Best Coffee in Brooklyn Heights Open Thread #3

By on November 2, 2010 3:48 pm in Food

The coffee “war” in Brooklyn Heights is always evolving as our BCOTs of the past show.  The first, in 2007, featured votes for the now defunct Busy Chef and hope for its sister store, the short lived Uncommon Grounds.  Last year,  a healthy debate raged over neighborhood staples such as Cranberries and some of those new fangled joints over in Cobble Hill.  So, what’s the java landscape like in 2010?  Comment away!

Share this Story:

  • Peter

    Great thread! For me, at least up until now, the Iris Cafe rules the ‘hood coffee landscape, although I anxiously await other coffee suggestions.

  • Victor

    It’s either Iris Cafe or Crop to Cup for me in the Heights, although the atmosphere at both bother me a bit. Crop to Cup with its extreme musty odor. The coffee is great though. Iris Cafe is too crowded now with screaming children. I would probably say my favorite at the moment is Ecopolis on Smith Street, although it is Cobble Hill. Good staff. Place has a sleek look and the wait is never insane.

  • harumph

    duh. Iris.

  • Monty

    Maybe separate categories for regular coffee vs espresso drinks? Tazza@Clark St is very inconsistent for coffee, but espresso drinks are great. I had several terrible cups of coffee from Iris when the first opened, but gave them a second chance recently and was pretty impressed. I like the organic coffee from Siggy’s once a while especially when paired with a vegan chocolate brownie (I’m not vegetarian or a hippie, it’s just good). In reality, Starbucks is still my go-to spot.

  • tonka

    starbucks sucks. pedlar on court street sells stumptown coffee and it is superb. tazza is ok. cranberry’s is mediocre but still beats starbucks.

  • Matthew Parker

    If restaurants also count, River Deli on Joralemon and the new Breukelen on Clinton St in Cobble Hill serve very good coffee.

    I’m also down with Iris, Pedlar, and of course, my own made at home (usually Stumptown Hair Bender, or the Italian Espresso blend obtained from Porto Rico Trading Co. in Soho).

  • itsme

    You can’t always find a seat, and there’s sometimes a line on weekends, but PEDLAR is absolutely the best latte in town. Always prepared with care, super delicious, and nice and strong. Add a buttered pretzel to the mix, and I’m in heaven. Tazza is ok if you want a place to sit down, but the coffee can’t hold a candle to Pedlar. I also tried Karloff a couple weeks ago, but wasn’t blown away. I think that place has an identity crisis.

  • carl

    Believe it or not, the new “bodega” on the corner of Montague and Hicks has great coffee! Try it!

  • http://smdlr.com smdlr

    In my opinion, Pedlar is rather awesome as well. I like how previous commenters mention how they like coffee shops for specific things – I’m a sucker for a great latte at any indie coffee shop.

    And, for those that love coffee and coffee shops, check out http://www.smdlr.com – a new site launching documenting coffee shop culture. Live site previews and raffles at its launch party in Park Slope at Red Horse Cafe November 10th 8-11 EST. Join us for a cup of coffee.

    smdlr

  • Heightser

    I go to Tazza on Clark almost every day. I love the atmosphere – neighborhood owned and operated and the food is great.

    The coffee could be soooo much better though. Beans need to be darker and richer and stronger brewed.

    I will still go, but there is way better coffee out there.

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    I start every morning on the bench outside Cranberries and watch the sun rise in the East. The sun hits Cranberries benches perfectly around 11:00 AM in the winter months and summertime around 7:00AM. The mid size is perfect and the free coffee card makes it affordable. Plus, Jim is a neighborhood icon.

    If I’m into going for a longer stroll from the North Heights, Cafe Pedlar is very good. I didn’t realize the secret was out on that place.

    Lastly, the Cafe’ Au Lait Lenti at Starbucks on Montague is fine by me on occasion. I usually take it down to the promenade and read The Times as I sip via a “sip lid”. One turnoff of Starbucks is the characters that seem to make a home hanging around. It possibly is too comfortable and therefore attracts some seedy characters. UGH

  • Anonymous

    What do people think of Crumbs coffee? I like it. Not the greatest ever, but pretty good. My almost-daily coffee. As far as “fancy” coffee, when I have time and desire, I like Cafe Pedlar also. But somewhere in the hood (or cobble hill) I recently had la colombe coffee, which i love, but i can’t remember where that was! Anyone know?

  • coffee and cream

    I love the Gorilla coffee shop on 5th ave. The coffee is srong and bold taste.

  • nabeguy

    Karl, you make Cranberry’s bench your morning home….but you add class to the place. Jimbo should pay you to sit out there every day.

  • ABC

    Crumbs coffee is really good and always a seat in the morning.

    There are better — I’m a Pedlar fan too — but it’s been a nice surprise.

  • DAISY

    Amy Weiss’s coffee is the best coffee In Brooklyn Heights! It’s sheer ROCKET FUEL!

  • http://www.dishonestapparel.com tap

    Have to give props to Cafe Pedlar as well. The single best Latte I’ve ever had was manufactured behind the counter of that cafe. Amazing.

    Tazza is a consistent disappointment, although I do enjoy the atmosphere.

    Props to Iris as well. At first I had issues with their coffee, but lately it’s been spot on.

    Go get yourself Gingerbread Coffee from Trader Joe’s and brew it up for the holidays…quite nice!

  • Zheights

    I wish Pedlar was closer, it’s great! No real good options in the Heights … I didn’t love Iris when I went there. The coffee was meh and the food was meh too. I felt overcharged to boot.

  • David on Middagh

    I’m not an every-day coffee drinker, but I do like Connecticut Muffin’s hazelnut and their mocha.

  • Laura

    Doe people here really think the swill they serve at Cranberry’s is good coffee?

  • gozno

    How did Cranberry’s and Tazza get on this list??? Worst coffee ever.

    The only good espresso in the neighborhood worth mentioning is:
    Iris
    Pedlar
    Crop to Cup

    The others are not even passable. Starbucks is ok, but only for drip.

  • jason

    can’t really go wrong with any of the following…

    pedlar (serving stumptown) — macchiato + pecan sandy = life
    stumptown roastery in red hook for all my nerds (no espresso)
    crop to cup — great ethic, good coffee
    ecopolis (serving pt’s) — drip is excellent + maple bacon scone
    black gold (serving rook)