OCAFE — Restaurant in New York

Tucked into a calm corner of Greenwich Village, OCAFE felt like the perfect post-Eid retreat—a place that doesn’t announce itself loudly, but quietly invites you in. We stopped by on a Friday afternoon after Jummah, and everything about it felt right—the soft afternoon light pouring in through the windows, the gentle murmur of conversation, and the comforting scent of coffee and fresh pastries lingering in the air.

The space has a warm, worn-in charm. Rustic wood, handwritten menus, and just enough room to feel cozy without being cramped. It felt less like a café, more like someone’s beautifully curated living room—thoughtful but lived-in, minimalist but not cold.

We ordered a flat white, a cappuccino, and a matcha muffin. The flat white was smooth and balanced, with a creamy texture that made it an easy favorite. The cappuccino held its own—classic and comforting, with a good balance of espresso and foam. The matcha muffin, though visually inviting, leaned a little too dense for our taste. The flavor was there—earthy and subtly sweet—but the texture held it back from being something we’d return for.

Still, what OCAFE does best isn’t necessarily the food—it’s the feeling. There’s a certain calm you can’t quite name, the kind that makes you want to slow down. The kind of spot where you sit a little longer than you meant to, just watching the world pass by outside.

It’s not flashy. It’s not trying to be trendy. It’s just good, quiet, and grounded. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you’re...

Loved that place until Friday (24th of Sep.). In the morning me and my boyfriend decided to grab coffee and I mentioned that there is a great cafe I used to go to a lot. We came there and started waiting for anyone to pay attention to us. No “hello”, no “hey, I’ll be there in a second”- nothing. We were standing at a cashier and were waiting… there were 2 girls behind the bar (and some workers farther) and one girl on our side on the right doing something with the products the coffee shop sells. Non of them paid attention to us. It took uncomfortably long even though 3 (!!!) people were right in front of us within literally 20inches from our faces. I turned to my boyfriend and felt guilty for bringing us there, I told him that I feel invisible. He quietly nodded. After about 5 mins one of the girls behind the bar asked us what we want to order. We said that we want a hot latte and a cold brew. She took our order and we started waiting. She took the order form the person that was behind and served him first. Okaaaay. After that, she made me a hot latte and took another order… then another one. Kept serving them. We realized that she forgot about the cold brew. I came back to the cashier and reminded that we still wait for our cold brew. After “oh, right!” she brought us coffee, of course with no apologies or any sort of guilt. We felt very unwelcome and left with a strange feeling of guilt that we made these people work/do their job....

I’ve lived near O Cafe for 5 years and now that I’ve moved I can finally speak my truth… this place smells. Horrible. If you like smelling like rotten stinky cheese balls, then you’ve found your spot. However, if you don’t then steer clear. I honestly don’t understand why they freshly bake these disgustingly smelly cheeseballs on premises. Just make them elsewhere and bring them in a plastic container to sell to the customers that actually buy them.

Furthermore, my wife and I have tried to be friendly for 5 years…. We even had a kid during this time and would bring him in almost every day. Not a single smile from the uptight baristas and cashiers… my son is adorable and would say hi every day and they wouldn’t even flinch.

Lastly, a latte for $8… $6.50 for a cold brew. $1 for alternative milk. Come. On. We went for convenience of living 1 block away but now that Travelers & Poets opened down the block, we’ve taken our morning routine elsewhere.

I write this review now that we’ve moved and we will face no retribution from this honest review… I added the extra star because I happen to like their apple carrot muffin and scone. And their ambiance is kind of kindergarten classroom cute - but it smells...