Portland hip, all in a bit of a physically awkward space that forced patrons to go into the hotel to sit down — wasn’t for me. On my first endeavor, I had a cappuccino with solid espresso but a thick layer of dense, overly sweet frothiness on top that took me by surprise. Subsequent macchiatos were smooth with a touch of chocolate, as they should be. Readers may be aware that I’m not a huge fan of Stumptown, but for those that are, I think you’ll be reasonably satisfied.

A slightly-out-of-focus Stumptown cappuccino in the lobby of the Ace Hotel.

By day two, I had a jones for some serious Seattle espresso — so much so that I took a cab to the brand-new Caffe Vita in SoHo, effectively paying thirty dollars for a cappuccino. My enthusiasm paid off. Low and behold, I walked in and there were Kelsey and John from Vita’s original Capitol Hill store, along with a roaster in the back of their tiny little shop on Ludlow Street. Kelsey pulled a great shot that to me was classic Vita: sharp, a touch sweet, and pleasantly strong. They’ve got a little bit to work out between the roasting, the new machine, and a spiffy new foaming tip, but they’re off to a good start. (Full disclosure: I got a couple free shots, apparently because Kelsey recognized me from Seattle. Also another barista hugged me. So I may be biased.)

Kelsey preparing espresso at the new SoHo Caffe Vita. Note roaster in the background.

The shop is pretty great, too. It’s tucked away on a side street a few blocks south of Houston Street — New Yorkers can take the M line to Delancey Street — and tiny, but with a cool little bar and a few seats in the window.

The view from Ludlow Street. Who is that strange man slouching in a three-piece suit?

Now, in fairness to Mud, I got it at some shop in the East Village where it had been sitting in a too-hot carafe for a while, and I had just come from Vita, so I was probably pretty predisposed against anything other than my one of my top-three favorite espressos in the world.

So, the Northwest may be taking over again, but before I close, I want to give a shout out to Birch Cafe in midtown, where I had a great latte with lunch Friday, and to the few other new shops that look like they’re giving serious coffee a go in The Big Apple. Keep it up!

P.S. Kelsey reports that the Echo Park, Los Angeles, Caffe Vita is due to open in six months or so! Hurray!

Tags: ace hotel, cappuccino, coffee, espresso, mud street, new york, soho, stumptown, vita