Run This Town

Everyone has a neighborhood coffee shop in New York. Whether or not you patronize yours, well, that’s another thing, but everyone has one. And coffee addicts, I would venture, patronize their favorite neighborhood coffee shop on a more-than regular basis. That’s me and mine is Atlas Cafe on the corner of Grand and Havemeyer in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  

Atlas is colorful and welcoming, with a mural painted outside on the patio wall and true to its namesake, a huge map of the world papering one wall inside the cafe. A myriad of small tables sit under huge bright windows, conducive to working more than chatting, although the patio outside in the summer is intended for socializing and not working (no laptops outside). So whatever your need, you can fill it… provided it is not February and you want to sit outside and chat (let’s be frank, February doesn’t fill many needs).

I am no coffee connoisseur (though I drink quite a bit of it), but Atlas coffee hits the spot, and a variety of warm, delicious paninis, bagel sandwiches, salads, pastries and yogurt parfaits grace the menu. They are open until 10 pm, so some evenings the guests of Atlas can jive and be serenaded by live music.

Stephanie, who usually works during the weekdays, greets customers warmly and familiarly with a compliment or endearing pet-name, making it feel like you are walking in to someone’s kitchen for a cup of coffee and a morning chat. It only takes a couple of visits for her to remember your order, and then more often than not, she will have it waiting for you. “It” being a piping hot cup of coffee in the winter, a refreshingly cold iced coffee in the summer, or in my case, a “Peanut butter and lox.” 

What? Indeed this can only be ordered when Stephanie is at the helm, as its our inside joke, and actually means an everything bagel, toasted, with lox and the works. She and I just like the reaction of the other Atlas guests as I proudly step to the counter and walk away with a mouthwatering “Peanut butter and lox bagel.” Her sense of humor makes every visit worth choosing Atlas.

For all the love I give it, Atlas takes its hits on sites like Yelp! and some of the stereotypes are true, though grounded in bitter-sounding cynical whining. Yes, you will find a sea of hipsters sitting behind silver MacBook Pro’s on most any day of the week. Welcome to Williamsburg. And should that day of the week be a weekend, you are guaranteed not to find a seat… inside or out. Other Yelping complaints are about the staff (I believe we’ve addressed that), the wireless connection (I’ve never had a problem) and that it’s crowded (go elsewhere if you want a shop to yourself). Every spot has its drawbacks and moments when an experience might leave something to be desired.

But despite the naysayers, despite the stereotypes of the neighborhood, I remain unswayed. Atlas is my spot. Bottoms up!