Empire Coffee & Tea — Restaurant in Hoboken

We recently stayed in NYC near the Port Authority and tried several coffee shops in the area including Empire Coffee & Tea Emporium on 9th Avenue.

Interestingly, this seems to be first a retail shop for purchasing coffee and tea. There are bags of beans of a variety of origins you will spot as soon as you walk in the door. Towards the back is a coffee station manned by barista just like you'd find in a traditional coffeeshop. In front are a 3-4 colourful park like circular tables and chairs, for those who want to enjoy a coffee drink and bite to eat in the shop.

During our visit we tried a double espresso and double maccihato. The doppio wasn't great, a weak, light taste. Not sure what bean or origin they were using but this didn't work very well. Maccihato was better but still not great. Perhaps we visited on a off morning and were just unlucky as others seem to have really liked coffee drinks here. They offer and promote a wide range of milk and flavoured coffee drinks. Perhaps these would be a better way to go.

In the end, we liked Empire Coffee & Tea Emporium less than the nearby Corvo Coffee Shop and ended up revisiting the latter a couple more times during our stay...

I don’t understand how so many people praise their coffee beans. People must be impressed by the wide variety and think “oh, if they have many beans on display like this, they must be good.” No. This is a big red flag. The beans should not be exposed to so much air. It ruins the coffee. Second, you can judge a coffee place by their espresso, and their espresso is god awful. Zero crema, which is the foam on top, and there are coffee grounds at the bottom. I didn’t order a Turkish coffee so I don’t expect one. And the flavor of the coffee is terrible. I think they served the Hoboken blend. I do not recommend this place at all for people who understand how to value coffee. However, for the average person who doesn’t care too much about the coffee, go for it. It isn’t horrible and the...

I had an amazing experience at "Empire Coffee & Tea"! This café and coffee roaster is a coffee lover's dream come true. The staff were so friendly and knowledgeable, and helped me pick out the perfect espresso machine and coffee for my home. They clearly know their stuff and are passionate about coffee, which made for such an enjoyable and educational experience. Although I haven't had the chance to try the coffee at home yet, I have no doubt that it will be amazing given the high-quality beans and expert advice. The café itself was cozy and inviting, with a great selection of treats to enjoy with your coffee. I'm so excited to start brewing my new coffee and can't wait to come back to "Empire Coffee & Tea" for more. If you're a coffee enthusiast, you simply must...