Ground Central Coffee Company — Restaurant in New York

I’ve been to this location a few times over the past year. It’s on my way home from my Dr’s appointments, so I make it a point to stop in to have a hand-made hot drink (I recommend the Matcha latte; made without sugar, it’s an excellent combo of creamy dense foam & flavorful green tea—they have flavors too,like Lavender, Maple, or Rose—which I haven’t sampled due to added sugar). The first time I stopped by was because their neighbor up the street (a florist/cafe) referred me to them. The staff were so nice! Delighted to see they have several vegan options, I bought 2 pastries to go, & they were delish—moist, flavorful & satisfying! Of course I just had to sample their hot drinks, so a few months later I stopped by to order the above-mentioned Matcha Latte & the vegan banana bread. Same friendly staff. I sat near the door, with a sunny view onto Second Avenue. (Only drawback: smokers tend to linger in front of the place; I had to chase one away due to the noxious smoke entering the open door, ruining the flavorful meal I was having!) On the latest visit, ambience was still great (GC has several locations in the city, which I’ve gone to for takeout, but this, my first GC, is still my fave); the banana bread was gone, but they had a new (to me) vegan chocolate brownie which turned out to be a superb match to the cappuccino I got (more on that later)—a little too sweet for my taste at first bite, it devolved into a bitter undertone, & then swept me into its chocolately core. Amazing! The staff was not as sharp as I’d experienced previously—my cappuccino order is pretty specific (I’ve honed it over years going to Starbucks!), but as I watched the barista make my drink, I saw him pour the milk into the coffee—a no-no for me, since it dilutes the decaf, so I always request that they scoop the foam, not pour). He started over, and, after I repeated the instructions I’d given the cashier, made it to my order. It was SO well made, I ordered another! So this is why they get 4 stars instead of 5 on service. The place is small & can get cramped, so 4 stars instead of 5 because you may not find a seat at all (if I remember correctly, the seating capacity might be 4-6!) But if it’s a nice day, get your order to go—there’s a small garden-like plaza a few blocks north on the same side of Second Avenue, so you can enjoy your meal al fresco (they do offer a limited choice of sandwiches & cold bottled drinks—but I’ve mentioned what they really do best here)....

This is a cafe that reminds you that while coffee chains serve their purpose, a local coffee house is a place you want to be. Old records, classic music, floor to ceiling murals highlighting this location, unfinished industrial shop house New York feel all add to the experience, and you haven't even reached the counter tucked away at the back. Coffee options are numerous, I tried an organic single origin bean from Brazil, which was a medium strong roast that didn't wipe out the tasting notes. What was convenient if you are on the go was they will have this nicer bean in a filter coffee brew, normally limited to standard coffees. I tried a chocolate chip scone with my coffee which was generally good in taste and texture. Nice and...

This was one of that event that the crew was small but was very cozy, this was the perfect way to spend a winter night, where we were drinking hot cocoa while having a lovely conversation with fellow yelpers, In addition to the hot cocoa they had a s'mores station, complete with graham crackers, chocolate strips and big marshmallows to roast over a sterno, this was make it yourself event, where we the elite have the option to add anything from the s'mores station. Any combination that you made that night was going to be perfect, the hot cocoa was creamy, rich, and simply had a...