Do Not Feed Alligators

Do Not Feed Alligators grew out of a long form photography project by Swiss photographer David Shama, who spent years documenting road trips through the American South, including stretches of Florida's Alligator Alley, before the work became a 2019 photo book. The West Village cafe that later took the project's name channels that same slow, observational eye into a physical space built for lingering rather than working through a laptop.

Rotating single origin coffees come from a changing lineup of respected outside roasters rather than one house supplier. A heated backyard patio extends the room outward, and the space doubles as a natural wine and cocktail bar later in the day, closer in spirit to an upstate retreat than a typical Bleecker Street storefront.