Food
Best Cup of Coffee
71 Irving Place Coffee & Tea Bar
71 Irving Place
212-995-5252
To survive the perpetually percolating onslaught of the Seattle superchain, an independent coffee bar needs a rabidly loyal clientele and an exceptional product. This cozy little café has both. Owner Stephen Leven is so obsessed with coffee that he roasts 71's beans on his Hudson Valley farm, and brews two different blends every day (plus flavored and decaf). That gives regulars the chance to experience the aromatic nuances of organic Indonesian Sumatra Mandheling, winey Ethiopian Yrgacheffe, and the signature Irving Farm blend. We also applaud Pret A Manger, the London-based sandwich chain (several Manhattan locations), for enlisting third-generation Ozone Park coffee roaster Dallis Brothers to custom-blend its house "smooth" and "dark" roasts.
