Breakfast at Tiffany's: Coffee and a Pastry on Fifth Avenue

The Breakfast at Tiffany's coffee moment is the film’s opening scene: at dawn, Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly steps out of a cab on an empty Fifth Avenue, pulls a pastry and a paper cup of coffee from a bag and has her breakfast while gazing into the windows of Tiffany & Co. at 727 Fifth Avenue. Decades later, the store gave fans a real way to have breakfast at Tiffany’s with its Blue Box Cafe. At home, all you need to recreate the scene is a hot coffee, a Danish and a little early-morning glamour.

Here is the story behind the scene, the real café inside the Fifth Avenue flagship, a few notes on New York coffee, and an easy breakfast to make yourself.

The Breakfast at Tiffany’s Opening Scene

Breakfast at Tiffany’s was released in 1961. Directed by Blake Edwards and based on Truman Capote’s 1958 novella, it stars Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, a charming New York socialite with a mysterious past, and George Peppard as her writer neighbor, Paul.

The film opens at dawn, looking down Fifth Avenue from 57th Street. A yellow cab stops in front of Tiffany’s. Holly, in a black evening gown, pearls and sunglasses, steps out with a paper bag. While “Moon River,” the song by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer, plays, she eats a pastry and sips coffee from a takeout cup in front of the display windows before wandering home.

The scene is wordless, and it tells you a lot: Holly finds comfort in Tiffany’s, a place where, as she later explains, nothing bad can happen to you. Coffee and a pastry on the sidewalk are her simple, slightly lonely ritual.

A fun behind-the-scenes detail

According to an AARP retrospective citing a 1960 New York Times report, Hepburn did not care for the Danish she had to eat on camera, and preferred ice cream. Movie magic, indeed.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s Coffee Today: The Blue Box Cafe

For decades, “breakfast at Tiffany’s” was only a figure of speech, because the jeweler did not serve food. That changed in November 2017, when Tiffany & Co. opened the Blue Box Cafe on the fourth floor of its Fifth Avenue flagship, as part of a redesigned home and accessories floor. The menu included breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea in the brand’s signature robin’s-egg blue setting.

The flagship later closed for a major renovation and reopened in 2023 as “The Landmark.” The renovated Blue Box Cafe is overseen by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, who has said the menu draws inspiration from Holly Golightly’s daydreams outside the window.

• Where: inside Tiffany & Co.’s flagship at Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, Manhattan.
• Plan ahead: the café has used reservations, and demand can be high.
• Check first: menus, hours and booking rules change, so look at the official site before you go.

Feel Espresso is not affiliated with Tiffany & Co., the film or its studio.

A Quick Guide to New York Coffee

Holly’s takeout cup is a very New York choice. The city has always loved coffee on the move. A few things that define coffee in Manhattan:

For a deeper look at why coffee is such a big part of American life, read our article on why Americans drink coffee.

Recipe: A Holly Golightly Breakfast at Home

This original, just-for-fun breakfast is inspired by the opening scene. It serves one dreamer.

The coffee

• 0.5 oz (15 g) medium-ground coffee, about 3 tablespoons
• 8 fl oz (240 ml) water at about 200°F (93°C)
• Optional: 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk and 1 tsp (4 g) sugar, New York “regular” style

1. Brew the coffee in a drip machine, pour-over or French press.
2. Pour into a takeout-style cup with a lid for authenticity, or a fine china cup for Tiffany’s elegance.
3. Add milk and sugar if you like it regular.

The pastry

• A cheese, fruit or almond Danish, warmed for 3–4 minutes at 325°F (160°C)
• Or a croissant, if Danish is not your thing (Hepburn would understand)

Style tips

• Serve it on a windowsill at sunrise.
• Sunglasses optional but encouraged.
• Play “Moon River” softly in the background.

Bonus: A Just-for-Fun “Blue Box” Latte

Want a drink that matches the famous blue? This original recipe uses butterfly pea flower tea, which brews a naturally deep blue color. It is caffeine free and not coffee, so it is a fun afternoon option.

Ingredients (1 drink, about 10 fl oz / 300 ml)

• 1 tbsp (about 2 g) butterfly pea flower tea
• 4 fl oz (120 ml) hot water
• 6 fl oz (180 ml) milk or oat milk
• 1–2 tsp (5–10 ml) honey or vanilla syrup

Steps

1. Steep the tea in hot water for 5 minutes, then strain.
2. Stir in the honey or syrup.
3. Heat and froth the milk, then pour it over the tea. The color turns into a soft blue.
4. Do not add lemon unless you want a surprise: acidity turns butterfly pea tea purple.

Want a coffee-based treat instead? Our vanilla latte with homemade syrup is a perfect elegant breakfast drink.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s Coffee FAQ

What does Holly Golightly eat in Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

In the opening scene, Holly eats a Danish pastry and drinks coffee from a paper cup while looking into Tiffany’s windows on Fifth Avenue. The scene takes place at dawn.

Can you actually have breakfast at Tiffany’s?

Yes. Tiffany & Co. opened the Blue Box Cafe at its Fifth Avenue flagship in 2017, and the café returned under chef Daniel Boulud after the store reopened as The Landmark in 2023. Check the official site for current reservations and menus.

Where was the Breakfast at Tiffany’s opening scene filmed?

It was filmed on location outside Tiffany & Co. at 727 Fifth Avenue, at the corner of 57th Street in Manhattan. The store still stands on the same corner.

Is Breakfast at Tiffany’s based on a book?

Yes. The 1961 film is based on Truman Capote’s 1958 novella of the same name, though the movie changes several elements of the story.

Your Own Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Breakfast at Tiffany’s coffee is about turning a simple cup into a moment of glamour. Start with beans that deserve it: every Feel Espresso order is roasted 1–5 days before delivery. Try our smooth Breakfast Blend for your Fifth Avenue sunrise, our Butterfly Blue tea for a just-for-fun blue latte, or our French Vanilla coffee for a sweet treat with your Danish.