In Honor of National Coffee Day: Coffee Shop Tour Review #2 - Bourbon Coffee

From all of the Instagram and Facebook posts of people with their free cups of coffee I can tell that there is quite a buzz brewing over #NationalCoffeeDay (see what I did there..OK sorry but I had to).

Anyway, in honor of the celebration of America's favorite bean I present to you the second Coffee Shop Tour Review:

Bourbon Coffee - Union Square Area (14th St. between 6th and 5th Aves.)
 

Picture Credit: Shoots+Scrawl

This was actually the very first spot I hit on the Coffee Shop Tour when it started last Spring semester. Once again Yelp! reviews convinced me to give it a shot and here is what I thought:

1. Seating: Bourbon Coffee is another city gem in that it is surprisingly HUGE when you walk in and once again the space was used rather nicely. In the front of the shop there are comfy armchairs and two big comfortable couches surrounding a communal table (this is where I parked myself for a few hours). Scattered throughout this section and the rest of the shop are your typical high top and regular tables for seating up to two. No matter where one sat there seemed to be plenty of elbow room (even at the communal table) and for that Bourbon Coffee currently holds Ivy Rose's top honors for seating. Score: 5

Picture Credit: Union Square Blog

2. WiFi: Again this is a hit or miss category and Bourbon Coffee gets full points for both having free WiFi and displaying the network name and password at the cash register. Score: 1

3. Drink Variety: One thing to note when I do a review is that I'm not a big cappucino/macchiato/other fancy coffee drink fan. I like a nice cup of hot or iced coffee--black. However, I always check out the variety for those rare occasions when I do want to venture into the magical world of fancy foam designs. That being said this was a particularly cold day and I couldn't wait to dive into a nice steaming cup of hot coffee and this shop did not disappoint. Bourbon Coffee gets its name from the variety of beans they use, which is grown in Rwanda.  According to their website the beans are known for "their deep, buttery chocolate flavors, as well as their sweetness and very light fruit overtones" and I can tell you it tastes just as delicious as it sounds. Their drink menu also features a wide variety of teas (hot and iced) as well as espresso, cold and blended drinks (smoothies, lemonade, etc.). Score: 5

Picstitch taken by me during my visit

4. Snack Options: Now it's been a while since I've been back but I do remember there being a wide variety of sandwich and salad options on top of the typical pastry selection of scones, croissants and cakes that one finds at the average coffee shop. During my visit I tried the grilled cheese sandwich on multigrain bread and it was quite delicious and a nice complement to my coffee. Score: 5 (for variety of options--including many healthy ones)

5. Camp out or nah?: While the comfy chairs and couch were very inviting, and the space never got too crowded, something about the environment made me feel as though this wasn't really a place where one could/should stay too long after they finish their particular meal or drink. This may have been because I was sitting at the communal table, which is the first area that people would look for seating, but I am going to give this place a solid score of 2 out of 3 for this.

6. Outlet Availability: This is another hit or miss category and was the only major downfall for this spot, and now that I think about it might be another reason why it doesn't work perfectly as a camp out spot. Outlets were scarce and really only accessible if you got one of the tables by the wall. Sadly this earns Bourbon Coffee a Score of 0 for this category.

7. Music/Overall Atmosphere: Lastly, the music was nice and unobtrusive as I did my work. Again, it's been a while since I visited this spot so I don't remember specifics. What I did enjoy in terms of the atmosphere was the art on the wall. With a nice mixture of work from local artists and traditional African crafts and paintings there is a nice cultural experience that feels authentic and not too cheesy or overdone. Bourbon Coffee attracts a slightly older crowd and besides the music and the sounds of delicious coffee being made, the noise level is pretty low, which makes it very conducive to focusing in on that one assignment that you just couldn't get through in the library. Score: 5

Final Review: With a final score of 23/25 Bourbon Coffee remains one of my top spots in NY. Their strongest point by far is their delicious coffee and sandwiches, and I highly recommend it for those looking for a quiet place to crank out that one thing on your to-do list that you just can't seem to stay focused on.


If you've been to Bourbon Coffee and agree (or disagree) with my review leave a comment below and as always please feel free to suggest any other spots you think I should check out. Enjoy the rest of National Coffee Day--Happy Sipping!