Octavia Coffee — Restaurant in New York

Sometimes I I feel like I’m back in a German nightmare when I go to to these bourgeois cafés in park slope/cobble hill. Weak coffee and gaslighting by amateur, white, 20-year-old(barista)s. There was an African-American lady who always seemed so nice and inviting every time I passed by. I finally went in today to escape the heat for a moment. The decor was super nice and the neighborhood guests were high vibrational, but trying to explain how I would like my coffee was as if I were saying something profoundly esoteric. I just tried to explain that I would like the coffee flavor to to be more forward rather than the milk, Ended up tasting like water and milk.

I gave nearly 50% tip in advance because that’s what life is like out here since the pandemic. It’s like extortion and there is no incentive to provide good quality drinks and service. Maybe said barista can take her tips from this summer to do a gap year in Italy, to experience first hand a higher standard of coffee flavor and preparation.

I’ve worked in the service industry in NYC for over 20 years and I’ve become thoroughly disappointed by what I’ve seen experienced in both Germany yeas ago, and these Brooklyn neighborhoods since 2020. I wish for some Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind technology to erase my memory of such...

I ordered a latte and got something more akin to a cappuccino, which is a pretty big miss as the milk texture is part of what makes a latte a latte. Also the place is very small and so you always have to be bumping in and walking around people to navigate the space. The door doesn’t close well so if a customer doesn’t close it, it will be very chilly to sit in there. And lastly, the seating is not comfortable.

That being said, the decor is cute, they have a wide variety of options. The barista was nice. Perhaps for take away or a short sit, or their outdoor seating when it’s less cold. But with so many other options, I wouldn’t...

I don’t know how else to describe this cafe other than unexpected bliss and pure joy. I don’t live in the neighborhood but I bring my dog to the vet across the street so I stopped in this morning while waiting for him. So happy that I had the opportunity to experience the magic of Octavia. The barista/manager is an ANGEL who knows everyone by name and greets everyone with a smile. The positivity and great energy is infectious. There isn’t a single person who leaves without a smile. I would happily go out of my way and travel 40 mins just for this cafe. Come by - it’ll...