THE BEAN
Entering the Bean on the corner of 1st Ave and 3rd St, one is at first overwhelmed by the amount of space this coffee shop has. With East Villagey decor and a $1.50 small coffee, you would expect this to be more of a hole-in-the-wall, but you're actually almost guaranteed to find a place to sit. How cool is that! There are even window seats, which is pretty much the raddest (if you find yourself getting paranoid about the cushions, just sit in a chair, I guess).
The coffee and food are good. Not magical, not awful, a nice solid good, with prompt service by pixie-cut maybe-lesbians. Pretty much everybody on the staff wears a beanie. Important thing to know: they take cards, and there isn't a debit limit. Which means you can get your two dollar cafe au lait without using up the last of your cash before hitting up the Tompkins Square farmer's market. Okay, maybe that's just my day....
My problems with the Bean: even if you're staying, they don't have mugs but will give you your coffee in a cardboard thing. That seems kind of wasteful, right? Also, in theory they have wireless internet, but in reality it totally doesn't function, which sucks.
But the atmosphere makes this a nice place to study or chill or talk. The music is played at a non-obnoxious volume; the customers pretty much mind their own business, but as always they have that New York gregariousness which is so lovely to see and partake in. Actually, I believe that the people who frequent the Bean are among the most beautiful in New York. The East Village / LES is full of good-looking people anyway, especially now that it's winter and everybody's busting out their coats and boots. But the people here is particularly cute. (Guy with the red glasses frames and good teeth... I'll be here next Sunday if you are!) And if you aren't really feeling the decrepit old guy sitting at the table next to yours, you can always gaze pensively out the windows, which take up two entire walls and therefore make people-watching as easy as it will ever be. There are even a series of benches outside if you want to sit and smoke or something, or if the weather is great (I miss those days...).
So overall, worth hitting up whether you want a quick coffee fix or a place to chill for the whole day.
Grade: 3.5/5 COJ
