Allegra Strategies released its first-ever New York Coffee Guide on 12 July. Following on from the success of The London Coffee Guide and Vienna Coffee Guide, this definitive new guidebook reveals some of the most inspiring new outlets shaping the New York coffee scene, Allegra said in a statement. The research, conducted by Allegra Strategies, took almost a year to compile and includes detailed first-ever reviews and rankings for New York City’s top 100 coffee shops, including many previously undiscovered new venues. “After many years lagging behind other cities in the USA and abroad, New York City has recently seen an explosion of great coffee outlets,” Allegra Group CEO and co-editor of the New York Coffee Guide Jeffrey Young commented. ” From a wide array of new artisan independents and flagship venues from chain operators, as well as traditional Italian espresso bars, New York City now boasts one of the most dynamic and vibrant coffee cultures in the world. It was about time. As this trend accelerates, New York City will set the scene for other markets.” Newly opened concepts such as Toby’s Estate, Blue Bottle Coffee, Gasoline Alley and Stumptown at the Ace Hotel sit alongside old favourites Café Grumpy, La Colombe Torrefaction and Ninth Street Espresso among the top-rated cafés in New York City. Allegra noted that local roasting, individual pour-over coffees and premium cold-brew coffees are some of the latest trends to hit the city, as is the rise of new, well-organised, premium coffee chains that are capitalising on the trend towards higher quality coffee. Those now with multiple outlets include Joe, Gimme! Coffee, Think Coffee, Oslo and Blue Bottle, just to name a few.
The book also includes a foreword written by Howard Schultz, CEO, President and Chairman of Starbucks Coffee Company. Allegra noted that Schultz, who grew up in Brooklyn, NY, went on to build Starbucks from a niche concept into the global brand it is today. The book highlights that Brooklyn is now home to some of the most exciting artisan coffee concepts in New York City.
“It is an honor to be asked to write the foreword to The New York Coffee Guide. Both the city and the beverage have shaped my own story. I still believe coffee’s most addictive power is the sense of community created by a perfectly crafted beverage and enjoyed in a familial café,” Shultz wrote. “Today, New York City has established a modern coffee culture that honors as well as rivals its European counterparts. A rich variety of establishments, from independent artisans to local Starbucks stores, source the finest coffee beans from the far reaches of the world and bring them to neighborhoods not far from where I grew up. This blend of craftsmanship and human connection is defining New York’s coffee culture, which at no time has been more vibrant.” Michael Del Gatto, of La Marzocco USA, an Italian coffee equipment company that supplies many of the city’s leading artisan outlets, commented: “In just the last few years, New York has emerged as a leader in driving transformation of coffee culture in the US. The cafés featured in the New York Coffee Guide are setting coffee trends for the city and beyond – preparing consistent, finely crafted coffee for their customers.” The official launch of the New York Coffee Guide 2012 takes place on 12 July at Toby’s Estate in Williamsburg. This invitation-only event will see leading coffee sector and key journalists come together to celebrate this inaugural launch. The book, published by Allegra Publications will soon be available locally in NYC and across the United States from all good bookstores, on Amazon or directly at the website: www.newyorkcoffeeguide.com