Abraço is barely bigger than a closet. There are maybe four seats. The espresso is flawless. That's the whole pitch, and it's been enough to make this one of the most beloved coffee shops in New York for over fifteen years. The olive oil cake is legendary — people write about it in food magazines.
The owner Jamie is usually behind the machine and he treats every shot like it matters. There's no Wi-Fi, no outlets, no pretense of being a workspace. You come here to drink an exceptional cortado, maybe eat a slice of cake, and then get on with your day. It's espresso bar culture the way it works in Italy — stand, sip, go. The East Village needs more places like this.
What locals are saying
“The olive oil cake here changed my understanding of what cake can be. Not exaggerating.”
— Lena, East Village