Gregorys Coffee — Restaurant in Greenwich

Gregory's Coffee sits in an interesting spot in the crowded coffee market—somewhere between your neighborhood indie shop and Starbucks. Founded by Gregory Zamfotis in 2006 with a single Manhattan location, the chain has quietly grown to over 50 stores across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington D.C.

Zamfotis grew up working in his father's various food businesses around NYC—delis, coffee shops, pizza places. Despite having law and business degrees, he ditched corporate life to chase the third-wave coffee boom. His bet was simple: people wanted quality coffee but didn't always have 20 minutes to wait for the perfect pour-over. Gregory's would bridge that gap.

The family-run operation reflects this practical approach. His father handles real estate and buildouts, while his sisters manage marketing, design, and menu development. Gregory himself still visits 5-6 locations daily, often jumping behind the register.

Walking into Gregory's feels deliberately designed. Clean white spaces with geometric floor tiles, strategic plant placement, and motivational digital displays saying things like "SEES THE DAY." Their logo—Gregory's curly hair and glasses rendered as a minimalist icon—appears everywhere from moss walls to coffee cups. It's Instagram-ready without trying too hard.

The coffee program centers around AeroPress brewing, single-origin rotations, and house-made syrups. Food ranges from traditional pastries to CBD lattes and plant-based breakfast sandwiches. They roast four days a week in their Long Island City facility.

Gregory's has raised $16.2M and generates an estimated $35-51M annually with around 200 employees. Recent expansion has accelerated through a partnership with Simon Property Group, allowing them to quickly backfill former coffee operations in premium mall locations.

The pandemic actually highlighted their strengths. While Manhattan CBD locations struggled, their small Brooklyn shop became their top performer. Their early investment in mobile ordering and app-based loyalty proved prescient.

Success hasn't come without problems. In March 2025, their former VP of HR filed a discrimination lawsuit against the company and Zamfotis, alleging workplace hostility and pay disparities affecting Black women employees. Employee reviews reveal complaints about favoritism, understaffing, and inconsistent management. Only 45% of employees would recommend working there.

Gregory's competes directly with Starbucks on convenience while undercutting on price. Unlike many specialty chains that went full-premium, they've maintained accessibility. Their "Gregulars" loyalty base appreciates the consistency—baristas often know regular orders by heart.

Gregory's Coffee represents an interesting middle path: family-owned but professionally operated, quality-focused but efficiency-minded, personal but scalable. Their growth strategy through mall partnerships could accelerate expansion, though maintaining culture and addressing workplace issues will be critical.

For customers, Gregory's delivers on its core promise—good coffee, fast service, reasonable prices. Whether they can scale that experience while resolving internal challenges will determine if they become a regional fixture or...

I have had happy times at this shop. All of the people who work here are kind, helpful and interested in each customer. I have had phone troubles and Sophia helped me as if she were an off duty Genius Bar employee. My phone was freed from cyber hell. Another Sophia was attentive and kind to the other customers. I left my phone their on another whole occasion Diego found me a block away and gave me back my phone. Now I know Jackson. He made me the best match I have ever had. Jackson’s happiness when I told him how I loved my drink was so adorable. And now I know Orlando and what a manager he is. The employees respect him and love that he is kind and calm. His love of fun is felt by them too. He works hard and follow his example. I tied to get a gift card. Orlando tried to make this possible. There was a definite problem that Orlando jumped through hoops to fix. He called various techy support but no dice. He put my app on my phone and I love it. Orlando is a perfect person to have this job. Personable City. I will be so happy to go to Gregory’s again. This one for sure. Thank you all and Gregory‼️‼️‼️☕️☕️🎶👀🙏🙏🥰 🕶...

Food and drinks are great, but the issue lies with the staff's attitude towards customers. There’s a noticeable difference when I order for pickup via Uber Eats; they prepare everything thoughtfully and even include a little note. In contrast, when I order through Gregory's app, they place everything in a takeout tray for the drinks and only use a bag if I specifically request one.

When I asked for a bag, they rudely informed me that I already had one, even though I explained that it was difficult for me to carry all of the coffee I ordered. If it's their policy not to provide bags for drinks ordered through the app, I would have been willing to pay for one. However, the staff's attitude was uncalled for in that situation. Also, even when I place a specific pickup time, they sometimes take longer than expected, causing me to be late for work.

It’s not the first time this has happened from the same location, and this makes me reluctant to return and place...