Cafe New York: A Short History of NYC Coffee Culture

Cafe New York culture is a mix of speed and tradition: a “regular” coffee from a bodega or street cart (in New York that means coffee with milk and sugar), a blue-and-white Greek-style paper cup, espresso and cannoli in Little Italy and long afternoons in Greenwich Village coffeehouses. Each piece grew out of a different wave of New Yorkers, from Wall Street brokers to Greek diner owners and Italian immigrants. Here is a short history of how NYC learned to drink coffee its own way.

From Wall Street coffeehouses to a city of commuters

Coffee arrived in New York in the colonial era, when coffeehouses served as places to trade news and do business, much like their London cousins. The most famous is the Tontine Coffee House on Wall Street, where brokers gathered in the 1790s after agreeing on rules for trading securities in 1792. That trading community grew into the New York Stock Exchange. For the bigger picture of how coffeehouses took root in the colonies, see our story of the first coffeehouse in America.

By the 20th century, New York had become a city of commuters, office workers and night shifts. Coffee had to be fast, cheap and available on every block. That need shaped almost everything that followed.

What “regular coffee” means in New York

Order a “regular” coffee in much of the country and you may get plain black coffee. Order one at a New York deli counter and you traditionally get coffee with milk (or cream) and sugar. The term is part of the city’s shorthand, along with “light and sweet” (extra milk, extra sugar) and “black” (nothing added).

The shorthand makes sense at a busy counter. A cashier can pour, add milk and sugar and snap on a lid in seconds, and the line keeps moving. If you prefer it unsweetened, just say so: “regular, no sugar” or “with milk only” works fine.

A quick NYC coffee-order glossary

Habits vary from counter to counter, so if you care about the details, spell them out.

Bodega coffee and coffee carts

Two institutions keep New York caffeinated before 9 a.m.

• The bodega: The corner store sells a bit of everything, and coffee is a constant. It is usually drip coffee brewed in large batches and poured from urns or carafes, paired with an egg sandwich or a buttered roll. It is not fancy, but it is fast, consistent and part of the neighborhood routine.
• The coffee cart: Stainless steel carts on Midtown and Downtown corners serve commuters coffee, bagels, muffins and pastries from early morning. Vendors often know their regulars’ orders by heart, and many customers never break stride.

The style of coffee here is diner-style: a medium roast, smooth and easy to drink with milk and sugar. If you like that flavor profile, a light-medium roast such as our Gourmet Donut Shop recreates it at home. Thinking of trying the cart life yourself? Read how to start a coffee cart business.

The Greek-style paper cup

No object says New York coffee like the blue-and-white paper cup with a Greek key border, amphora drawings and the words “We Are Happy to Serve You.” This is the Anthora, designed in the 1960s by Leslie Buck, a sales manager at the Sherri Cup company. Buck, a Czech-born immigrant, created it to appeal to the many Greek-owned coffee shops and diners in the city, borrowing the colors of the Greek flag. The name came from his pronunciation of “amphora.”

The design became a hit. Sherri sold hundreds of millions of the cups at its peak in the 1990s, and the Anthora became a film and TV shorthand for “this is New York.” After the Solo Cup Company bought Sherri in 2005, mass production slowed, but the design lives on in souvenirs and ceramic versions, and some delis still use Greek-themed cups. For the larger history of disposable cups, lids and sleeves, read our history of the coffee cup.

Little Italy espresso bars

While bodegas served drip coffee by the gallon, Italian immigrants in Lower Manhattan kept a different ritual alive: short espresso, cappuccino with foamed milk and a pastry at the counter. The pastry shops and cafés of Little Italy and the South Village introduced many New Yorkers to espresso decades before it went mainstream.

One survivor of that era is Caffe Reggio on MacDougal Street, opened in 1927 by Domenico Parisi. It is often described as one of the first places in America to serve cappuccino, and it still displays an ornate espresso machine dating from 1902 that Parisi bought when he opened. Its old-world look has made it a favorite location for filmmakers.

If you want to understand the rituals these cafés brought with them, our guide to Italian coffee rules covers how espresso is ordered and enjoyed in Italy.

Village coffeehouses: where coffee met culture

In the 1950s and 1960s, Greenwich Village coffeehouses became stages. Small basement rooms on MacDougal and Bleecker Streets hosted poets, comedians and folk singers, and audiences paid for a cup of coffee and a seat. The music side of that story is told in our coffeehouse music history.

Later, New York coffee showed up everywhere on screen, from cop-show stakeouts to the sitcom booth at Monk’s Café on Seinfeld, inspired by a real Manhattan diner.

How to make a New York regular at home

1. Brew a smooth medium roast in a drip machine: about 2 tablespoons (10 g) of ground coffee per 6 fl oz (180 ml) of water.
2. Add milk or cream: roughly 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) for a 12 oz (355 ml) cup, more for “light.”
3. Add sugar: start with 2 teaspoons (8 g) and adjust; New York counters tend to be generous.
4. Stir well and serve in a tall paper or ceramic cup.

Tips: A balanced medium roast keeps the cup sweet rather than bitter. Use fresh beans and brew just before drinking, because a regular is best hot.

Cafe New York FAQ

What is a regular coffee in New York?

In New York, a “regular” coffee traditionally means drip coffee with milk or cream and sugar. It is a counter shorthand, so if you want it unsweetened, ask for “regular, no sugar.”

Who designed the New York Greek coffee cup?

The Anthora cup was designed by Leslie Buck for the Sherri Cup company in the 1960s. He made it blue and white with Greek motifs to appeal to the Greek-owned diners and coffee shops that were common in the city.

Where did espresso first become popular in New York?

Italian neighborhoods such as Little Italy and the South Village were early centers of espresso culture. Caffe Reggio, opened on MacDougal Street in 1927, is often cited as one of the first American cafés to serve cappuccino.

What kind of coffee do bodegas serve?

Bodegas typically serve drip coffee brewed in large batches, often a medium roast. It is designed to be quick, affordable and good with milk and sugar.

Your own cafe New York morning

New York coffee culture is about having your order down and your cup ready. For a classic regular, try our smooth Gourmet Donut Shop or the everyday Breakfast Blend. Prefer the Little Italy route? Our bold Italian Roast makes a strong, full-bodied espresso. Every Feel Espresso order is roasted 1–5 days before delivery, so your cup tastes fresh from the first sip.