Cafes in New York: the historical cafes

Despite the contaminations of other cultures that have shaped it over the years, New York retains nooks and crannies that tell stories and reflect the strong, historical tradition of the city that never sleeps. Among these, New York’s historical cafes stand out, and over time they have become true symbols of the city.

Let’s discover them in a virtual stroll through the back streets of the Big Apple.

Cafes in New York: the haunts of the 20th century intellectuals

During the 20th century, like the coffee shops of London and Paris, New York’s cafes also proved to be meeting places for artists from all over the world. Writers, philosophers, and poets, from the Beat Generation to modernity, would sit in the city’s cafes discussing the issues of the day and reflecting on their works.

Even today, in some of these cafes, you can still see signs of their presence with your own eyes.

Hungarian Pastry Shop

Not far from Columbia University, in the centre of Morningside Heights, the cafe has been a neighbourhood institution since 1961.

Sitting at a table outside or indoors, you can try some of the delicious strudel and hamantash on offer, and mingle with university professors and students, as well as intellectuals living on the Upper West Side.

In 2014, the Fodor’s travel guide listed this cafe as one of New York’s top 10 literary haunts.

White Horse Tavern

Nestled deep in the West Village, the tavern has continued to host poets, artists and celebrities since 1742. One of their most notable patrons was Dylan Thomas, the famous English poet, and there is a famous story about the one of the times he visited.

Thomas would sit and sip his shot of whiskey as he watched the other customers, seeking inspiration. One day, he drank so many shots that he left the bar stone drunk. After a few metres the poet stumbled, hitting his head violently. This is said to have been the cause of his death the very next day.

According to those who visit the tavern today, his ghost still roams among the tables and behind the bar.

Caffe Reggio

Of all the many historical cafes in New York, this appears to have been the first one in the city to serve cappuccino. As its name suggests, the cafe was founded in 1927 near Washington Square Park by Domenico Parisi, an Italian originally from Reggio Calabria.

The cafe’s very first espresso coffee machine is still jealously preserved inside the premises today.

This place is also very famous because in 1959 it was the setting for John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s election speech, as well as for many cult scenes of American cinema.

Fraunces Tavern

Deeply connected to the history of the Revolution, Fraunces Tavern is New York’s oldest bar, and it was one of the first government buildings in the United States. It stands at the corner of Pearl and Broad Streets and over the years it was used as an office by such greats as Alexander Hamilton and George Washington.

If you enjoyed this journey through New York’s historical cafes and are looking for some interesting facts about other places to visit, you can also discover Lisbon’s historical cafes.