As 40-degree days start to become 20-degree days, coffee starts to serve a second purpose. Not only does coffee keep us college students awake, but cafés also become places to drink something warm and sit somewhere warm.

The obvious crucial element to a café is its coffee. I bought a cappuccino at Joe the Art of Coffee for the first time in a while; I had forgotten how delicious their coffee is. Joe started to gain its credibility a little over year ago when magazines and newspapers began to praise it as the best. Many places to get good coffee nearby (Gimme! Coffee, Oren’s, etc.) don’t offer a place to get out of the winter weather. Joe, on the other hand, has two small locations near NYU buildings (13th Street between 5th and University; and Waverly just west of 6th Ave) with cramped, but warm, indoor seating. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t see a lot of NYU students with Joe Coffee; yet every time I stop by for a cup, the café is always packed.

In my opinion, the best part of Joe is that they actually serve their coffee in real mugs (if ordered to stay), which is hard to find these days. It keeps the coffee warmer and avoids unnecessary waste. Also, if you are someone that cares more about what your food looks like then what it tastes like, you might be pleasantly surprised. All the baristas add some art to their lattes, cappuccino, etc. with a heart or flower shaped into the foam.

Joe feels like an authentic coffee place that cares about what it does best—brew coffee.

Joe the Art of Coffee
141 Waverly Place
-And-
9 East 13th Street
Monday-Friday 7am-8pm
Saturday, Sunday 8am-8pm

Photos by Max Zorick