Birch Coffee — Restaurant in New York

Being a fan of Birch down in the Flatiron area, I decided to try the new uptown location. So far I'm a fan and will continue to come back. There are some aspects I'm not too thrilled about, though.

The space is relatively small for a cafe of this type. Despite that, the designers tried to work in several different types of seating. Bar seats for those not staying long, small tables for intimate groups or solo folks, a few couch-type seats along the wall, and even a few working nooks in the back.

The working nooks are the only places with outlets that I can see. That's annoying, if understandable. In a space this size you have to have some way to manage the long-term sitters. Instead of being jerks and absolutely banning laptops from certain tables, there's just no outlet. Stay as long as your battery lasts!

I also like that the management made up little placards you can place on a table signalling that you're willing to share. That's awesome. I've often walked into cafes and saw no empty tables but plenty of single people at a table that can fit two. I'm usually too socially awkward to ask if I can share. With the little signs, I don't feel bad. And I'm always willing to share my table.

The coffee here is fine, says the non-coffee drinker. I like their chai latte. The food is very similar to what I find at Irving Farm just downtown. Good, not super great, bordering on being a bit too expensive for the price. I've only had snack-type things so far, not anything major.

Everyone behind the counter has been very friendly thus far, and the overall atmosphere is welcoming and even relaxing despite how busy the place is every time I come in.

I will return and...

Let me start off that the coffee is excellent. It’s the best coffee shop on the UWS and it’s not close. I’ve been a patron here for about 2 or 3 years. I visit daily. It adds delight to my day.

Over the last few months, I’ve noticed that there is low grade misery on the faces of the staff here. So much so that there has been a turn over in employees. No one wants to stay here.

My feedback for the leaders at Birch is your coffee is good but don’t forget your people are what make it an experience. And I’d posit that you’re not treating your staff in a way that fosters a positive work experience, so they end up quitting. I recognize that you want an exit that leads to a size-able financial return. But at what cost? To be another Starbucks?

I encourage you to foster a better culture that’s employee focused. I’m not aware of the leadership at this location but I can tell you it’s not the right fit.

Also, protect JJ, Joe and Milo at all costs. If they leave, I’m not sure I can stick around. Stop moving the tables around, it’s dumb.

Good businesses make money. Excellent businesses make...

This coffee shop is so cute. It has a good amount of tables and a bathroom, which can be hard to come by in the city. The matcha latte I had was delicious and furthermore the staff was so incredibly helpful. I have Celiac, which means I can't eat gluten or anything cross contacted with gluten. I wanted to try their oat milk in my latte, so I asked if it was certified gluten-free. The barista went to check, but couldn't see it on the package. I would've been content to just go ahead and use the Oatly instead. However, she started googling it, and when the manager overheard the conversation he called the manufacturer to check for me. By the way, if you do have Celiac the Nu Oatmilk is safe. I was blown away by the kindness of the employees to go so far out of their way to check on that for me. Highly recommend stopping...