Whynot Coffee

Next time you are craving a cup of Joe and some pastries, instead of going for the usual Starbucks or Oren’s, head over to Christopher Street and explore Whynot Coffee.

Photo by Tallie Gabriel

Whynot Coffee was recently listed on the Extraordinary Cafes in America list by New York Magazine’s Food and Restaurant Blog. Designed to evoke French 60’s style, the shop welcomes you upon entering with a big sparkling Brigitte Bardot portrait hanging on the wall. The cafe is decorated with numerous paintings such as “Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg” created by local artist, Jeremy Penn.

Dessert and pastry fans will be happy to see that Whynot Coffee also serves goodies from Mille-Feuille Bakery. Miki Metaija, the manager of Whynot Coffee proudly said that, “most of our things are organic, vegan and 100% gluten-free, and we use hormone-free butter as well. Even the macarons are gluten-free.”

Miki also pointed out that a small oven positioned behind the baristas is a new addition to the coffee shop: Whynot Coffee will soon be doing their baking in-house, the smell of croissants and other baked treats will fill the air. Moreover, to ensure it houses the best coffee out there, Whynot Coffee has conducted a coffee blind tasting. It now serves Blue Bottle Coffee with an extensive choice of organic milk.

Photo by Tallie Gabriel

At night, Whynot Coffee transforms into Whynot Wine. Miki explained that even though Whynot Wine has the license to sell beer, it has chosen to only sell wine. With the entire place lit up under the glow of candles and the ambiance set with mellow music in the background, Whynot Wine is a unique spot to spend an evening in the midst of  the West Village.

Whynot Coffee has also recently opened a new store on 175 Orchard Street. This coffee shop is located in the center of an art gallery that features the work of more local artists.

Must-Taste Tip: The raspberry croissant is absolutely delicious. The raspberry jam stuffed in the middle of the croissant is delicately balanced with the raspberry powder dusted on top of the fluffy crust.