Press Cafe

Awesome shop great staff with interesting personality the coffee shop interior is smaller feels bigger on pictures but it worth checking out we got the Salted NYS Maple Latte on ice and a hot latte butterfly pea. we felt in love with the Salted Maple amazing drink!!

Press makes consistently wonderful lattes. I typically order oat milk and the texture is lovely--like drinking a cloud. Best place in town for a latte, hot or iced. They also have a cute little study space and outdoor seating.

Always hopeful to find BETTER coffee, but this is not it. Unfortunately the coffee was bitter, the beans middle of the road ok. They have almond milk, only one bean type to choose from. It’s one of the ok places in Ithaca but not one of the best.

Stopped in for coffee while on a road trip. Cool little place. They have a variety of coffee/Expresso options. I had the Mocha Latte and a Cortado. Both were excellent! The service was friendly and efficient as well. We enjoyed our time here!

I haven't had coffee here, but the hot cocoa was great. Place is pretty small inside - four 2-seater tables and a few higher chairs along the counter. Can sit outside when the weather is nice though, or get it to go. A few pastries for sale as well, and of course coffee, espresso, hot teas, lattes, hot cocoa. ADDED 1/22/23: New owners took over in December. The hours on Google were incorrect, and I got there after they closed, but the owner was still inside and let us in for a cup to go. Very friendly and kind.

only giving out 3 star cause the matcha latte i ordered isnt to my liking.. it’s pretty sweet and creamy and i don’t feel good after drinking it bc of the sugar. i personally prefer those with a stronger tea base (ithaca bakery has it like that!), with refreshing original flavors instead of add-ons. otherwise, the service is okay; the atmosphere is cute, good AC, good wifi, good sunlight.

The barista was very friendly. I do think the coffee took a long time to come out, which wasn't ideal. My cortado was rich and tasty and my friend loved her Latte. The space itself is kind of cramped, but the local goods and overall decoration is great. I would definitely go back.

Friendly and welcoming place, the barista is clearly passionate about sourcing and serving good coffee. I’d say it is in the top 3 of coffee shops in Ithaca. I had a 7.8 cortado.

Cute shop, friendly barista who was great to offer suggestions. The latte was good and it's always a good sign when you have a line at all times.

The barista was very friendly. I do think the coffee took a long time to come out, which wasn't ideal. My cortado was rich and tasty and my friend loved her Latte. The space itself is kind of cramped, but the local goods and overall decoration is great. I would definitely go back.

I've been here several times now, and each time Duncan, one of the baristas, has been fantastic. When I wasn't sure whether I wanted a regular or seasonal cappuccino, he offered to make the seasonal one so that I could try something new, but to make me a regular if I ended up not liking it. And then, when someone accidentally tipped him $200 instead of what he assumed should have been $2, and even after she left, he made it a point to refund her the difference. Also, no idea how he knows practically everyone who walks in -- maybe shows the good news that this coffee spot is a regular hangout. The coffee is good, and can be more acidic or milder depending on coffee grind and prep. The coffee art is also on point (just make sure you get the right barista). My favorite now is the cortado. Chill atmosphere, love the minimalist style and hanging out here to get some work done.

The coffee is good here. Add a star to my review if you like minimalism... because as a maximalist I'm admitting my biases. The baked goods are alright, but I'd suggest going to the empanada lady next door.

A nice change in scenery from any coffee options other than Dublin' or Starbucks. Just visiting for the weekend and this was the first, vest and perhaps only option for my kind of coffee shop. $3 Americano was delicious and the barista went as far as to ask if I preferred more or less water. The space is about 50% glass and is very well lit. Complimentary WiFi. Only reason for 4 stars: -The restroom is across the street (you have to ask for a key).

Had an amazing latte & was the cutest shop! Loved the garage door and outdoor area as well.

Very nice spot with a great ambiance. The staff are both friendly and welcoming. It is a great place to stop and unwind while enjoying the tranquility of the shop. It is my preferred place to get coffee in Ithaca and a great place to unwind.

Good coffee, great espresso. Your classic cafe with a few baked goods they get from a local source (I can't remember the name right now). The baked goods are also always changing. Sometimes it's muffins, other times it's cookies or such. Their mocha is my favorite!!

I was im-PRESSed by this cafe. This space is modern, chic, trendy and hip. The space looks like a shipping crate store with large garage-style industrial windows. The garage door window can open up during nice weather. There is only street parking. I had an iced black coffee for under $4. It was delicious. It wasn't too acidic and didn't have a murky, burnt, over roasted aftertaste. I liked their simple and straight forward menu. The worker was quick and nice. Their prices were fair for a trendy coffee spot like this. I liked the fresh flowers they had and the bright open space. They also sell pastries. The space is very small so it's not great for large groups. Most of the tables only seat 2 people.

Amazing coffee, chic and cheery atmosphere. Lately they have been serving seasonal options. So far I've tried the evergreen and fireside, both with interesting and enjoyable flavor profiles. Great if you're looking for a little sweetness to your pick me up. Baristas are cute and fun to chat with. Shop is minimalist with a few plants that add an earthy vibe to the airy space. Something I always appreciate.

Coffee is okay but service is awful. Ordered large and got regular which is really a small.

Great little coffee spot we happened upon while touring Cornell. Got a maca mocha and my daughters shared a chai latte. Beautiful little place and helpful accommodating barista. Just what a coffee shop should be.

Great location. Very cute place, super friendly and kind barista. Coffee tasted burnt unfortunately... and a bit expensive

I go here every day. Hipster, overpriced, halfway decent coffee. Not much selection for bakery items, kinda sterile, but I appreciate them.

The vanilla maca latte is wonderful. The space is cute and small. They have good donuts delivered occasionally. It's a nice small study spot near the commons.

I very cool little place that makes a great cup of coffee. I was visiting family from out of town and stopped here to grab a cup of coffee. It's a very cool little place that's built in a very interesting way. Super minimalist, clean, mostly glass design. Their regular coffee was affordable and incredibly good. My wife didn't get any but commented on how great it smelled and she used to work in a coffee shop. Their menu was very diverse and had a few things I wanted to try but I just wanted coffee at the moment. They even had a good selection of goodies to eat. I was only here briefly, but the barista was very nice and their condiment bar was well stocked with lots of choices. It's located in a cool part of Ithaca that seemed like it would have been fun to get out and explore more but we were crunched for time. Like i said it's a brief review receive since I was in and out of here in minutes, but if i'm ever in Ithaca working on college papers I'd stop in here.

I have no doubt you will receive a tasty and quality espresso-based drink when you visit here. When the weather is nice, and the large overhead door is open, you cannot beat the ambiance of Press Bay Alley. I have oftentimes, however, found the service to be impersonal: no eye contact, no smiles, and more than once my finished drink was put up on the counter without the barista announcing it -- which is common courtesy in most coffee shops. Finally, the cafe is very small, as well as the tables and chairs being petite. For this reason, it's a decent place to sit with a phone, a book, or to have a conversation with a friend, but it's not suitable as a space to get work done with a laptop or to sit with a larger group.

Love this place. A very good cup'a joe. Nice mellow bright vibes, really good coffee. Overall double thumbs up!

The Press has outstanding breakfast. I have been twice, and it has consistently made the healthiest food I have had for breakfast in a long time. Coffee is excellent & excellent service. I think they are a great option to the garbage you get at regular breakfast spots. No fake butter or nasty fruit from a bucket. A must try!

Wow, was happy to find a place that feels like home. I wouldn't call the baristas snobby or off putting... just sarcastically friendly. I guesss I have thicker skin. The espresso was solid, good flavor and body. The milk in my macchiato was a touch over steamed but the other times I've been there it's been on point.

Fantastic coffee. I had the decaf, which was toasted by Copper Horse. This is one of the best decafs I have had. On a nice day, sit outside in the alley and be entertained by the circus Arts students next door. The indoors is also a quiet, modern atmosphere for quiet time.

Where else am I going to bask in the sunlight over coffee and listen to my audiobooks??? This place made my otherwise dreadful, routine, wintertime morning in Ithaca very pleasant today. Limited treat selection, but a wide variety enough to satisfy most. I opted for the lemon poppy cake and it was everything I wanted it to be. Maybe some more savory options in the mornings would be nice. Only downside is the lack of outlets. I did some sort of interpretive dance looking for one when I bought my laptop there once in the past. I've decided that I am okay with the outlet scarcity because of the limited seating. I am sure they don't want people setting up camp there. It is a relief to be free of the GIMME COFFEE monopoly. Things start feeling the The Truman Show (1998). Sometimes I just don't want coffee that makes me feel insane and has a 50% probability of wrecking my bowels.

Had a great coffee but the barista wasn't very friendly and made it an unwelcoming I'd go again for the coffee but not for the atmosphere and service (at least based on my one time experience)

Stumbled into this cafe looking to study while the library was closed. I felt obligated to buy a drink because I sat at a table for three hours, but my drink was actually quite good. It turned out to be a cozy place with good music to read a book or get some work done while drinking your beverage. I would recommend the masala chai latte if you're not into coffee - it was very good. The barista (an undergraduate student from a nearby school) was very attentive and obviously cared about the quality of the drinks he made.

Good coffee, hipster atmosphere. The vanilla maca latte was really sweet and creamy. I have no complaints. Kind of preppy for my vibe, but it was fine. The barista was very friendly. It was less busy than Starbucks and CTB which could be good for studying if the library wasn't across the street and free.

Great cup of coffee. Perfect actually. One of the best cups of coffee that I have ever had. I had the Colombian. Horribly unfriendly and snobby female barrista. I almost walked out...hence the 4 stars.

On a day trip to Ithaca a few weeks ago, I spent too much of my time in search of a quality coffeehouse to hang out in. Unfortunately, I did not find one, but Press is as close as I got to my ideal coffee experience. Ambience is very hipster, but in the most uncomfortably elitist way. Press has the potential to be a cute, minimalist coffeeshop; however, the dead silence and underwhelming service contributed to the "trying-too-hard" vibe I got upon arrival. Coffee was decent. I got a seasonal latte and took sips of my boyfriend's red-eye, neither of which were particularly exciting. We arrived in the early afternoon in search of a caffeinated pick-me-up, so we didn't try the pastries, but they looked standard. Overall not a particularly thrilling cup of coffee, but Press Cafe is definitely your best shot (ha, get it...espresso shot?) at a solid caffeine boost in downtown Ithaca.

The lady who is making the coffee is very passive aggressive. When I request for certain small things, she will give it to you but in a extremely passive aggressive way... buyer beware!!!

Press Cafe is the best coffee shop I've been to in Ithaca- and maybe anywhere. The shop itself is minimalist and beautiful. The staff are helpful and friendly. The espresso is top-notch. The staff (listening to them talk shop) obviously know their stuff. And... and... Okay. Confession time. I've always dreamt of having a coffee shop of my own. I've been to several shops that made outstanding coffee. But *my* shop was going to be different, because it would carry carefully-curated accessories. It would have a very small selection, but you'd know if you got something (a grinder, a scale, a press, a kettle) that it was the best there was. Well, Press beat me to it. I don't have a shop, but I do my homework on accessories. Take a look at what they have, and do hours of research on each item, and you won't find anything better. These folks have created a mathematically perfect coffee experience. You'll be happy you checked it out.

Just wanted to update this to acknowledge that the staff has gotten much less hostile (if still, sometimes, impersonal) since I wrote my last review! The coffee remains excellent, and can serve as a nice complement to the increasing/rotating food options sometimes set up in the Press Bay Alley area. Some easily accessible milk choices (and not just half-and-half) would be nice, though!

I wish so badly that I could have enjoyed a cup of coffee from Press. I tried stopping by at 10am on a Friday, but they were closed? Every listing on the internet (Yelp included) reports their hours being Tuesday to Saturday 8a - 2p. Even the door to the coffee shop reflects this. I understand we're in a pandemic and hours may have changed, but please update the information available to your customers to reflect that before someone takes a mile long walk in the rain to get to your shop.

Disappointed. Both the execution of espresso and the attitude of the barista... in general, the shop really is just so so...

The best coffee I've had in Ithaca! I've been hearing I should try this shop, but it's a bit off the commons (in Diagon Alley, er, I mean Press Bay Alley) so I hadn't had the chance... until today. Can't believe I waited so long! What was I thinking, settling for mediocre espresso elsewhere?! Cappuccino was truly a cappuccino, not a latte (imagine that!) Foam was perfection! The coffee was excellent. Smooth, aromatic, no hint of burn. Price is high, but for the quality, it's absolutely worth it. The shop itself is rather stark, but not altogether unpleasant. High ceilings, white walls, metal tables/chairs, black & white photos. I could see it being a good place for writing or studying. A cozy couch might be a nice addition! The barista was talented, though aloof. I will go out of my way to come here in the future, for sure! Note to PBC: You have a narrow bar that runs the perimeter of your shop. Would be perfect for people/car watching... Yet you have no bar stools. Please update!

Everything is right here. The atmosphere, service, food, and most importantly the coffee. I wish I had this place near my home ... Note: the seating space is small.

Unfriendly staff, expensive, upcharge for almond milk! Chai latte was watery and the clove overpowered the flavor. Will not return.

Seriously delicious coffee. A wall of windows letting the sparse but welcomed Ithaca sunshine in. Perfect spot for quiet book reading while enjoying the brew of your choice. Quick service with a smile.. never experienced a line. Did I mention that coffee is amazing. You should go.

--- Updated to 3 stars since the chair situation has only deteriorated since I wrote this review several months ago. Press Cafe is especially great in the summer when the garage doors are open and breeze comes in! Both the cold brew and the drip coffee are good. The wifi is also strong for those looking to get some work done. Contrary to one of the reviews here, I've always had pleasant interactions with staff. My 4-star rating stems from the fact that Press Cafe's plastic and metal chairs are very uncomfortable. I would come much more often, but the seating doesn't lend itself to staying more than 45 mins. Also, there are few outlets, so make sure you charge your laptop in advance. With a few cushions on the chairs and more stable tables, this place would easily get a five-star review in my book.

Espresso is amazing, staff is so kind, environment is clean and comfortable, the 2 shot almond milk iced latte was the best latte I've ever had. Don't sleep on this coffee opportunity.

The espresso/coffee are pretty good, although this can vary depending on who prepares it. The only downside is one of the barristas who can come across as rude. Considering her job involves working with the public it doesn't seem like the best match. For example, she doesn't maintain eye contact. It's a little odd when you're placing an order and she looks way over to the right, as though you don't exist.

This is a cute little café if you're looking for simple and cleanly. The coffee is delicious and good quality. The ambiance creates a wonderful place to work or study. It's a great place just to drop in and grab a to-go drink or take a moment away from busy downtown Ithaca. Regardless, highly recommend!

Good place to stop in a grab a great cup of coffee. Athough they could improve on the social invirment.

Beautiful new shop! I usually get a cold brew, but everything I've tried has been good. Pastries are better than any I've had elsewhere. My favorite is the oatmeal cookie. Plenty of outdoor seating. Catercorner from the public library and great spot for people watching!

Good coffee, really nice atmosphere, but one completely rude/dismissive barista. Didn't say a word beyond "yup" to me and didn't ask whether I wanted my coffee here or to go. She was above and beyond friendly to customers she knew, though, and they ended up with cute little ceramic cups. I'll definitely come back here for coffee when I see she is not working.

Hands down the very best coffee available in Ithaca. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly and the prices are very reasonable.

I'm pretty obsessed with & addicted to coffee, to the point where I took a trip for my birthday last year to Seattle to try out as many coffee houses there as I could fit in 5 days! That said, this is easily in the top 3 coffee joints I've ever tried. I discovered this place on my way home from Ithaca about a month ago, simply because I was in need of my daily caffeine fix before a 5 hour drive, and I'm happy I did. My dad got a mocha, I had a latte with (I think) soy milk. He said that his was perfect, not overpoweringly chocolatey or sweet so that it still tasted like coffee and not hot chocolate like most places do. Mine was also perfect, it was definitely one of the smoothest lattes I've had which is something important to me in an espresso drink. The espresso had that nice, almost earthy flavor that gave it some interesting texture which contrasted the milk nicely. Overall, this place only competes with my two favorites which are in Seattle and Italy.

Hot cocoa tasted awful, bad customer service , and boring atmosphere. High prices to match.

Awesome new cafe! The big class windows open on a warm day for a lovely European feel. The coffee is killer and so artistic, and the people there are genuine and cool. Definitely the best coffee shop In Ithaca, It's an original. Can't wait to see them during Ithaca festival!

High-five to Press Cafe! Serious quality coffee, top-notch baristas, stream-line presentation and friendly service, unique urban setting with the best indoor-outdoor seating around! All wrapped up in the new hipster-haven known as Press Bay Alley, nestled in the heart of downtown Ithaca...Holla!

The four-star rating is strictly for the drink I ordered. I'll be back as Press Cafe's cappuccino is easily the best I can remember having--strong and smooth, with little to no aftertaste. The shop itself is a tiny affair and one of a handful of small businesses that took up in the Ithaca Journal's old press bay. I would've liked to get a pastry as well, but they were overpriced (even relative to Gimme! Coffee) and looked like they had spent a good while in the case. I'm sure Press Cafe has got a good crew, but the particular barista who served me was kind of checked out. He rang me up after preparing my drink, not before, so I was standing there cash in hand for a few minutes until he was done. Then he went out to take a smoke break leaving just a few customers inside and no one behind the counter. Like I said, at the end of the day, I'm in it for the coffee, but I think there's room for improvement on the baked goods and service fronts.