Variety Coffee Roasters

Coffee is excellent, I’ve ordered a flat white and latte there, both had great texture and lovely latte art from the baristas! The beans they use haves notes of fruit and chocolate, nicely pulled and balanced espresso. Also they offer vanilla simple syrup along with regular simple syrup which is a fun plus! The employees are friendly and the atmosphere is classy (if you can get a seat).

Baristas were so friendly. I liked the fact that I could (for the first time) find the time and atmosphere to talked to a barista in NYC! Generally coffee shops are crowded and baristas seem to be fed up with the work and crowd. In Variety, it was the opposite. Espresso beans were a little dark roasted, preserving rhe acidity and complexness. Worth visiting! P.S. it has a joyful, corner space, ideal to sit.

At their Lexington Avenue and 85th Street store I tried their oatmeal raisin as well as their chive cookies ($3.24 each, including tax). Each had a very mild flavor which was not satisfying. For the oatmeal cookie (pictured first), I give it a 6.5 rating on a scale of 1 to 10, the chive cookie I rate a 6. I have had other baked items here which I have enjoyed more than the oatmeal and chive cookies.

It’s quiet in here, with ambient, bluesy-styled music playing at a volume that could probably permit an intelligible phone conversation. Eight of the 13 or so tables are occupied by remote workers. I don’t know how long they would be welcome to stay on and continue working. There are several outdoor tables, but only two are under cover. There is standing room at a few coffee counters by the windows. The drip coffee is smooth and fruity today. I paid $3 for what I think is a 12 oz. cup. Where can you find a $5 latte and an Americano for $3.50? Here! They also have simple syrup and vanilla bean syrup at the milk station to sweeten iced drinks in no time. Though I found the banana walnut bread to be pleasantly edible (at least it was very moist), I wouldn’t seek out Variety for its pastry offerings.

Iced oat latte? Delicious. No seats available because everyone is either wfh 👩‍💻 or attending Zoom University 👨‍🎓 But I was good with a lil iced latte and a lil cute walk 👻

Most importantly, the coffee was delicious! Service a little reserved… Space is nice but you feel very much presented to everyone as it is so openly designed.

Coffee is good and the place has many tables + wifi. However it is extremely dirty (floor and cups alike) and the music is super annoying, base-thumping-in-your-chest kind. Just why? I love a good music to start the day but I wanted to work a bit from here and simply could not because of the music.

Beautiful coffee place on the busy Upper East Side, 86th n Lex. Came in here for a mini coffee break after a long day of work. Ordered the classic Americano, very good espresso, nice aroma. Very relaxing environment accompanied by soft background music. Good spot to hop in after walks in the central park or your museums visits.

This place serves great coffee. Specialty for sure. The drip was outstanding. I think it was a medium light washed Colombia. Tasty. Like many coffee cafe's in NYC -extremely crowded- you are fortunate if you can get one cheek on a booth here. It's almost like a second home/office for many here, serious business zoom meetings talking about hundreds upon thousands of dollars in a loud environment, people breaking up with each other and a couple others like myself - eyeing the next person that may be leaving in the next 10 min - I would have loved to buy'a bag but again - 10oz for 22.00 is steep for me.

Variety caught my eye right away as its interior instantly captured my attention. It's vibes and location are immaculatnt. I have gotten a drip coffee and cappuccino. Both were good but I would prefer the cappuccino. The drip was not bad and was on the very nutty side. I spent a Saturday morning around 7:15 and read a book and it was a perfect location for that. Please come by and check this out you won't be disappointed!

Stopped into this location of Variety on my way to the Met and tried a nonfat maple latte (believe it was a seasonal special). It was solid, but the cold brew is the move here. Limited indoor seating when I visited in December 2023. They also have a bathroom.

Pretty good specialty coffee spot. However, for me to enjoy it, I need to get the latte w triple shots, but that's just me. I like that it doesn't taste watered down like some other places. And call me weird for this but they have that ice ratio I like that some other spots don't nail. (I'm a believer that if there's not enough ice, the drink will just be watered down, but if there's too much, you got ripped off). The cafe itself is a nice place to do some work too as there's plenty of space and seats with a high end vibe to it. The employees are efficient as well. No complaints!

Met up with a friend here after another coffee place was super packed. He had came here before so I was excited to try it out. The inside area is very nice, with a several tables and a lot of lighting. When we went all the tables were full. We both ordered a latte with oat milk. The barista mentioned that the wait would be ~10 minutes, which was ok especially for how busy it was. However, the way that the pick up area is set up could've been better. They didn't ask for a name, they just announce the drink that was ordered. Since there aren't that many different types of drinks this caused a lot of confusion with the group of people waiting. The vanilla and simple syrup is self serve which is interesting. The latte was...not the best. Not sure if it was the coffee used, the way the espresso shot was pulled, the oat milk, or something else but the drink was just pretty flavorless. Other reviews also mention the brewed coffee as their best which might also the the issue. It's a good place to chill in the morning, but I'll probably get something different next time.

Nice coffee with several locations. They allow dogs inside which is always a plus to me. The staff are friendly. The coffee was nicely priced and it was also delicious! The decor inside is modern. They have several locations but I visited the one on the upper easy

GREAT COFFEE. If you are looking for a good cup of coffee go here. They also have complementary vanilla syrup. Major plus.

Cute coffee shop with a minimal menu. I'm not too much of a coffee drinker, but I love a good chai latte. The quality was pretty good here, but the chai was veryyyy spicy. It had a strong flavor of cinnamon and maybe peppercorns(?) The interior is nice for a chat or getting some work done. Their bathroom inside is clean and they offer complimentary water at the bar. A good find near Yorkville!

Good place to do work but one large coffee is $6 . I know it's the UES but even their menu is wrong.

Loved this place! Super cute cafe interior, great public wifi, and delicious coffee and pastries. I got the tahini chocolate chip cookie and oat chai latte and it was good! I would say the only down side is that there's not too many options for drinks/food, but whatever they had available was good. The place does get busy during lunch hour so if you want to work from here, you might want to come before/after noon.

6$ for an oat milk chai that was kind of on the spicier side, not my personal preference cute interior with a decent amount of seating but usually very crowded since it's right by the Guggenheim and met

I came here with a friend for coffee on a Sunday morning. We got there around 9:00 a.m., when the cafe wasn't that busy. I had an almond milk cappuccino. While it was on the small side, the flavor was good and the milk was steamed well. I thought the price was pretty typical for a café. The inside of the cafe is cute, and it seemed like a nice place to come and work. The tables aren't very large, and parties of more than 3 would probably be best elsewhere!

I'm picky when it comes to black coffee, and Variety Coffee brews one of the best! The barista was so sweet with my many questions regarding their pastry options (the chocolate chip tahini cookie is so yum!). Of course, the vibe was everything (natural sunlight through large windows, plants, catchy music-- discovered the Bombay Bicycle Club band through their running playlist and have been hooked ever since). Cons: a bit busy, but the turnover is quick, so I was able to get a table quickly

Service outstanding! The guys are hip, clever and good at what they freaking do! I fell into this place, arriving to early for my Rumble workout! A great neighbor joint! Smellled amazing inside! Wow! Makes me want to be a local!!!

Had an amazing cortado and customer service experience today (5/27). The barista girl was so cool and nice!

I have gone here a few times and whenever I go its crowded of people working or hanging on their laptops. They also have outdoor seating and I think just somewhat recently added more benches outside. Its very spacious, clean coffee shop. I always get the iced latte from here. Very tasty. Great place if you work from home to go if you want a coffee shop environment.

Cute coffee shop with more than 10 indoor tables, so great for studying but often difficult to find a place to sit. There's a small menu, everything is relatively cheap, and the service is fast. The baked goods are decent and they have a good variety of teas. The patrons are also really nice too--it's really easy to strike up a conversation. There's good wifi and a bathroom. Overall a comfortable vibe with good space. Depending on the day you go, the quality and strength of the coffee can vary as well as the service. However, because it's in such a central location I'm usually willing to overlook these things if I need to grab a coffee in less than 3 minutes. While they are a chain, this feels like one of the better locations they have in Manhattan.

I'm sorry to maybe be too harsh, but when you're paying $5-7 for a latte or cold brew you want it to be good, and this coffee was not. Points for good ambiance where people come to work and friendly staff, but the coffee itself is weak and watery. I got a latte and had it remade, and they both had the same issue - they tasted watered down and weak. You could barely taste the espresso. I have had lattes all over the city and this tasted like drinking warm watery milk... My partner also got the cold brew. He has had cold brews all over the city and this drink was also extremely watery. This was his third time trying this coffee shop and each time has ordered something different in the hopes it will be a better experience. Unfortunately I think they just don't have good coffee.

Still a nice alternative to Starbucks which is right across the street. Comfortable vibe, nice decor, and strong wifi. Well done cappuccinos too with the great art on top of the foam. For $4 it's a good deal and worth it to sit for a while and get work done on your computer.

I stopped here when visiting NYC and fell in love with the vibe, decor, and most importantly, coffee! I'm glad I grabbed a bag of beans to go because their beans are delicious.

Lovely little coffee shop that's great for a quick break! They have several tables both indoors and outdoors, so seating for socialization isn't hard to find. Seating for working, however, seems limited :( I visited around 3pm on a Thursday afternoon and all of the tables inside were already occupied. It's also quite loud inside with the music and street noise. I got a large iced mocha with almond milk and I was pretty satisfied! I loved that it was mildly sweet and had the right amount of chocolatey-ness. They charge extra to make drinks iced (+0.50) but there isn't an extra charge for plant-based dairy substitutions. I also wanted to grab a pastry but they were all sold out by the time I visited. Service was fast considering there was only one employee making drinks and ringing up customers.

Variety was on the list of roasters to visit while in NYC and It did not disappoint. It's located on a corner in the upper east side, has a very cute cozy shop and serving up delicious well-made drinks that the barista puts care and attention in. I ordered a cortado while the hubby ordered a hot almond milk vanilla latte. They don't have syrups behind the counter but do have simple syrup and homemade vanilla syrup at the bar which is self-service. I added just a hint to the hubby's latte and he said it was perfect and not too sweet. There's a lot of seating, but it was very cold and windy so every seat was taken. We sat outside close to the building to reduce the draft from the wind and enjoyed our drinks. We also picked up a bag of their beans, which I thought were a steal at $15.50 for whole beans.

I hadn't heard about Variety Coffee until I visited their roastery in Brooklyn. The owner was passionate when he spoke about their roasting process. On a Saturday afternoon, I dropped by this location. The barista was a little frazzled due to the long line. I enjoyed their drip coffee. I like the ambiance of this cafe. The interior decoration is very retro looking. I know a person who recently moved to this area. I hope we can meet here often.

Great coffee in the upper east side. The quality of the coffee and lattes is superb. The place itself is quite cosy, and attracts a lot of students and folks in to read. Only issue is, the music is way too loud, which leaves a bit of a dent to the experience.

Great addition to the neighborhood! Top notch coffee and cute ambiance. Unlike it's competitors in the area, Variety offers ample seating and a aesthetically pleasing environment. Floor to ceiling windows and ample plant-age make it a boho chic way to spend your morning. I love that they serve your "for here" coffee in actual mugs (a rare occasion during covid times). Worth your while. Will be back!

Very glad they called it Chai not "chai tea." Honestly quite tastey. Little burn from the Haldi which was nice. Very creamy and smooth. It was probably mainly milk so a baby like I would actually enjoy it but I can't complain! Nice ambiance too.

Great place for a nice caffeine boost and small treat. I enjoyed their cortado (rich in flavor) and ginger cookie (spicy, chewy, delicious!). They get super busy so we had to stand at the window using the little ledge for our coffee and cookies.

Great beans, offering both regular and decaf. Multiple alternate milk offered. Pretty shop in the UES that never fails to serve up great coffees.

While there was no seating in the coffee shop. My friend and I approached the register and started debating if we wanted to stay or not. Our decision took less than 5 seconds and I look up at the barista to order and I catch her rolling her eyes, which is entirely extreme and rude! Coffee is good though. Customer service need works.

I. love. this. place. It's perfectly located on my walk from the gym to the 6 train so I get coffee here almost every day on my way to work from the gym. The coffee is really good and they have bomb scones. The savory scones are the best I've had. They have a perfect texture and flavor. They complement the coffee very well. I have been wanting to try their other pastries, but it's hard for me to get anything other than the savory scones because e they are sooo good. They also make a really good iced cappuccino. Their cappuccino you can really taste the coffee it doesn't just taste like the milk with a slight coffee flavor which most other places have not mastered. It's almost always crowded when I'm there, so if you're looking for a place to sit this place might be a little tricky, but I think it's some of the best coffee in the upper east side! :)

Beautiful coffee place on the busy Upper East Side, 86th n Lex. Came in here for a mini coffee break after a long day of work. Ordered the classic Americano, very good espresso, nice aroma. Very relaxing environment accompanied by soft background music. Good spot to hop in after walks in the central park or your museums visits.

Great spot, great coffee, prices are very fair. Would recommend to anyone visiting the area.

After being a regular client who always enjoys visiting variety coffee today on 9/18/2023 I had the worst experience today when I was there from 7pm till closing. I started with a cappuccino and then proceeded to get another one where I pay with a $50, the barista with glasses that looks like a tomboy was the one behind the register. She then proceeds to give me two $20 and a $1 bill ( which I gave her as a tip) , I put it right away in my pocket and go sit down again then around 8:30 I go back to her to buy two lattes for my mom and sister to take home where I use one off the $20 that she gave me and she tells me she can't take it because it's fake. I tell her that it's the one that she gave me just recently and she looks at me and says " really " as if she ain't know that she did that. Then she followed up by saying I'm sorry but I can't take it, which got me upset cause you're the one that gave me this bill how are you going to do me like that when I'm the client if I was in her shoes I would respectfully take it back and fix the problem easily but she proceeds by saying " if you just go to the bank and say it's from here they will take it " and I had to control myself because in the moment the only thing I was think was " does this lady think I'm dumb ". So I then sit down and I explain to my girlfriend everything that just happened and she is in shock, I decided you know what it's $20 I ain't going to cause a scene and go back and forth with her this is a company where $20 ain't nothing to them but the fact that it was a lot for her to replace and fix the situation was the messed up part because I know she was conscious off what she was doing because she ended the situation fast by saying "don't worry tho I'll give you the coffee for free " which made me definitively know that she was the one that must off gotten scammed earlier in the day and wanted to get rid off it instead off having higher ups know that she got GOT! In the end I just hope that people that read this know that, that lady was willing to do that too me she'll easily do it to another person that walks up in there. Finally, we were about to leave and she tells my girlfriend I'm very sorry about the $20 and that she was unaware that now a days people scam with $20. Which is unrealistic because variety wouldn't hire people that are unprofessionally inexperienced

If you can just focus on the coffee, you will not be too disappointed. However, what seriously detracts from the coffee is the buildup of filth inside. I brushed by a shelf near the front of the establishment and was appalled at the amount of dust on, and around, the shelf. Then I took a closer look inside and it became clear that the entire store was filthy, and appears that cleanliness is certainly not a priority. Too bad!

I stumbled on this place while walking through this area and figured to grab a tea and sit outside. They have 3-4 tables outside which is cool because not many coffee shops have tables outside. I went with the peppermint tea out of the 4 tea varieties they had. They also have some pastries if you are hungry. They also have some cold beverages but not a ton of options. They also don't have a ton of food items other than pastries. No big deal so I would stick with the coffee/tea. The service is quicker than I thought since only one person was working. She was very efficient and got everyone in and out quickly. Sometimes there is a small line but it moves quick. Looks like they have a bunch of different coffee options and some tea options. Starbucks is across the street which is very busy but it is good to support this smaller business. Check it out!

I came across this place as I wanted a quick latte on my walk. The interior was really nice, the staff was very friendly, and most importantly the coffee was great!

Lots of things to like about the place - including but not limited to - kind baristas, I was offered a paper or plastic cup when ordering an iced beverage, and that the simple syrup is regular AND there's a vanilla option. The store is also lovely and there's lots of outdoor seating as well.

This is my favorite coffee shop in the neighborhood! It has a cozy feel to it even when it's crowded. Most of the tables are small so it's better for individuals or pairs, rather than groups. Variety makes the best oat milk lattes (and don't charge up for the oat milk!), good croissants, and a nice selection of pastries throughout most of the day. Lovely place to grab coffee, get some work done, or wind down with a friend.

This is a great spot for a little coffee chat. I wish I could say it's good for studying, but it's usually too busy and loud for being productive. It was hard to find a table indoors both times I've went. It still is cute though. And they have outlets. I got a latte and it was pretty good, like an 8/10.

Fast, good, well-priced iced oat latte :) I just wish they had a larger size than 12 oz! Also at a super convenient location right outside 4

Came here after walking around the Guggenheim for an afternoon pick-me-up. The cappuccino was fine, not particularly smooth or anything to write home about, but it was a solid cup of coffee. I probably would try a different coffee shop next time just to see if there's something better around. My sister had a chai latte that she enjoyed, but I think it could have been creamier.

Was drawn in by the interior of the coffee shop (wish it was open inside to sit, but due to COVID regulations, just seating outside with a bunch of small tables for 2) - but I really liked the cappuccino I got and my roommate got the iced coffee. I didn't think it was anything spectacular, but it was still a good cup of coffee.

I enjoy the Variety chain because they execute simplicity but quality very well. I had the chance to visit this location twice, but neither times was I "wowed". Although my flat white was burnt and difficult to finish, I was able to tell the quality in the roast within the first three sips before completely tossing the drink. On the other hand, my iced oat latte was enjoyable. My only gripe would be the sour regular female staff person. The interior is done really well, especially with the light fixture and plant arrangements.

Variety Coffee Roasters has a simpls, no-frills menu, with about 8-10 choices of coffee. Seemingly, they only have one size of coffee available. I ordered the cold brew, which was about $4, and you have to put the cream/milk/sugar in yourself (no issue). Unfortunately, the cold brew was very subpar. I like checking out cool coffee shops to try something other than starbucks, chain type coffee, but this cold brew ended up being much worse than at starbucks. My friend ordered an iced cappucino, which seemed to just be an espresso with steamed milk. In fact, her drink was worse than mine. That being said, the service was great and the workers were super friendly! I just wish the quality was better. There's a starbucks right across the street...can't believe I'm saying this but just go there instead.

The vibes in Variety Coffee Roasters is really chill and the service is friendly. You can smell the roasted coffee bean from outside. It was crowded when we visited but the wait wasn't bad on a Saturday afternoon. We tried their coffee and cold brew. The coffee was smooth with natural flavor, little sour and you can tell it's good quality. For self-serving your coffee, they have choices from milk, oat milk, almond milk and soy milk without any additional charge.

Went to this location to work remotely and saw an older couple getting up packing up their stuff. Waited a few feet away for them to clear their things so I wasn't aggressively on top of them trying to snag the table. An employee of this coffee stop quite literally side stepped me, cut me off, put her laptop down and walked away from the table not making eye contact with me or acknowledging the fact that she just blatantly cut me off and cut off what would have been a paying customer with a friend - another paying customer on the way. It would be one thing for another 'customer' to do this to me but for an employee to show so much disrespect is just not the best representation of this business. I'm incredibly disheartened by this situation and will be letting all of my UES girl friends know how I was treated here!

I don't like their coffee (cappuccinos) - they are weak and too milky However their Blueberry scones are delicious and they run out fast esp on weekends. Seating is ample and nice

Is there a better cafe in the upper east side? Probably because it's a Brooklyn transplant, they roast their own beans in the city & baristas can pull a single shot with full crema and flavor... not super common for the EUS. Also just a beautiful place to work from.

Idk if the music is ALWAYS 90s r&b throwbacks but yesterday it was and I was LOVING it. The music is a bit loud, as others have said, but I guess when you like the music you don't mind as much. I had a cold brew and it was great. Would be nice if they offered at least two sizes instead of one (16 oz.) $4 for that size feels a bit much, but apparently that's what their espresso drinks cost too, which, depending on the size, seems very reasonable. A few of the baristas could be a little friendlier. Love all the sunlight the place gets (seriously, wear SPF if you plan to stay here lol)..lots of people watching opportunities. Glad they have a few spots outdoors because often it's hard to get a seat inside. Be prepared to potentially have to go somewhere else (or stand for a while waiting people out) if you want a seat inside. Happy to have this place in the neighborhood! Glad that they're cool with people bringing their laptops in to do get some work done outside their apartments.

This place is awesome. Lower prices compared to surrounding coffee shops w/o compromising on quality. It's an amazing place to come, sit, read, and work alike. There's a steady influx of wfh professionals, students pouring over a textbook, couples (prolly married bc their conversations are so boring, lol), and tourists who just need a break. And the cherry cherry on top is their music and playlists are always jammin!