Corto — Restaurant in New York

I had such a bizarre experience today. I’ve been here a few times and I’ve always enjoyed myself in the backyard. But today, I ordered two ice coffees with milk. I noticed the barista/maybe owner fill the first cup all the way to the brim with ice, so when he started filling the second cup, I asked him for less ice. He then poured the coffee in and filled the second cup 3/4 full with milk included. This was strange to me and I’d never seen that before, so I asked if he could fill the cup all the way, and he gave me the most searing, condescending look for an uncomfortably long time before he filled the cup. Even the cashier looked sort of stunned. I asked him if I had done something wrong and he shrugged with wide eyes.

Now I can guess that this person was feeling annoyed at me because I asked for less ice, so obviously that means I get a bit more quantity of coffee. I guess he thought I was being cheap or sneaky, maybe it’s because I’m Asian and that’s a stereotype. Maybe he assumed I was a tourist and that I don’t actually live a few blocks away. Maybe I don’t look like a glamorous hipster with an expensive dog. Or maybe I’m just not the fashionable type of minority that people like to be nice to these days. I’ve just never encountered that level of pettiness before. I’ve worked in coffee shops for years, and less ice is a common request. It doesn’t seem worth fighting over, especially when the “extra” is quite literally an ounce or two. I was really just blown away that I had to ask for a coffee cup to actually be filled, and then be made to feel so small and low for that request. It bothered me quite a bit. I would much rather just pay for “extra” on top of the 20% tip I already gave (didn’t think my cheap a$s would tip?) than have that experience for simply asking for a full order of coffee. Maybe he was having a bad day? Fight with the old lady? No idea, but I pity him because that pettiness must be hard...

This review is about sustainability only! By 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Over 95% of the plastic that we produce and consume does not actually get recycled, but rather ends up in landfills, incinerators, in our oceans, and in our bodies as microplastics.

While I am happy to see that your shop offers for-here, reusable mugs and plate ware and cutlery to customers, it seems that no one knows to ask for them. Not one person in your coffee shop the other day was drinking out of a multi-use, real cup.

Instead, those who were there to work, meet a friend, or read a book, were drinking out of cups made from fossil fuels.

Even when ordering a drink in a mug for here, I still got my drink in a throwaway plastic cup.

I think there would be some simple fixes like being clear with your customers to see if they are staying for their beverage. And then making sure they get the reusable. Or perhaps, at least you can promote the availability of real mugs, or incentivize people to bring their own, on your socials.

Because I see that you offer real plates for people eating a snack here, I can assume that you would have the capacity to offer and clean real mugs.

But we can’t continue to normalize such a rampant and reckless use of plastic every single day. Especially here in this waterfront city.

Thank you for listening to my concerns, and thinking about how both the customer and the purveyor can work together toward a healthier Brooklyn. The plastic waste crisis will not solve itself, and we need businesses and customers on board to...

Some of the best sandwiches I’ve had- worth the price. Everyone I’ve taken or recommend to this place has said the same. Cool coffee drinks as well. Espresso-based beverages never miss and apparently their orange juice is good too. They also have some new specialty Italian beers ;) In terms of service, I’ve only had good experiences here. I agree that sometimes it takes awhile for the food to come out but hey, they have a small cooking space. Another note: I saw a review by an Asian woman about how she was treated here and I want to offer my experience as well for anyone who is concerned about feeling safe and welcome here (fwiw, I’m also quite visibly Asian and a woman). I’m always greeted warmly by the same guy she mentioned and today, it was quite busy when I came in and got a sandwich but he brought out an extra table for me after seeing me hammer things out on my laptop on the tiny bench inside. Earlier this year, another staff member actually turned on one of the outdoor heaters for me when it got a little chilly. I’m very happy with the level of...