Where to get your cawfee in Brooklyn

A sun-filled space with three skylights, a long attention-grabbing bar with lots of wood, concrete and plants. Named ‘Best Coffee Shop’ in America by Food & Wine, these coffee roasters make delicious coffee while supporting a sustainable business and taking care of their community. SEY is a gratuity-included operation, which means there is no tip jar.

At its peak, the Brooklyn Roasting Company had seven retail locations across NYC. Unfortunately, in October 2020, the company with its colorful logo that had been around since 2009, filed for bankruptcy. It’s unclear what happened but in 2021 they opened a brand new space in Brooklyn’s Navy Yard and, hopefully, will continue to serve their Fair Trade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance certified coffees in an unpretentious way to the colorful people of Brooklyn, where the company has its roots.

City of Saints roasts its coffee in a gritty Bushwick warehouse and serves delicious espressos to local artists and neighborhood regulars at a small bar in the front. On offer are the basics – espresso, filter, regular coffee and cold brew on tap, plus a few tea options and a homemade soda. Small plates come from Doughnut Plant, Roberta’s – the legendary pizza joint - and cookies from that great Bushwick bakery L’Imprimerie.

An unassuming plain storefront with a simple blue-and-white sign brings you to a small space with happy and friendly staff who serve a large variety of delicious coffee and espresso-based drinks in addition to a good selection of pastries and treats – including some vegan and gluten free. There’s not much space to hang out, so just grab your delicious goodies and go.

The carriage house of Parlor Coffee on the edge of the Brooklyn Navy Yard is open to the public only on Saturday and Sunday. They offer a takeout menu of espresso drinks, filter and iced coffees, a complete selection of their freshly roasted coffee, and home brewing gear. Go there to restock your supply or have a cup on the sidewalk out front. You’ll find more outdoor seating right across the street in the Navy Yard. You can also enjoy Parlor Coffee from the cute battery-powered Blank Street coffee carts that are now spread out all over the city.