9th St Espresso

Minimalist is the word. And the word is good.

We managed to find 9th St Espresso around 5 o'clock at the Tompkins Square location and, just like the logo, this place is sparse! 

9th St. Espresso Logo

They proudly displayed their A rating and Zagat recommendation. Their only splash of color in a black, white, and chrome world coming from a framed coffee flavor wheel and one piece of art. 

Wheel. Of. Flavor!

Barista Doin' Her Thang

Even the blackboard menu contained only six items. There were people scattered around the interior, quietly reading or working on their computers (Be warned- the wi-fi is free, the seat is not.) The Smiths played quietly in the background. The barista was a study in Parisian cool in a black t-shirt, jeans, a black crochet barret, and a single braid casually thrown over one shoulder. I expected a mime to appear at any moment.


Other than the slight over-the-top atmosphere, I was pleasantly surprised by this place! I ordered a macchiato and the foam art was beautiful. The flavor was quite nice too! I tried sipping it straight, without sugar, and while it was a little too bitter to last for long, it was surprisingly smooth with very little sourness, or acidity, to it! Once I added a little sugar, it was perfect!

Yummy Macchiato!

It seems like a great place to go to enjoy a bit of quiet and caffeine. I loved the tin ceiling tiles and (for all you native New Yorkers) the bathroom was fully stocked and pristine. (A true Rare Find in New York City.) I also bought some Alphabet City Roast, ground perfectly for my pour-over. Again, a little bitter, but I'm trying to branch away from my beloved French roast and Columbia Finca. I think with a little tinkering, I could come to love it. As I found out in my Cupping Lab, there's no wrong way, it's all about your personal preference and what you enjoy. I usually like mine rich with a lot of milk and a little sugar, but I've found that for me the Alphabet City blend tastes best with my usual sugar and just a splash of milk.

Display O'Stuff

Their baked goods are from Balthazar Bakery, but, being late in the day, I was a little afraid to try any. I think if they had had more in their case, I would have been a little more tempted to try. As it was, the cookies looked cold and lonely in their half-filled case. Maybe next time.

Lonely Cookies

Over-all, the atmosphere wasn't really my style, but it might be worth it to go back just for the great coffee and space to think.