Rex Coffee
Click right to take a look around…
They stan Counter Culture. That was the note I immediately made in my phone when stepping into a space that could only be a cafe...okay, that or another operation needing a storefront that is petite in scale: custom designs, ice cream, flower stall, knick-knacks, or boutique clothing. It’s what’s on the inside that counts. Yes, this too may be said about cafes. With another glance at the $200 painting “Portrait of a Blonde Man” for sale above archival black-and-whites of 10th Avenue and 57th Street, it’s decided. The menu font is very heightened caps, and you know, this design works—almost mimics the narrow-yet-high space. There are two tables beneath loft industrial-style pendant lamps—which are incredibly ridged and nailed, as though they were once affixed to a submarine—if you are keen to sit, but otherwise this sensible setup lets you a nab your coffee and olive oil cookie and carry on.
SCROLL DOWN
SCROLL DOWN
For More
〰️
For More 〰️
Drink: Cappuccino
I only needed to notice that Counter Culture’s la golondrina was on the hopper, and I knew it was going to be an experience. A single-origin from Colombia proclaiming milk chocolate, cherry, and nut tasting notes, the flavor of the milk and espresso beverage is definitely complex, but it’s also impossible to disentangle. This monochromic quality isn’t discouraging by any means, it just means that the taste result is more like a chord rather than singular notes. There’s definitely a 98% chance you haven’t encountered anything like it during your day. It is New York though, so the 2% is for that inherent “anything’s possible” reality. The tulip art on the cappuccino looked more like a reed. The rarity with which an espresso beverage shakes loose a thought of Egypt earns it yet a little more love.
••••
Price: Capp=$4.25*
*Alternative milks cost a different amount per size. Never seen that before.
Hours: Monday–Friday {7–21}; Saturday {7–16}; Sunday {8–16}
Extra Notes:
Due to the unconventionality, I want to mention how I found out about this place. During my brief time living in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, I had engaged a little in NYC Girls Room. One woman has expressed interest in getting to know people over coffee. No need to open that door any wider for me. Anyways, her name was Hannah, and she told me that this spot was near her place and that she’d always wanted to check it out. That meeting never happened. However, fast forward a third try and almost a year later, and I finally made a solo trip in. A weird part of me likes to think that Hannah eventually made it too.