Culture Espresso Penn Station

Culture Espresso's West 36th Street shop is a small, richly decorated cafe near Penn Station, with ornate patterned wallpaper, warm lighting and a calm that feels a long way from the neighborhood's bustle. The company has been serving espresso in the Garment District since 2009, and its founding idea borrowed from Australian coffee bars, a Midtown shop with a Brooklyn style feel.

House baked cookies, served warm, are a signature at every Culture shop, and the company sells them through its own site as well. Pastries and iced drinks sit beside the espresso bar. Hours run from seven in the morning to seven in the evening on weekdays and from eight to five at the weekend.