I feel like this would be terribly discomforting after a while, but am very curious to go there next time I’m in NYC.
Let me cut the suspense: don’t go here. It’s terrible.
While the cafe definitely presents a cool interior design, it can be difficult to appreciate the aesthetics after fighting your way through Midtown crowds. But what makes D’Espresso Cafe terrible is not its location, but its questionable quality and condescending service.
Meaghin and I tried D’Espresso yesterday afternoon. We found both of our baked goods to taste ok… like something that had once been good, but had been frozen in storage for awhile. We had both reached our maximum caffeine quotient for the day (5 servings by 5pm should probably be a limit), so we asked if they served chai lattes. “No, I’m sorry, we don’t have those” the server replied. A second later he says, “Oh no, I’m just joking, we have them.”
Hilarious.
We would’ve been better off if he hadn’t been joking. We received drinks with about 10oz of milk and 2oz of tea. The milk hadn’t even been steamed or textured. We knew these drinks were destined for the nearest trash can, so I just went to the register to pay the bill. A second server rung me up - “Would you like our new customer loyalty card?” she asked perkily. “No thank you.” Her perky demeanor vanished and was replaced immediately with condescension. “Oh, you’re not from here?”
Now, a part of me wanted to respond in an equally condescending tone that I lived in Brooklyn, not the depths of Midtown. A larger part of me wanted to respond “I’m not interested in loyalty cards for terrible service and drinks that taste like shit.” Instead, I smiled politely and just informed her that I was rarely in this part of Midtown and that I would not make use of the loyalty card.
Consider yourselves warned. And if you’re in that area and want fantastic coffee and quality service, check out the Joe Coffee location in Grand Central.
