Ninth Street Espresso Avenue C

Ninth Street Espresso on Avenue C is the original shop of a New York name that has been serving espresso since 2001, when it opened as Higher Grounds Cafe and took its current name two years later. The founders put manual espresso service on a Faema E61 machine at a time when that was rare in the city, and the room is still small, with plant filled windows, a picture window over a community garden and a tight menu, while benches line the sidewalk outside on warm days.

The company roasts its own coffee, aiming for cups that are round and approachable without being dull, and describes its shops as a sanctuary from the day. This is the place to come for a quick, well pulled espresso on the way to the river. It is open every day from seven in the morning to seven in the evening.