When you see a crowd of attractive Villagers flocking to a coffee zone sans wi-fi at all hours of the day, you must wonder how good the coffee actually is. After several visits I have to give my two thumbs up to Joe - The Art of Coffee, a Greenwich Village treat with three locations, including my favorite — located at the corner of Waverly and Gay Streets.

I first rolled into the small corner shop one late morning, slighty unkept from the (oh-so-fun) night before and craving a sweet little pick-me-up. Before I had even entered the door, I passed a very attractive blonde hipster who had just pulled up in his candy apple red Vespa. After exchanging smiles with him, I brushed past a cute downtowner, who was lounging on one of the two outside benches in a beautiful summer dress with her flip flopped feet propped up, an oversized cappuccino at her feet. The shop is very small, just a few wooden tables scattered here and there, but almost always filled with people reading or chatting to each other under the large front windows overlooking Waverly. After a surprisingly short wait in the long line, I was greeted, and rushed, by a cute coffee girl behind the counter. I stepped back outside, sipped my just-made piping hot cup of Joe (with two Splendas) and sat down to read on this sun-soaked morning.

Needless to say, after that wonderful visit, I decided to go back again. And again. And again. I think it is the atmosphere that brings me back everytime, but the coffee, including lattes with artful designs in the foam, is excellent and the small menu appropriate. Sweet muffins, cookies, and biscotti’s make great add-ons to the beverage menu. My personal favorite is their bagels, they are always freshly toasted, with their strawberry jelly. I never cease to spot a Gyllenhaal or meet an interesting person. And with New Yorkers finally awakening from winter hibernation, Joe’s might be a great place to venture out and enjoy the sight of a beautiful Manhattan afternoon.

141 Waverly Place at Sixth Avenue
B/D/F/V or A/C/E to West 4th Street
Weekdays 7am-8pm
Weekends 8am-8pm
212.924.6750

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This entry was posted on Thursday, May 3rd, 2007 at 1:10 am and is filed under New York City, Village, Fun. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.