It's on 1 of my list. Each entry below is what I wrote about it there, with my verdict on that list, the fullest first.
- Address224 West 20th Street
- From my guide, updated March 2026.
The Chelsea location (224 West 20th Street) is my favorite. Take the 1 to 23rd Street.
If you watched the show Girls, you’ve seen Cafe Grumpy. It’s where Hannah worked. That’s not why I go, though (okay, maybe it’s a little why I first went). I keep going because their coffee is consistently great. They roast their own beans at their facility in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and the quality shows. The drip coffee is always fresh and flavorful. The espresso drinks are solid across the board.
I also love that they have a strict no-laptop policy at some locations, which means people actually talk to each other. It feels like what a coffee shop is supposed to feel like.