The Coppola Cafe — Restaurant in New York

In the past few weeks, I've been trying out new coffee shops to do work on my laptop for a change of scenery. Coppola is near my apt, so I read some reviews to get the vibe/see if they have wifi.

I read 1 review from a customer who had a negative experience with a passive-aggressive employee. I thought it was odd given the other nice reviews. The owner's reply to the reviewer didn't make me feel much better, because the owner was clearly mocking the customer by saying "I'm sure all the cafeterias in New York will fight to have you as their customer 🤣".

I brushed it off because I want to support smaller, local businesses, and decided to give them a try today. Upon entering, it's looked just like any other local cafe with a decent atmosphere - every table had people sitting or talking on their phone. The service from the lady (owner?) was pretty curt - not rude, but also not very friendly - but it was quick which was nice (bonus that the drink I ordered was also pretty good).

However, once I was able to find a table and did some work, a homeless person came in asking for money. While I personally don't think it's right for homeless people to enter businesses and go table-to-table asking for money from patrons -- one of the other customers felt moved to do so, and went out to go get cash from an ATM to give to them. While they were gone, the cafe owner loudly started talking bad about that customer that customer's friend, saying that they shouldn't give money to homeless people and that the homeless should "just get a job". It was very awkward because the customer's friend was just saying "it's our job to be kind to people", and the owner was just being rude about it.

Again, I don't think homeless people should be doing this, but it rubbed me the wrong way that an owner would bad-mouth a customer (to other customers/their friends, nonetheless). If the business had such a problem with this, they should have asked the homeless person to please stop panhandling for money to customers since it's a bit uncomfortable. Instead, they were complaining about the customer who was just being kind - which is not the owner's place to even comment on, especially since it's the customer's money and they are entitled to do what they want with it.

It just left a bad taste in my mouth so I left immediately, and do not plan to return. I truly hope the owners are more open-minded in the future, and if they have an issue with customers helping out the homeless, then they should put a sign up asking customers to please refrain from doing so and stating why, WITHOUT bad-mouthing customers and being passive-aggressive behind their backs.

I'm sure the owner will have lots to say about me / the situation in reply to this post (and that I won't be able to reply back publicly), but I just felt compelled to share my experience. And they can't say I was rude - I kept my limit to a little over an hour, I tipped well ("Wow!" according to their tipping suggestions) and constantly scanned to make sure I wasn't taking up a table while on my laptop if others were waiting for a table (they ended up emptying out shortly after...

I've refrained from writing this review for a while now . . . but I think this place is racist. I went in there a couple of years ago and I wanted to use the restroom. So, I was going to buy something (because only in New York are there no public bathrooms and you must buy or look a certain way to use the restrooms in an establishment). So, I asked for a Pellegrino. The owner tells me that it's $4-something (almost $5) and I kinda softly mumbled that that's sort of pricey for a Pellegrino. The owner tells me that if I cannot afford it I should just go. I was more than willing to pay for it but the owner tells me to get out anyway. I was flabbergasted. I'm still hurt about the experience and I feel that had I been WHITE I would NOT have been kicked out -- for commenting on the price of a Pellegrino! the neighborhood obviously caters to rich white Manhattanites and rich white Americans in general but I'm a citizen and my ancestors have been citizens since 1865 . . . I don't think that a benign, passing and mumbled criticism was sufficient enough for me to deserved to...

FOOD: 1.) Parma ham sandwich = yummy, appreciate they toast the bread just right 2.) Roll chicken hot dog = had this last time and was really impressed. The bread was toasted and was so fresh flakey with each bite

SERVICE: Wonderful. Excellent. Always nice. 👌 Appreciate they have a restroom as well. V important for a cafe. They also have free wifi.

ATMOSPHERE: Very cozy, great bustling warm, with good number of small high tables, window seating, few outdoor seating as well. Always people here chatting, working, eating. On a very cozy small street of my fave the Village West/Greenwichch. Apparently, it has a direct view of the street Bob Dylan’s record album cover was photographed! No wonder they had the record album on display by...