This is an adorable bakery and coffeeshop that has two locations; one in Williamsburg, another in Greenpoint. All of their pastries are gluten-free and everything is made in-house, which means that you walk into a gushing wind of butter, chocolate, flour and sugar smell. Their tiny cookies are all I had as I tried to control myself, and they were magnificent. They serve all their beverages in china cups (though I must say that their coffee was not the best). There isn't a lot of room to sit, but it's definitely worth the visit. 

Little Canal is a little coffee shop on Canal Street, with a very succinct, fitting name. There's enough seating perhaps for 15 people, but it's a perfect spot to spend a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning if you're lucky enough to find a seat.

Even though the space is quite small and there's a little kitchen in the back, they've somehow nailed their ventilation system, which I really appreciate. In most other, similar spots, you end up leaving smelling like the food you just had, but that's absolutely not the case with Little Canal.

This is a recent discovery of mine (thanks to one of my friends who lives and works in the neighborhood), and it's already one of my favorites.

This is a tiny, but very cute Australian coffee shop owned by Hugh Jackman. The staff is extremely friendly and a pleasure to talk to. I had an almond milk latte and it was one of the best I've had in New York. There's also a great outdoor sitting area right outside the shop, which is great in the spring for reading and people watching.

This is a pretty big, but always bustling bakery near Flatiron. Especially on the weekends, there are long lines of tourists waiting to get a taste of their famous hot chocolate with a marshmallow in it that starts to melt after a few minutes. If you ask me, it's definitely worth trying, but almost impossible to drink more than a small shot-glass of it. They have different flavors each day if you want to try something different. 

This is a Colombian coffee shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It's in a huge space and everything looks extremely "Pinterestable" (imagine exposed brick walls, a huge kitchen, transparent coffee making room). and yet manageable to get some work done and/or meet up with friends over coffee. I'd also suggest coming here during the day as the ceiling is made out of glass for the most part, which provides some pretty good natural lighting.

This spot gained a huge amount of popularity in Nolita and now has a store located in TriBeca. It's owned and run by a handsome French guy, who is at the Nolita venue most of the time himself. Staff are very friendly and there's a small, yet very cute space to sit down and relax at the back with string lights and exposed white brick walls. 

Also make sure to check out the bathroom when you're there:) 

This is a clean, laid-back coffeeshop with a tiny porch in the back that's big enough to hold just one table. There's good music, they have hemp milk (my favorite), high ceilings, lots of sunlight, and just an overall clean vibe. 

This is an adorable coffee shop that's below ground level, located a few blocks south of Gramercy Park. The coffee's great, and they have a lot of gluten-free snack options (the pumpkin and sunflower seed granola bar is highly recommended!). 

The Elk is a quaint little coffee shop in the West Village, with five tables that are almost always occupied. It's a great place to station for a long while and their food/snack options are quite rich and somewhat extraordinary for a coffee shop; their tomato soup is one of the best I've had in the city. 

The space is clearly created with design principles in mind and it feels like you're working from an architectural design firm's waiting lounge instead of a coffee shop. 

Saturdays is a part surf, part clothing, part coffee shop. There are two locations in New York; this specific review is for their SoHo store, which also has a small, but welcoming backyard, which is illuminated by string lights that hang above you. 

Their coffee's pretty good, but I will say that some of their staff members are stereotypically coffee-snob Aussies, which can (from time to time) limit the pleasantness of your experience.

This Stumptown is located inside the Ace Hotel in Flatiron. It's a beautifully decorated coffee shop, but there's nowhere to sit so you either have to try and find a spot in the famous Ace Hotel lobby or take it to go. If you're here during the day on a weekday, you probably won't have any trouble doing so, but if you're here after 5pm or on the weekends, doing so might be a bit of a trouble. 

There are a few La Colombes in the city. The one in NoHo is much larger, more spacious, but still quite challenging to find a spot to sit and get some work done or catch up with someone over a cup of coffee. The one in SoHo is much smaller and usually busy with long lines on the weekends. Their coffee's great, but neither of the locations are great for hanging out. 

Third Rail is a tiny little coffee shop in Greenwich Village / Washington Square Park. I stumbled upon it after leaving the IFC Center and looking for a little pick-me-up. I personally think it's too small and somewhat uncomfortable-looking to work out of, but their espresso was delicious.

Located inside the Highline Hotel in Chelsea, Intelligentsia is a little hidden haven amidst the touristic chaos of 10th Avenue. The Highline Hotel itself looks like a building out of Hogwarts, and there is a quite spacious back "yard" that's only accessible from inside the hotel, where you can enjoy your coffee outside on days when the weather allows for it. They also are currently the exclusive servers of oatmilk, which, I might have to admit is the best non-dairy milk I've ever had.

Ludlow Coffee Supply is more a hangout space than a get-in, get-out coffee shop. Separated (or joined, depending on how you look at it) from a barber shop in the back, this small, vibrant, and bright little venue is a great spot to catch up with a friend or sit down and work on some writing or drawing. It's not the ideal place to meet with a large group (especially on the weekends when there's hardly enough room to stand), but perfect if you're alone or with one or two others. The beautifully designed barber shop in the back also provides additional seating if you'd like to spend more time there. Their coffee's pretty good, but their baked good/snack game is not the strongest.