The Best Places to Enjoy Coffee in Harlem
- The Curious Uptowner
- May 21
- 5 min read
Harlem's coffee scene continues to flourish, meaning these days you're rarely far from a spot serving excellent specialty coffee.
Most don't just offer java, but destination-worthy menu items like handmade doughnuts and organic ginger juice—and even outdoor seating on a historic avenue.
Two on this list are even bona fide roasters, with roasting machines on site.
Here's where to find them all, from south to north:
East Harlem
129E E 102nd St and Lexington Ave
The name doesn't lie—the owners are two French expats serving up a wide variety of coffee and fresh pastries, plus treats like macarons.
232 E 111th St between Second and Third Aves
Open since 2021, this Italian roastery—the blue Probat roaster is right behind the seating area—fills a 4,000-square-foot space offering everything from espressos to Chemex pour-overs. There's also breakfast, lunch and gelato.
156 E 117th St between Third and Lexington Aves
Be sure to pair your expertly-prepared coffee with this takeout spot's huge, handmade doughnuts.
85 E 125th St and Park Ave
The dream of two entrepreneurial brothers from Guinea, this stylish and spacious cafe right next to the Metro North station features coffee and ginjan, an invigorating ginger juice from West Africa.
Central Harlem — Below 125th Street
137 W 116th St between Lenox Ave and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd
This pocket-sized spot serves up espressos, lattes and more made with beans from a range of roasters, including local brand Plowshares. Home brewers will find a nice selection of beans, too.
151 Lenox Ave between W 117th and W 118th Sts
A French sandwich shop that's also a solid destination for lattes and croissants. Grab a seat in the back or out on the sidewalk.
171 Lenox Ave between W 118th and W 119th Sts
Choose from traditional or modern chais—iced Kashmiri chai, anyone?—and pair it with a house-made samosa or tahini loaf at this creative new Pakistani cafe on Lenox.
1965 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd between W 118th and W 119th Sts
Featuring a tropical forest-like canopy and tree-shaped bookshelf inspired by the owners' native Venezuela, this unique cafe offers a wide variety of great coffee, from lattes with animal foam art to expertly made pour-overs. Yes, there's outdoor seating, too.
2194 Frederick Douglass Blvd between W 118th and W 119th Sts
This Harlem favorite fills up quickly on the weekends but also has plenty of sidewalk seating plus a peaceful back patio.
189 Lenox between W 119th and W 120th Sts
Located on one of the prettiest stretches of historic Lenox Avenue, with a roomy sidewalk patio where you can watch the people go by.
Central Harlem — Above 125th Street
60 W 129th St between Fifth and Lenox Aves
This rapidly-expanding coffee chain that grows and roasts its beans on a farm in Puerto Rico—787 refers to the island's area code—opened in the old Lenox Coffee space at the tail end of 2022. Yes, there's wifi.
420 Malcolm X Blvd and W 131st St
Musette Wine Bar is also a cozy daytime cafe (7am-3pm) serving all your favorite espresso-based drinks, plus chais and matcha lattes.
2259 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd and 133rd St
This stylish corner cafe from chef Elhadji Cisse of Ponty Bistro is one of the neighborhood’s newer all-day spots for coffee, French pastries, warm sandwiches and a whole lot more.
2620 Frederick Douglass Blvd and W 140th St
Located steps from historic Strivers' Row, this cozy corner coffee shop serves Illy-based coffees, a selection of hot sandwiches, pastries and more. There's also covered sidewalk seating.
142 Edgecombe Ave and W 142nd St
Need a break from your WFH situation? This inviting corner coffee shop has wifi, plenty of seating options, plus huge windows facing the street, meaning there's plenty of light to go with your cup of joe. A second outpost opened in Hamilton Heights in 2022 (see below).
2754 Frederick Douglass Blvd and W 146th St
The second location of this Black- and woman-owned coffee and lifestyle shop has the same minimalist vibe as the original on Amsterdam, only with much more space—and a barber shop/braiding salon in the back.
2801 Frederick Douglass Blvd and W 149th St
A true neighborhood coffee-and-pastry spot with plenty of natural light and indoor seating.
26 Macombs Pl and W 150th St
This stylish, plant-filled coffee shop by day (it turns into a bar/restaurant later in the day) also has a south-facing sidewalk patio, compete with pretty plants.
West Harlem/Hamilton Heights
409 W 125th Street between Morningside and Amsterdam Aves
From the team that runs Harlem bakery Make My Cake right next door, this smalll but sunny java joint serves up lattes and other espresso-based drinks featuring minority-owned roasters. This is the place to pair your brew with a freshly-made French toast muffin or cinnamon bun.
1351 Amsterdam Ave between W 125th and W 126th Sts
A sleek mix of blonde wood furniture and poured concrete floors, this 3,500-square-foot coffee shop roasts its own beans on premises.
611 W 129th St between Broadway and 12th Ave
One of the greenest coffee shops in Harlem—literally: There's a huge tree growing in the middle of this atrium-like space on Columbia's Manhattanville campus. Seating is plentiful, including outdoor bistro tables and public benches in the peaceful plaza right in front.
West Harlem 1608 Amsterdam Ave between W 139th and W 140th Sts
Beloved neighborhood Italian spot Fumo has opened this stylish sister space just one block over, serving espresso-based drinks during the day and wine and charcuterie in the evening.
410 W 145th St between Convent and St. Nicholas Aves
Get coffee, pastries and more in the below-street-level cafe just steps from the 145th Street subway station on St. Nicholas Ave.
1707 Amsterdam Ave between W 144th and W 145th Sts
A small gem of a cafe and shop serving not just espresso-based drinks and pastries but home and beauty items by POC- and women-owned brands.
3610 Broadway between 148th and 149th Streets
This perennially popular basement coffee shop with a Victorian vibe also has a peaceful back patio.
Sugar Hill 761 St. Nicholas Ave between W 148th and W 149th Sts
Located at the base of a historic Sugar Hill townhouse, this locally-owned coffee shop offers espresso-based drinks featuring Afficionado coffee and Colson pastries.
1850 Amsterdam Ave between W 151st and W 152nd Sts
Manhattanville's second outpost—a roomy, open-to-the-public cafe with calming blue walls and plenty of power outlets—is located inside co-working space The Harlem Collective.
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