The Espresso Bar used to be a foreign concept in the United States. While that is no longer the case, it still is rather difficult is to find a good Italian espresso, the kind that brings you back the next day for more. The problem is usually that the coffee is too bitter, the portion size is wrong and often there is much too much milk in the espresso macchiato. This doesn’t even begin to touch on another problem, the cost of an espresso in America which hovers around $2 and $2.50 for an Espresso Macchiato.
Italians all agree on very few things but the uniformity of their views on New York’s espresso scene is quite remarkable. Most Italians go to Sant Ambroeus, Via Quadronno, Tarallucci e Vino and Buon Italia. Are these the only bars in town then, one could legitimately ask? The answer is not by a long shot. What is amazing though is that top New York newspapers cite the city’s best espresso bars without ever mentioning one owned or run by Italians.
On the last count there were more than 30 espresso bars in New York City. While the Italians may prefer only a few spots, the rest of the coffee drinking population has decided to embrace espresso-based drinks: cappuccino, espresso latte, mocha and café au lait offered at a variety of locations. Many of the bars have plans to expand in the coming months or have just recently opened a new branch of their store.
Truth be told, there is a difference in the taste of the coffee and in the ambiance in the different bars. They can be divided into three distinct groups: espresso bars run by Italians or with an Italian barista, espresso bars run by non-Americans from countries with a strong café culture, and espresso bars run by Americans or third wave espresso bars whose roots tend to come from the US coffee heaven – Seattle, not Italy.
Whatever your personal preference, espresso bars, it seems, are a permanent fixture on the New York scene to the joy of many happy consumers.
Posted by radicchioblog 
