The largely residential neighborhoods of Park Slope, Kensington, Ditmas Park, Crown Heights and Prospect Gardens make up this area of Brooklyn. Kensington and Ditmas Park still retain many examples of beautiful Victorian architecture, while Prospect Heights is known for its rich cultural history. The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, The Brooklyn Museum and The Pratt Institute all be found there. Park Slope itself, with its picturesque tree-lined streets, historic brownstones, popular restaurants and shops, is a great neighborhood to explore.

Here are six great coffee shop picks.
 

Brunswick
240 Prospect Park West
Don’t be fooled by the unassuming entrance to Brunswick. Once you delve deeper, through the idyllic white, cacti-filled passageway, you’ll discover a 40-seat enclosed garden. Whether nestling up in modern booth seating or joining a communal table, you’ll be surrounded by 360 degrees of plant life and sunlight. The coffee on offer features well-executed espresso drinks served with a noteworthy all-day brunch menu combining classic Southern and Australian brunch items. Brunswick uses Battenkill Valley grass-fed milk, adding a sweetness and creamy mouthfeel to their coffee, leaving the flavor of Counter Culture's impeccable beans lingering on the tongue.

Coffee Mob
1514 Newkirk Avenue
If you’re looking for quality (both of the roast and musical variety) look no further than Coffee Mob. Situated in a lovely corner spot in the Flatbush neighborhood, this venue promises expertly brewed, single-origin espresso. The beans are roasted in house on a rotating basis, sourced from fair-trade plantations around the world. In addition to its roast, the venue offers a variety of sandwiches and pastries, making it the perfect lunch spot. Vinyl turntables sit next to the La Marzocco GB5, allowing the baristas to double as DJs and offer some sweet tunes.

Gorilla Coffee
472 Bergen Street
Gorilla’s Park Slope branch, its second in Brooklyn, is a big, modern, functionally decorated place with very fifties-looking tables. Somehow none of that makes it feel institutional, because this is a comfortable place to sit and hang out. Gorilla has been roasting in Brooklyn since 2002 and their full variety is shown best in the Chemex or pour-over, but espresso-based drinks are made to the same high standards. Baked goods are very popular; but don’t be surprised if the selection’s shrunk if you get there later in the day.



Orso Coffee
1745 Sheepshead Bay Road
Orso perfectly nails the style, vibe, and flavor profile of what you imagine a bay-side coffee shop to be. The 600-square-foot shop is flooded with natural light, shining upon exposed copper piping and a neon mural by local artist Raisa Nosova. While offering specialty brews to delight coffee zealots (it's probably the only coffee shop in Sheepshead Bay where you know the altitude at which the beans for your cappuccino were grown), the medium-roast beans by Queens-based For Five, communal bar seating and diverse customer base keep the space grounded. On offer is a diverse selection of quality pastries and sandwiches, along with a curated selection of health-focused small bites to go. Whether you opt for a cappuccino, matcha or turmeric latte, Orso’s skilled baristas serve an unrelenting supply of perfectly poured latte art along with a variety of iced drinks to tempt any caffeine deficient customer en route to Sheepshead Bay or Coney Island. They even have cold brew and kombucha on tap, and everything tastes better on tap, right?

Seven Point Espresso
637 Washington Avenue
This adorable new Australian café truly has the perfect beverage for everyone — excellent Counter Culture coffee, delicious Matcha by Chalait, and Prana Chai teas. The all-day menu is as satisfying as the beverages, full of beautifully presented and extremely Instagram-able Aussie staples like avocado toast and acai bowls. If you’re looking for something a little more sweet and indulgent, we would recommend trying their tantalizing Tim Tam Waffin (waffle/muffin!). There is plenty of seating for visitors to enjoy the lovely ambiance, created by the low hanging lights and exposed brick wall. Seven Point is a quiet spot, perfect for working or catching up with a friend or two. With such delicious food options, it tends to fill up from around 11am on weekends, so make sure you get in early if you’re planning on stopping for brunch!

Stonefruit Espresso + Kitchen
1058 Bedford Avenue
A major spot for Bed-Stuy, Stonefruit is a little slice of Los Angeles, in the best sense possible. It’s a coffee shop, it’s a florist, it’s a candle and used-book shop, it’s a restaurant that serves wine. Comfortable rope-swing chairs hang from the ceiling in this beautifully designed, light-filled space. The baristas are perfectionists at handling milk and the single-origin pour-overs are delicious, but the flat white is even better. The matcha latte is just as good; it’s hard to choose what to drink here because they get everything right.

If you enjoyed this, you can purchase The New York Coffee Guide here.