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Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - South SideGraham Ave (L)
Metropolitan Ave-Lorimer St (G, L)
"Roots and Vines is a destination, folks. Travel here if you don't live within walking distance. It's worth it. Seriously. My brother and…" read more »
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Pros:
Beautiful space with lots of seating.
Tasty drinks
Cool chalkboard
Cons:
Pricy
Service is hit or miss
I wouldn't consider myself a regular but I do enjoy an occasional visit. When you're feeling spendy, get the mocha. Yum.
Pros: It's close to home
Cons: Hipster central, coffee is too strong and taste burnt, pretentious.
I wish this spot was still a dry cleaner.
Variety is all around a pretty solid cafe that stands out in a place where cafe's are dime a dozen. I love their iced drinks and tea selection. I don't drink coffee but I hear theirs is pretty great. Free wifi and lots of seating are also a plus. The barista's are friendly and cool. Also great for babe-watching. Just saying.
It's easy to spend a morning at this spot.
It was a great little shop when I lived off Graham. I'd run there anytime I'd go off to the trains. It was interesting to watch the place's set-up transform over the course of the year into a little coffeeshop. Pretty decent.
Good coffee and bad art! It's a scene spot so expect to spend a little more, but the coffee is strong and flavorful. The muffins and baked goods had creative ingredient titles and low flavor content. Yum coffee, free internet.
Roomy, with plenty of tables. Wifi has been reliable. The iced coffee is 2.50, but it's french press, and with a splash of soy it's perf. The baristas have always been pleasant, and the vibe is nice.
As for all of the reviews complaining about hipsters: get over it. It's Williamsburg. Of course there are hipsters everywhere.
i don't know how i would start my mornings without the ready supply of wonderful coffee i always purchase at this joint. mostly friendly, non-condescending staff, some of whom are outright deliciously attractive. (certain bespectacled brunettes...) the take-home action is good, as i've said, or you can stay and use your computer or pretend to read a book even though you're illiterate. it's okay- nobody knows. that's our little secret.
love,
C-sam
Meh
Too many hipsters "trying" to be cool. The french press coffee sucks. I like to drink my coffee, not eat it.
Poor and rude service as well. If you don't look like a hipster, good luck.
The chalkboard outside Cho's Variety makes me smile pretty much every morning when I walk by on my way to work.
The other day it said:
"Graham : Bedford :: Stumptown : Folgers"
Zinggggg. Ya'll Bedford cats are some Folgers drinkin mofos.
This morning it was:
"Coffee: You know you want it"
Fuck yeah I wanted some coffee. Then I walked inside and got some. Shit, their advertising worked on me.. I'm such a fish.
Edit: I guess this review isn't useful enough so I'll add that all regular coffees are french press, $2, and awesome (aka a "tromance") and I've always received great service from numerous cute baristas. There we go, usefulness.
Good atmosphere, good music, friendly baristas (including a cute bespectacled one.) I don't pretend to be a huge coffee connoisseur, so my review of the actual product won't be too insightful. All I'll say is that I like it. Wish it were a little cheaper and that the food selection were a little broader, but the benefits outweigh the downsides if you're looking for a pleasant study spot with good people watching opportunities if you want to take a break from all that studying. I've always been treated real nice here.
"Coffee Saves"
Good stuff. I had the Americano, iced, 2 Splenda packets & a touch of soy.
The ironic thing is, there's not much of a variety at Cho's Variety. But let's talk honestly here... when it comes to java, what more do you actually need than: coffee, espresso, americano, latte, & cappuccino - hot or iced? Nothing.
Sitting in Variety right now and was inspired by my very tasty Americano to write a review. I went out of the neighborhood for a few months and when I came back I was very pleased to see a new cafe on Graham Ave. Graham is getting pretty crowded for coffee choices, from old school Italian cafes like Cafe Capri to the new school Stumptown Roasters supplied, new Williamsburg crowd Variety, which is a very welcome addition in my book.
These guys know their coffee. A knowledgeable, well trained staff of baristas who pull great shots of delicious espresso. To hear some of these guys and gals go on about tasting notes for all their coffees puts my barista days to shame. The place is clean, spacious and has lots of tables to sit at with a healthy amount of wall outlets for you laptop laden folk. The staff is always friendly, to me at least, and they play some pretty good music in there too. No better place to sit down to do some work or read while having the best cup of coffee around.
I like Variety a lot. Yes, it does skew a bit pricey ($2.50 for pretty strong iced coffee; iced tea kind of watery but the same price), but I've always been of the mind that buying a coffee was mostly just buying a reason to be Not At Home, whether to do work or meet friends or whatever. The music is eclectic and well-selected, and there's a friendly neighborhood vibe to the place. Most baristas are pleasant and smiley but not particularly chatty; every now and then one will open up. It's just a nice place to camp out for awhile. And, really, that's all I could ask for.
I had a great cappuccino. they pull (what looked like) double shots of stumptown, which i like. a lot of places pull stumptown tripple ristretto, and i always feel like its too dark. so i was delighted to taste a little fruitiness in my shot.
also, the baristas were very nice.
I got addicted to Portland's golden caffeinated beans of Stumptown Coffee Roasters quite some time ago. A serious love affair, I used to have it shipped to my apartment in Williamsburg. You cannot imagine my surprise when Cho's (it says outside on the sign, not sure if it's the actual name) Variety popped up on my street and was brewin' up a storm with my favorite beans!
What a treat to have this oil spill down the block and not only are the baristas super friendly, the space is clean and minimalist, the pastries fresh and they've even kept a little old New York in tact by polishing up those ornate tin ceilings.
See you tomorrow morning!
I have been here about 8 times and it's pretty much the same every time.
Slow service
Low on milk, cream, etc
Two servers, at least, don't know how to mix the simple syrup ratios.
No stirrirs or confusion about which spoons are clean and which are dirty.
Dirty counters
Chatting amongst themselves is more important than serving coffee.
Coffee is inconsistent. Either not strong enough or too strong.
This place is in a prime location, huge and lovely space.
There is no management at all and whoever is managing should be fired or given a kick in the ass.
The guys behind the counter just schlep around and are slow.
A more roasty, chocolatey bean - an italian roast (?) would be nice instead of the one they are using - which is drab.
This is a mixed neighborhood but how about garnering all the old school italians or luring in the new generation italians by getting an italian bean?
I don't know what it is about this coffee.... maybe it's the way it's brewed... i've had stumptown before and liked it but this is gross.
About an ounce more passion and enthusiasm would do this place good.
Quit fucking around and get me my coffee.
This place is boring. I'm not giving this place kudos for being mediocre.
I think that it COULD be a really amazing place to get coffee. But, it's just not.
I'll stick with Capri's.
I live two blocks down the street from this place and was really excited to see it sprout up one summer day.
Their iced coffee was strong, french pressed, and $2.50 which isn't a bad combo. Their lattes are a bit overpriced and service can be slow esp. during morning rush hour of students and corporate hipsters.
The place itself is cozy and can be a good place to study and people watch :)
Cho's is the new cool hangout in the North-East side of Williamsburg where I live... and not only is the coffee is really, really good, but the assortment of loose teas are a great addition. I didn't give it 5 stars, because some of the food is a bit pricey, albeit pretty good, and the decor really needs some work. There is no excuse for a cafe in Williamsburg, let alone New York City to not have great artwork up. Williamsburg is about 90% artists... I just made that up, but it's probably not far from the truth.
They should just rotate artists every month or so, and put it up on blank walls- not the dated wall-paper which is currently there.
as much as i hate going to williamsburg, sometimes i am there. sometimes it's early. sometimes it's afternoon. sometimes i need coffee.
enter...VARIETY!!
coffee - hot, cheap, they have equal packets.
sign me up.
Like everyone said, hurray for location, no more DD coffee, or is it?
Variety is a simple coffee shop that comes with friendly staffs and a comfy space to relax or read, or punch keys on your mac...
coffee is not bad, but quite expensive, and prone to be on the weak side especially if iced.
They do have some pastries and cookies but also quite pricey.
Maybe just another Bedford trend invading Graham ave, price included.
The coffee at Variety is very strong, which can be a positive or a negative depending on your mood. I have car service drivers stop there in the wee hours before they haul me out to NJ to meet with my "morning-people" clients.
It's a nice open, old school feeling place, service is kind of slow. Although I am partial to Oak across the street, the big draw at Variety are the Blue Sky Bakery muffins - decadent moist carb-o bombs filled with chunks of fresh fruit - they come in combos like strawberry plum and carrot apple walnut (aka carra-appa-woahnut - this is my 2 year old's favorite.) They also make a nice little croissant with ham and gruyere which is good. These delicacies are best consumed sparingly as I have no idea what the calorie counts might be, although the ingredients seem very fresh.
I am glad to have Variety in the coffee/breakfast rotation.
I cant tell you how excited I was to find Stumptown coffee in the burg. With previous trips to NYC the coffee always fell short of my west coast expectations. Well, not anymore! I had an absolutely amazing latte at Variety which was, almost, as good as any coffee Ive had.
The only reason why I dinged them one star was that the service was a little slow, particularly for how busy they were(nt). But the baristas were nice, the girl working the register was cute, and the place is very nice with lots of seating.
If you like Variety and youre ever in SF id highly encourage stopping by Blue Bottle or Four Barrel. And of course if you catch yourself in Portland you have to stop by Stumptown.
Stumptown is the reason why I fell in love with coffee, again.
One more thing, if $2 for a french press cup of coffee is too much for you whiners, go back to Dunkin Doughnuts.
Since this place is close to where I live, I have been here a few times and have always had bad experiences. As others have noted, the staff has that current hipster trend of diffidence towards their customers mixed with anger at having to do their job when they could be chatting to their group of loud friends (who always seem to be gathered around a counter in the back, stomping on the ground and turning the already loud music up to deafening levels). However, this is something I have come to accept among 20-something cafe workers in the neighborhood.
What really irks me about this place is their bitter, stale coffee. I have ordered regular black coffee from them several times and it is always stale and bitter beyond enjoyment. It is barely drinkable. I usually go in the afternoon, so maybe they have just not made a fresh batch since morning, but considering how crowded this place is during that time you would think they would be making better coffee. The tables could use an occasional wipe down every now and then as well, and the back of the cafe is often littered with trash.
Good points: the interior design is very nice, their pastries are good (although they have a limited amount), the tea is decent and they have an abundance of tables, plugs and wifi for the laptop set. However, I would rather go to any of the many cafe's in the neighborhood over this place. Still, I am willing to give them a chance.
Oh yeah: no credit cards.
This place pretty much sums up everything I hate about what's happening to my neighborhood. Hoardes of bearded, skinny-jeansed, fixed-gear riding dipsters who seem to think their American Apparel-derived aesthetic is breaking some kind of new ground. And of course the "coolness" of this place seems to require they sell child-sized cups of shitty coffee for way too much money. I'll stick with Caffe Capri up the street, thanks.
My biggest secret? I don't like coffee. If I need a quick jump start, I'll have a cup, but really? It tastes kinda gross.
Or at least that's what I used to think. Then I moved to Portland, OR for a bit and tasted the sweet, sweet, delicious joy of Stumptown. When I left it was actually on my (rather short) list of things I'd miss. One day I was walking down Graham Ave and my world was turned upside down. There in the window was the familiar red Stumptown sign.
I couldn't contain my joy. The barista during my first visit was a Reedie and we had a friendly chat about PDX. There have been different folks behind the counter on my return visits, but they've all been friendly. No attitude here.
Nice staff plus no extra charge for soy milk plus Stumptown plus a great people watching bench in front? Holy crap.
A lively neighborhood spot (with good coffee!) I have a really hard time dragging myself out of bed every morning but stopping off at Variety on my way to the subway really cheers me up (I doubt the caffeine hurts either once it kicks in). I've lived in the Graham Ave enclave for five years, which I love so much for its old-school Italian charm, but Variety is one of the rare new places that's simply a great addition to the neighborhood--the coffee's good, the staff is warm and fun (they play everything from Tom Waits to Frank Sinatra to the Smiths) and the whole place just has a welcoming vibe. Say what you will, but you've got to love that chandelier!
If Variety were cheaper, I would go there more often. But I feel like their biggest drawback/downfall/whatever is that it's pretty expensive, for the amount of coffee you receive. With that said, the coffee is delicious, and this may have been the place that turned me into a "coffee aficionado." When I drink mediocre coffee, I dream of Variety in my head. Oh and the baked goods are pretty good, but once again, expensive. I also love the decor, although sometimes I hate sitting there because hipsters have the most ridiculous conversations and I can only overhear so much before I want to rip my hair out. But the coffee is delicious and the staff has always been great, so when I'm feeling flush, it's Variety for me.
Delicious espresso in a pretty shop. That's what's up. Came here a few months ago after a recommendation and now I indulge whenever I'm in the hood. The cappuccinos could be a bit more foamy (mine was more of a latte) but I pretty much orgasm at the first sip. Pain au chocolat? To die for. The decor? It shares many aspects of my dream crib (sweet chandeliers! wood wood wood). 5 stars for Variety!
tasty coffee, agree with other reviewers that it's on the pricey side, but overall a nice place to hang out and draw. not as much of a scene as i expected, but i won't be going there on a weekend.
I had a pleasant cup of organic chai and could see myself heading back. The service seemed a little slow on the whole and the place was crowded, but it was an enjoyable enough experience. I appreciate their efforts to use organic ingredients and could see myself curling up in a corner with a book if the mood struck me.
thank gggooooooooooddddd there is finally a decent cafe on my way to the subway. adios, dunkin donuts! totallly cute place with AWESOME espresso. and not at a bad price either.
love it. but get an A/C, a credit card machine, and some foods-to-go (can i grab a granola bar or what?).
For heaven's sake, Variety, get some air conditioning in here. How does one decide to open a coffee shop in the middle of summer and not make sure their AC works? I'm sitting here, sweating buckets, with just a lone fan providing some air circulation. I want to give this place a chance. Their coffee seems decent and the space is large with lots of tables, but I don't want to feel like I'm inside a sauna. The whole operation feels a little ghetto right now -- the girl at the front didn't even know their own phone number -- but I'm going to chalk it up to growing pains. Hope they pull it together soon.
as a newbie to the neighborhood, I thought it would be a while before i found a place to call home. I'll be honest, I don't go to coffee shops, I have a peculator at my house, where i drink and smoke and read the newspaper trying to shake off the sleepy fuzz that surrounds me for at least an hour after i get up. But i found myself getting out of the house a little earlier and not finishing the pot of coffee, because, well, they have better coffee than i do. I like it in the morning, crowded, but swift, a good repertoire between the barristers and baristas, and a sign that makes me smile everyday, not to add any pressure to the creative mind behind the pithy daily commentary, but they're good. I don't ever mind paying for something when its good, and its good. the french press was my personal method of coffee production for many a year, back when i had a tea kettle and a gas stove in my apartment, and its nice to revisit the unmistakable texture it imparts to the coffee. And the shot of espresso the other night kept me awake late enough to finish my book! if you live in the neighborhood, come here before, and after work, for all your caffeine needs, and maybe the social ones too, good people abound!
i became an espresso snob about a year ago and i work in the burg, so im always stopping in for the best coffee in each nook of the nabe... gimme, grumpy, el beit, marlowe...
there was nothing close to graham L and then Variety opened and then I tried it and then i loved it. tasteful decor and great vibe plus good espresso... whats not to like?
ps
they fixed the AC problem by about my third trip so its all systems go now at this welcome addition to the Graham
Probably the most wicked iced coffee I've ever had. No lie. I just finished one and just might have to walk the 10 minutes to go get another. It's also a super cute space, and seems like a great place to work or read (but I took my coffee to go). I guess Variety is supposed to be an ironic name since they have about 3 things on their menu and a kind of meager selection of pastries. But if they add more stuff to their menu I'll bump them up to 5 stars. Looking forward to more Variety. Yum.
Cuuuuute, friendly staff, good music. Outlets galore and I managed to 'borrow' to someone's wifi. A much needed addition to Graham. Yay!
a fine café indeed. swell americano
i am a coffee shop snob. as a writer and caffeine addict, i'm constantly in search of the holy grail of cafes. i frequently ride my bike uphill (!) to the furthest tip of greenpoint in order to sit someplace quiet but not-too-quiet, cute but not-too-hip, loitering-friendly, with attractive/nice baristas, equipped with tempting snacks and a good coffee/tea menu... so i was really excited when variety opened a few blocks from my house, ON MY WAY to the L train. awesome! it's a winner on every point...
except the coffee. sadness! it's so weak it tastes like water. i have tried it on at least 4 separate occasions, in hopes that it was just a bad day or something. it's true i have only had the iced coffee, so maybe the hot is better. but i'm a year-round fan of cold-brew iced coffee! that's part of why i tried it again and again. it's supposed to be smooth and free of bitterness, yes, but i swear to god i can't even taste the coffee. iced americano was a little bit better, but still on the weak side. i am writing this in the hopes that they will get the hint and start brewing more coffee with their coffee. it's a cute place and i want to hang out there and i hope they do well. i still may go there when i want a place to sit...and drink seltzer. (they don't have many other choices, at least not yet.) but for COFFEE on my way to work, there are at least 10 other places within a few blocks that make it better and stronger.
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