CROWN HEIGHTS — Call it Caffeine Heights.
If you count the somewhat divisive Eastern Parkway Starbucks, the coffee bar at Berg’n and both locations of The Pulp and The Bean, Crown Heights boasts at least 17 coffee shops — with another, Colina Cuervo, on the way this month on Nostrand Avenue.
Besides providing your morning fix, many of these spots cater to the neighborhood's growing laptop-toting set, offering free Wi-Fi to customers across the board.
“People want good coffee and they want a space outside of their home to do work or meet people,” said Frank Warren, co-owner of Breukelen Coffee House, one of the first coffee shops to open on Franklin Avenue in 2009.
Since then, many have joined the trend, including Little Zelda, Lazy Ibis, the second Pulp location and Starbucks — and that’s just on Franklin. In the past few years, Tinto, Lula Bagel and Connecticut Muffin have opened up on Nostrand Avenue, joining Richol Bakery and, of course, Dunkin' Donuts.
But, as far as Warren is concerned, all that competition just means more business.
“There’s the cluster effect — a gas station across from another gas station, they both win. I think it’s a great thing,” he said.
And it’s a great thing for the coffee-loving, work-from-wherever crowd, too. To help you choose your go-to spot — or to find a new shop to call home from home — DNAinfo New York rounded up the 17 coffee shops where you can grab a cup and stay a while in Crown Heights.
Check out the map and list below, which will be updated as new places open (and close) in the neighborhood:
Crosby Coffee
667 Classon Ave., corner of Bergen Street
Enormous windows and free newspapers offset the sometimes-crunched feel of this cozy spot on Bergen Street at Classon Avenue. And heads up: there’s no bathroom for customers.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Coffee bar at Berg’n
899 Bergen St., between Classon and Franklin
Crowds overwhelm this place on nights and weekends, but the space’s long wooden tables are mostly empty and up for grabs on weekdays. And if you get bored of coffee, there’s always the bar.
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to late. Closed Mondays.
Lazy Ibis
663 Franklin Ave., corner of St. Marks Avenue
Mismatched wooden tables, a large nature mural (including its namesake bird) and a killer food menu set Lazy Ibis apart from its neighbors.
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday and Monday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Little Zelda
728 Franklin Ave., between Park and Sterling places
This popular spot with must-try pastries is the first venture by owner Michael de Zayas, who is behind nearby cheese shop Wedge and soon-to-open Two Saints, a cafe-and-bar on Nostrand Avenue.
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Forte Cafe
619 St. Johns Place., corner of Franklin Avenue
This relative newcomer opened just off Nostrand last year, serving a sizeable lunch menu with its coffee. Not every table in the place allows laptops, but enough of the big tables do that there’s plenty of room.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Breukelen Coffee House
764a Franklin Ave., near St. Johns Place
The back room of Breukelen serves as a library-like study spot in the day and an event space every other Saturday for their “Jam Night.” Menu recommendation, if you want to take a break from coffee: Nutella hot chocolate.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Pulp and Bean (north location)
809 Franklin Ave., near Lincoln Place
The original Pulp known for its coffee and bagel-and-shmears has very limited seating in this tiny counter-service spot opened by the owners of the next door Bob and Betty’s Market in 2009.
Hours: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day
Starbucks
341 Eastern Parkway, corner of Franklin Avenue
When the Seattle coffee chain opened up on the ground floor of a newly constructed residential building this fall, it was the first Starbucks in the neighborhood, prompting a lot of feelings from many. Despite at least one call for a boycott, business remains brisk.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Pulp and Bean (south location)
832 Franklin Ave., near Union Street
Slightly larger than its north-of-Eastern-Parkway counterpart, this spot may be your better bet for finding a table if you are committed to the Pulp experience. But remember: there’s no bathroom for customers at either location.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day
Cafe Rue Dix
1451 Bedford Ave., corner of Park Place
This French Senegalese restaurant serves the lunch, dinner and brunch crowd, but can be a great place to settle in with a coffee and pastry during the week.
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Manhattanville Coffee
167 Rogers Ave., corner of St. Johns Place
The owners of this brand new coffee shop designed it with laptop workers in mind, building extra outlets and a pencil tray into every table. Snacks include muffins, quiche, bagels and cookies.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Richol Bakery
563 Nostrand Ave., between Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street
Opened by a Paris-trained pastry chef, Richol Bakery specializes in French pastries, cakes and savories, though you can grab lunch, coffee and a table, too.
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Connecticut Muffin
615 Nostrand Ave., corner of Bergen Street
Though two Connecticut Muffin locations closed recently in Brooklyn, the Crown Heights outpost of the Brooklyn chain is open for business, serving standard coffee shop fare in a large, tiled room with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Hours: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day
Tinto
715 Nostrand Ave., near Sterling Place
Named for Colombian coffee drinks, tintos, this spot’s large, functional tables, attentive service and minimalist design makes it an easy place to spend a day.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Lula Bagel
816 Nostrand Ave., corner of Lincoln Place
Though bagels are the focus at Lula, stools and tables facing the corner eatery’s big glass windows make it a fine place to nurse a coffee and get work done. But beware: there is no bathroom for customers.
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Dunkin’ Donuts
542 Eastern Parkway, corner of Nostrand Avenue
Dunkin’ has held down this busy corner for years, serving coffee to the masses 24 hours a day right in front of the Nostrand Avenue subway stop. If you like the coffee and don’t mind the noise, this location has plenty of tables, Wi-Fi and a bathroom.
Hours: 24 hours, every day
Chocolatte
792 Eastern Parkway, corner of Kingston Avenue
Open around the clock since 2013, this cafe located inside the Jewish Children’s Museum on Kingston Avenue serves a full menu of smoothies, sandwiches, snacks and lots of coffee drinks. Seating is limited to several stools inside, but outdoor tables open up in the warmer months.
Hours: 24 hours, every day
