The coffee scene in New York has been pretty good for a long time now. A little too long. Lately, it feels like the days of unique, one-off coffee shops that were cool purveyors of fine beans have gone the way of Starbucks and become a series of mass produced chains bereft of charm.
However, tucked away in an unassuming corner of the oft overlooked Financial District of Manhattan is Conwell Coffee Hall, which has without a doubt beguiled me into believing that this is the best coffee shop in New York City.
Conwell Coffee Hall, located on 6 Hanover Street which is just a short walk from the New York Stock Exchange, is nestled within the historic Life and Trust Bank and serves as a sanctuary of coffee culture and an homage to that ambitious Wall Street spirit. They’ve got the usually plentiful menu of coffee and tea selections along with classic New York-inspired dishes, including: French Toast soaked in orange zest custard, salads such as the popular Waldorf, and signature toasts such as Avocado, Smoked Salmon, and Bacon, Egg & Cheese.
In a culinary celebration of summer, Conwell’s latest menu additions include Summer Gazpacho, Market Berries & Ricotta Toast, Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad, as well as thirst quenchers Fresh Raspberry Lemonade and Matcha Lemonade. Additionally, the full bar service and cocktail menu features The Conwell, an earthy and spirited feeling made with coffee infused bourbon, agave based coffee liqueur and banana liqueur; Dorian’s Portrait, a gimlet like, fruit forward cocktail with sloe and Shiraz gin, blueberry liqueur and lemon; Devil’s Dummy, a tropical refreshment with blanco tequila, passion fruit, italicus bergamot liqueur, fresh pineapple and lime juice; and Sleep No More, a summery and refreshing cocktail made with butterfly pea flower vodka, elderflower, citrus and topped with rose cider.
Without a doubt, I am a coffee snob. With that said, I would consider the coffee here very solid and able to hold it’s own against pretty much any other decent coffee shop you put them up against. However, what makes this place my favorite is the food and the ambience which is in a league of its own.
I came here expecting the usual coffee shop offerings of pastries, croissants, and sandwiches, but I was delightfully surprised to see that they had so much more than that and further surprised by how good it all was. I got to try a large swathe of their menu, including the Monkeybread, Ham and Cheese Croissant, Smoked Salmon Toast, French Toast, Waldorf salad, and Summer Gazpacho. The Monkeybread was a sweet, cinnamon-flavored treat that serves as the perfect shareable with a friend. The Ham and Cheese Croissant, which should be a simple sandwich of sorts, was unexpectedly complex and had deep, layered textures and flavors. Easily one of the best I’ve ever had. The Salmon Toast was fresh and bright, serving as both a treat for the eyes and tastebuds. The Waldorf salad was much more nuanced than I expected and was a refreshing twist from the usual fare from Sweetgreen or your local salad chain. The Summer Gazpacho was sweet and refreshing along with bursts of wonderful acidity throughout. Last was the French Toast which was so good that it’ll land Conwell on my short list of restaurants in my rotation in my monthly. The French toast was crispy on the outside while soft on the inside. It was so tender that just a subtle gesture of a knife is all that’s needed to part this delectable item in half. It was topped with a sweetened whip cream while also stuffed with a more tangy cream-filling that perfectly complemented this dish and making this my favorite French Toast in the city.
The ambience can’t be forgotten either. The coffee scene in New York is one where every shop sort of falls into the modern idea of a coffee shop that Starbucks modernized or the European living room design that most Brooklyn-based coffee shops find themselves in. However, a coffee shop set in what was once a bank is something else. I mean, where else is the counter where you can place an order the former teller window of an old art deco bank? Or where else could you find a restroom located next to a former bank vault?
Not to mention it is a wide open space with tables and couches that feels like a truly inviting public space as opposed to a cramped room where you grab what you need then go. I couldn’t think of a better spot to just hang out and spend a day with friends or work remotely. If you’re traveling to New York or just looking for a new coffee shop, then this place is certainly worth a visit.
