As part of Snack Store sequence, Annie Arriaga investigates the most recent and best viral snack outlets in New York Metropolis to see if the hype is actual, if the snacks are yummy, and if the spot is underrated, overrated, or completely rated.
You’ve heard of a bar crawl, however what a couple of espresso crawl? One of many many lovely issues about New York Metropolis is that there are espresso outlets on each nook, each with its personal particular vibe, specialty drink, and ambiance. After I heard Audrey Finnochario was coming from Rhode Island to shoot with us, I proposed we go on a espresso crawl by way of a few of Manhattan’s most internet-popular espresso creations (with the Nitro Bar queen herself) to benefit from her go to to the Massive Apple.
I curated an inventory of the three espresso outlets I see most on TikTok that have been strolling distance from one another: ENLY, Hungry Llama, and Aimé Leon Dore. Right here’s a recap of the crawl and our ideas on all of the completely different coffees we tried.
The Snacks
We first began at ENLY in Nolita. ENLY is understood for his or her tiramisu latte: an iced latte topped with a thick chilly foam layer made with mascarpone and cinnamon. It was a wet day and the comfortable environment inside the espresso store was good. We ordered two tiramisu lattes and watched because the barista, Andrew (who’s a giant Nitro Bar fan), piped the creamy chilly foam on prime of the lattes. One of the simplest ways to start out the day.
Audrey and I each cherished this one. It’s extremely decadent, thick, and stuffed with taste that completely encapsulates the style of tiramisu. The espresso taste was a bit overshadowed by the mascarpone, however who doesn’t like a espresso that tastes like dessert? This one was a ten/10 and Audrey stated it was completely rated.
Subsequent, we made our means west to Hungry Llama, an enormous espresso store with tons of seating and folks co-working. That they had a full lunch menu and the place was packed, however we have been there for one factor: their whipped honey fluff latte. Visually much like ENLY’s tiramisu latte, it’s clear that , flavored chilly foam performs some position in going viral (or at the least getting clients to take movies of baristas making the flowery drinks). The whipped honey is, clearly, a lot lighter than the thickness of the mascarpone tiramisu topping.
Audrey and I agreed this was a drink we’d each attain for extra often, although it lacked the thrilling taste depth of the opposite. The espresso additionally got here by way of extra, which is at all times good.
Our third and remaining cease was speculated to be Rhythm Zero for his or her coconut americano, however they have been closed, so we headed to Aimé Leon Dore (which is simply nearly as good). Aimé Leon Dore is a luxurious vogue retailer with a stunning exterior and a tiny, stylish espresso store hooked up by way of a separate door. They’re identified for his or her Freddo cappuccino, which is actually a Greek iced espresso. I’ve at all times wished to do that and it was a welcome change from the chilly foam frenzy of the opposite stops on the crawl. The fluffy, gentle milk being poured on prime of darkish roast espresso was nonetheless aesthetically pleasing, and seemed promising. The barista instructed us to swirl the drink in a sure solution to get the milk fluff and espresso to combine for the complete expertise.
This was essentially the most espresso-forward drink of the crawl. Audrey talked in regards to the particular roast of the espresso having fruity, tangy notes—a differentiation we could not make on the primary two. The drink was sturdy and fluffy, gentle, one thing I’d need to make at residence within the lifeless of summer season to chill off however nonetheless get some caffeine. I believe I’m formally a fan of Greek espresso!
Our crawl was such a blast and now I’m tempted to design extra to seek out the opposite “best-ofs” within the metropolis like chocolate chip cookies, matcha, perhaps even tiramisu (not espresso flavored like tiramisu although).
For those who’re studying this and you’ve got a suggestion for a Snack Store within the metropolis that I need to go to and (truthfully) fee, depart a remark right here or on our Snack Store TikTok video. I like solutions!
