Culture Espresso

Best little cup of black coffee with a luscious chocolate chunk cookie, just as the first drops of rain began to fall. Songs: Ohia demo track playing, wandering into this spot totally transformed my day and the staff were so sweet!

This is the best latte I’ve ever had in NY so far! Nice intensity of coffee and flavor were just right for me.
I like the staff and barista were very friendly even though very long line of people waiting for order. I also like the interior décor, wall paper, and chandelier.
Baked goods were so good, but I wanted to just grab a cup and take a subway, so I gave up. Next time I try it for sure!
Only reason I rated here 4 starts is that there are limited spaces to stay compared to the number of people coming here. I wish I could have nice chill time here. Other than that, everything was perfect!

This place has the best service, coffee and COOKIE you’ve ever had.
I will definitely be coming back, and will also be planning on extra steps cause those cookies so damn good.

Worst wifi, irritable not-​miling staff, very limited seating space, very very loud music. But they did have really good cookies made frmo scratch and made on site (they claim).

Really nice coffee shop. I had a flat white and it was beautiful and I got a taste of my wife’s latte too which was top notch. Small and busy coffee shop but we eventually got a seat after standing for a small time.
They bake their own cookies too which looked fantastic but we never tried these unfortunately.

Nothing special here!!!
Very good comments on Unilocal but didnt understund why
Very small place
Musik a disaster u cannot work !!! Or enjoying your coffee

I stopped by here to kill time before starting a day of explorations in NYC. I’m glad we picked this spot, it was close to other stores in Herald Square and in a central location. The place itself is on the smaller side, but people are constantly going in an out so you don’t have to wait long to find a table.
To be honest, I’m not a huge coffee person, BUT I am a big cookie person and this place has amazzzinggg chocolate chip cookies! Warm and gooey on the inside, and perfectly sweet. I did try a sip of some coffee drink, it was good, but like I’m no coffee afficionado. My friend did comment on how good it was though. I walked in not realizing they were popular for the cookies, but now I would definitely go back just for them.

Being a chocolate chip cookie enthusiast (self-​proclaimed), I’ve decided to check this place out which was recommended to me by a friend.
The chocolate chip cookie that this location creates is absolutely delicious. I highly recommend checking this place out!

Came here to try their cookie after hearing people claim that it’s the best chocolate chip cookie in NYC. It was pretty good. The melted chocolate chips provided a rich and delectable sweetness to the soft and chewy center that was well complimented by a slight crispness on the outer edges of the cookie. I recommend eating it right after you buy it, when it’s still warm, for maximum deliciousness lol. It would definitely pair perfectly with a glass of milk.
As for the place itself, very nice and quick service and the décor is cool with a couple of tables and seats. It’s $ 3 for a pretty flat cookie so I think it’s more cost efficient to pay an extra dollar for a Levain cookie that’s like 3x the size of this one and tastes just as good. Still thought this one was pretty tasty though!

I tend to agree with Elle C. below, that their flat white is a bit too sour and lack of the smooth feeling that I’m dying for. The combination of espresso and milk makes it less extreme in flavor. I probably will give a try on their pastry goods, given the fact that they carry Underwest donut, which can only be found at their original location (west side of 12^th avenue if you will…). Indeed their raspberry muffin and croissants were huge in size.
Also a bit disappointed that I did not find the funny drawing of the genetic tree showing parents and offspring relationship lol, but that’s something else.

Can’t really comment on the coffee here… but the cookies are very good. If you like very gooey, chocolate chip cookies, this is probably your place. It’s actually almost more like a chocolate chip sandwich.
They do a good job here of making the outside of the cookie crust slightly crunchy, but overall soft. It’s a nice feel. Only issue is sometimes if you come during a slow time, the cookies aren’t warm and you know, you don’t want to go home to microwave it because you want to eat it now… I wonder if you can ask them to warm it up?

Loveeeee the décor. Super vintage feel to it. But nothing really wowed me here as for the lattes. But I will be back to check out their pastries as I’ve heard the cookies and scones are amazing.

If you come to Bryant Park you have to go to Culture Espresso!!! I’ve been coming to the park for months and If I knew then what I know now I would consistently have made the loop before or after to 38^th street and in from Avenue of the Americas (hint this street is also 6^th Ave to non-​NYers). I came in here last week and have already returned. The things I’m saying may have been said before but there is a reason the word is spreading and the lines are getting longer
Number 1— as everyone had mentioned, it’s the freaking oooey gooooey, chocolate chip cooookies! Omg! I love baking and these are truly a work of art. How can you resist this fresh tray coming out from the back oven to the front. I immediately left a puddle of saliva below me and could barely make my order. I didn’t even know the hypnotic powers of c-​h-​o-​c-​o-​l-​a-​t-​e!
Number 2 —- Coffee!!! And not just any coffee but Heart Roasters from Portland coffee. Smooth and delicious. I almost didn’t want to leave. First round was an iced coffee and it hit the spot. And the Cortado in my next visit was strong, smooth and creamy. I can’t wait to try the flat white. I will walk the 16 blocks to work every morning if it means I can start my day with a cup of Heart! And you can still get an espresso drink for a little over $ 3.50.
Number 3— cool kids who are nice! Yeah. There is such a thing. I love the kids working here. And I just call people kids. no child labor here. They look like Portland beatniks. They are all very nice and helpful. And they are all incredibly calm with the hungry caffeinated cookie addicts that come into the place.
Number 4 — Music. I was like what’s playing… ooh what’s this?! Turns out there is a great punk mix that the barista compiles when she’s working. I mean it’s not every day your barista has introduced you to a cool French punk band called Wunderbach.
Worth mentioning
–they have treats from other bakeries too
–the space is small but totally photogenic from the floral wallpaper, the chandeliers, the marble counter and so on
–I heard there’s hot chocolate and I want it
— they have cool stamps prints on their cups and their punch cards illustrated by Joseph Bryce. Oh yeah. there’s punch cards. Who’s not a sucker for a punch card?

I have been here a few times and I just have to say that their chocolate chip cookies are just AMAZING!
It is really huge and they include a lot of chocolate chips in it, its $ 3 by the way. It is worth it, trust me.
The also offer dough donuts which are also a plus! I got the hibiscus donut and it was the last one as well.
There was a line when I went in but I got it in less than 10 minutes so that was pretty awesome.
Overall, the décor was cool and the service was fast.

I am late to the game on this one! Chocolate chip cookies roll out the backroom fast and furious! They are more chocolate than cookie dough which works for me. Hot and melty! Should have gotten more than one. Delicious!

Cold brew. Fresh cookies. Drop the mic.
Apparently this needs to be longer to be an official «review» so let me also add that they also make a perfect latte and other assorted baked goods. Corner booth is the spot… if I walk in, please move.

Do you want a coffee shop that has both good coffee, and a comfortable atmosphere where you won’t feel like you’re hanging out in a consumer to coffee maker assembly line? If you want to be part of the machine, go to Starbucks. If you want to be part of the movement, come to Culture.
Chocolate chip cookies are unbelievable, especially when fresh.
Vanilla late was fantastic.

Amazing chocolate chip cookies. Great coffee. And really unique and tasty doughnuts. I really could not ask for anything more.
The seating area is a bit small, but standard for NYC. The patrons all seemed like very nice people, who didn’t blink an eye at me hauling my toddler in for a snack.

Great coffee and amazing chocolate chip cookies? Are you sold yet? There is good reason why this little coffee spot always seems to have a line extending outside. And it’s their coffee and cookies! The place is decorated really cute, so it’s a good place to hang out when it isn’t so busy. However expect to be waiting in lines that go out the door during peak times.
All in all great coffee, great cookies and great vibe. Stop in!

I was searching for a nice latte right before I boarded a bus to school and decided to try Culture Espresso. After walking in, I was quite discouraged by the prices because a latte was $ 4.25 and I knew I wanted to try the cookie because it looked amazing in pictures. So I opted for a regular cup of coffee for $ 2.50 instead and paid $ 3 for the cookie.
Much like in the pictures, the cookie did indeed have the ooey-​gooey middle but do not be fooled! The cookie itself was not soft in the middle and hard on the outside as a perfect chocolate chip cookie should be. For the most part, the cookie was hard on the outer edges, and slightly softer in the middle. Not worth the $ 3.
The coffee was decent and more on the acidic end. However, what really pushed me to give them a 2 star rating (besides the exorbitant prices) was their service. A good café exudes friendly vibes, and this one just has workers who make you feel unwelcome as they could not bother to offer even a smile.

I’m really not sure what the big deal is. I was visiting New York City in mid-​to-​late December and was in search of a decent cup of coffee at a highly rated coffee shop. Unilocal led me to Culture Espresso but I sadly, wasn’t too impressed. Yes the coffee shop is aesthetically neat with the Victorian wallpaper and beautiful chandeliers but otherwise, it is super small with limited seating. The shop was too crowded on a Saturday morning (around 9am) to sit and enjoy my coffee and the location as a whole.
I went with a traditional pour over as I was really just in search of a cup of coffee. There aren’t any bathrooms and I didn’t think the service was too good either. I was looking at the menu and felt pressured to order right away. I did not appreciate that. Given more time to look at everything, I may have ordered more. Regardless, if you’re looking for a place to come and relax, I would go somewhere else.

Llegue a este lugar por recomendación del recepcionista del hotel en el que me quede, tras la pregunta de donde podía encontrar un buen café cerca.
El lugar es muy lindo, bastante modernoso pero clásico a la vez, con una gran barra que da a la calle, y una mesa comunal en el medio.
El café es riquísimo, te atienden muy bien y rápido, la chica que estaba en ese momento era muy simpática y como vio que era turista me recomendó otros lugares para que conozca.
Venden remeras, tazas, cafeteras y tote bags con el logo del lugar.
Tienen wifi que andaba bien, y mucha gente con buena onda en el lugar.
Si viviera ahí, iría seguido.

OMGGGGG, the chocolate chip cookie is amazing. I walked into this place yesterday because there was a sign outside the door that read «Best Cookies.» The cookie was DELICIOUS! It was warm, gooey, and soft… the perfect combo! I’m currently at work, sitting at my desk, thinking about the cookie. It was so good that I might have to go back again today just to rid myself of the cookie craving this place left me with. They also have espresso and other warm drinks. I didn’t try any, but I might have to since the cookie was so delicious. There was other baked goods also, one cookie they had was oatmeal and cranberry, which seemed pretty interesting.
The place is small, but very cozy and chic. It was packed when I was there and didn’t have much seating. The line moves quickly, and the staff was friendly.

Not impressed. Is it because of the coffee, because of the crowds, or because of the fact that they sold up cookies at 10am!
Location： between 6^th Ave and 38^th street, Culture Espresso attracts so many people here. The store is jammed up with tons of people. They have tables, but limited. Go straight to the counter, you will see their displayed bakeries. When I got there, there’s none. So I guess, go there before 10am? I had coffee, not impressed. It is just weak. I like strong coffees.
Coffee: I am not impressed by their coffee and I think most people here order latte. So but with such weak coffee, I guess latte would be weak too.
Price is cheap compared to other stores.
Overall: not impressed and not impressed.