Whynot Coffee, New York. Why not indeed!
New York City is high up on the coffee-culture list, so it’s no surprise an enthusiastic entrepreneur thought ‘why not open yet another coffee spot’? A thought that has paid off nicely. Whynot Coffee in the Lower East Side (LES) is big, busy, and the hottest new coffee spot in the area.
Sip away your weekends in the midst of local creative types, burgeoning literates working on their latest piece (I myself guilty), or those just catching up on a good read. However reading may be a bit of a challenge given the funky tunes filling the place. Currently Daft Punk and Pharrell are on the playlist, but I have been told the vintage turntable along the wall is fully functional and partial to blasting out an old skool record or two as well.
Given the size of the place (big by Manhattan standards), the atmosphere is surprisingly cosy. The mostly wooden décor makes it feel inviting and even a little ‘alpine ski lodge’ if you stretch your imagination. Although you probably wouldn’t find a life-size black sheep (not real) in a ski lodge, but there is one in here!
A note to hungry people, I wouldn’t call it a lunch spot, there’s no kitchen serving meals, but it’s got a great selection of pastries, cookies, and mini quiches to wash down with your coffee or tea. Or your wine or beer. Yes, alcohol is on the menu too, even cocktails for those in the mood. But today it’s a peppermint tea kind of day for me.
Whynot Coffee is in the LES – a definite ‘weekend wanderer’ area with all its boutique shops lining the gritty streets. This spot blends in well as a place to rest your weary legs but keep your vibe on a nice level. In fact they just opened up the mega-window doors that slide across the front, revealing us all to those weekend wanderers, and the slight chills of late winter, but I’m not going to complain as this indoor-outdoor approach is excellent for people-watching. One of my favourite pastimes. Ooo nice jacket! Black and white striped fake-fur just wandered past. A nice nod to the skunk and why not right? Skunks have style.
But anyway, back to coffee, tunes and art. Whynot Coffee have filled their walls with the later of those. Right now it’s a selection of pop-art style paintings – portraits of famous faces such as Kate Moss and David Bowie – by local Brooklyn artist Jeremy Penn. They’re really well done, and all for sale, so for a mere 8K-ish I could have one hanging in my own home. Another day maybe.
So if you find yourself in the LES and searching for a hip yet comfortable place for coffee – stop in here. If you’re lucky you might score the sofa seat and sink into it for hours, but hey, why not?
P.s.: There’s also a well established Whynot Coffee and Wine, at 14 Christopher St in the West Village, New York City. The older sister of this new spot, but equally worth a visit.
Whynot Coffee Lower East Side (LES) of New York City
Address: 175 Orchard St, New York
Neighbourhood: Lower East Side, New York
Website: check their Facebook page
Cheers from New York!
Heidi
Planning your trip to New York?
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Hotels in New York
Almost every week @yourlbb gets questions for hotel tips in New York. Very special and beautiful hotels are: 1) ACE hotel, 2) Crosby Street Hotel, 3) The Mondrian Soho, 4) The Jane, 5) The Nomad Hotel, 6) The Standard Hotel, 7) Thompson LES, 8) The Bowery Hotel, 9) The James Hotel, 10) The High Line Hotel. Hope there’s a hotel for you in this top-10 with hotels in New York!
Best books about NY!
Do you like to bring a paper city guide with you on a trip to NY? We selected the best travel guides to NY with unique tips just like we offer at Your Little Black Book: 1) New York Street Food, 2) Not For Tourists Guide To New York City, 3) The Stylist’s Guide To NYC, 4) 100% New York.
Also cool: get in the New York mood with the great cookbook ‘Recipes from The Big Apple‘. Love that book!
PS: more hotspots are in the New York Little Black Book. A city guide to New York with the best restaurants, shops and things to do. Always new addresses coming up so check out your online Little Black Book daily for the latest gems I spotted!
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