Hi-Collar
Japanese restaurant · East Village ·
Japanese cafe by day, sake bar by night, serves coffee & bites
Japanese cafe by day, sake bar by night, serves coffee & bites
"This East Village kissaten (a Japanese tea room and coffee shop) is one of the few places where you can get siphon coffee. Sit at the bar, surrounded by decorative mismatched china and stained glass lampshades, and your barista will prepare your order as meticulously as any mixologist. Each cup of coffee is made via one of three brewing methods (pour-over, aeropress, or siphon), and they have an exciting bean selection featuring Japanese roasters. You can also get a proper lunch of omurice and various sandos. Just get there before they turn into a bar at night." - neha talreja, willa moore, will hartman
"Visit this spot that’s a kissaten during the day and an izakaya at night. The cafe serves pour-overs and siphon coffee from single source beans and blends. Lunch options include Japanese-style spaghetti, variations on hayashi rice, and Japanese omelets." - Melissa McCart
"Coffee and lunch spot by day and sake bar by night, Hi-Collar is just one of the many Japanese establishments in NYC owned by Bon Yagi, who is also Japanese. Located in the East Village, Hi-Collar occupies a narrow space where the only seating is the dozen-or-so stools that line the long, brass-countered bar. The bar shelf/wall is designed with sliding doors that remind us of Japanese screen doors and create some fun mystery around the place. Hi-Collar offers an extensive selection of sake, and the bartender will always offer a few suggestions if you’re feeling curious or lost." - izzy chen, with warm welcome, neha talreja, bryan kim
"The aforementioned king of sake (Bon Yagi) also owns this all-day cafe in the East Village. Hi-Collar stands out from the rest of the bars on this guide because you can come for breakfast or lunch and enjoy omurice, tea, and katsu sandos, then return to the narrow bar space for shochu, whisky, plum wine, and sake later. Hi-Collar only serves four options for sake by the cup, but they’re available in different styles that correlate to the percentage that the rice has been polished down (respectively called daiginjo, ginjo, and honjozo)." - hannah albertine
"If you sit at the bar at Hi-Collar, you'll see coffee and tea prepared as meticulously as any cocktail at a speakeasy that you had to call a secret number to get into (three weeks ago). This place takes hot beverages very seriously. You can choose from a selection of coffee beans at this kissaten (a Japanese tea room and coffee shop) in the East Village, and each cup of coffee is made by hand via one of three brewing methods (pour over, aeropress, or siphon). Owner Bon Yagi, who was born in Japan and moved to NYC in the 1970s, is responsible for many of the other restaurants and bars around this place (e.g., Hasaki, Sake Bar Decibel, and more). During the day, you can order dishes like omurice with bacon and fluffy Japanese-style pancakes to go along with a cup of hoji cha tea. At night, this spot turns into a bar with a large selection of sakes and Japanese whiskies. If you're the type of person who's on a first-name basis with several mixologists, and you also love coffee, Hi-Collar is the place for you." - esther cho, with warm welcome, kenny yang
