West Village Coffee Review: Grounded.

One of my favorite things about living in New York, is how enjoyable simply walking around different neighborhoods can be. Since the last few weeks have been bitterly cold, windy, and very wet, I have spent most my time indoors, whining when I’m forced to walk five blocks to the subway. Today was the first day in weeks that it finally began to feel like spring, and I was eager to spend my Saturday afternoon outside. I decided to head down to the West Village to visit a coffee shop I had read about on the Internet. The place was called Grounded, and reviews claimed it was one of the best places in the neighborhood for espressos. Besides for the excellent espresso reviews I read, I was also excited to try their vegan tofu scramble breakfast wrap. I’m not vegan, but a tofu scramble breakfast wrap with an espresso sounded like a perfect Saturday brunch to me.

I think it is generally agreed upon by New Yorkers that the West Village is one of the hardest parts of Manhattan to navigate. It often feels like every street in that neighborhood is West 4^th street, but at least it’s a fun place to get lost, especially for coffee lovers. With coffee shops being outnumbered only by sex stores, it’s not too hard to find a place to sit down and relax. This shop in particular is located on Jane Street, and luckily it didn’t take me too long to find. From the outside, it appeared to be a very small place, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was actually a lot of room inside.

There were a lot of people sitting down, in fact there were no open seats available, but there was no line for drinks and food. I suppose two o’clock on a Saturday afternoon is prime time for labtop users, and not necessarily those in need to kick start their day with their fix of caffeine. I ordered a small caramel-hazelnut espresso, and was pleased to see that their definition of small was the Upper East Side’s version of large. Unfortunately they ran out of the tofu scramble, but it also was fairly late to be ordering breakfast. The baristas were exceptionally friendly, and very helpful in helping me decide which of their many mouth-watering drinks I should choose.

Grounded prides itself on being organic, as well as fair-trade. All of their milk is from Evans Farms in upstate New York, supporting both organic and local farming. They have a breakfast menu, pastries, salads, and sandwiches if you’re looking to grab a bite to eat. Their coffee drinks are unique and varied, yet you can clearly understand what each drink contains. They also have a great selection of organic teas, as well as smoothies. Even though it was tough to find a seat, the atmosphere is relaxing, and they have a decent amount of tables and couches if you want to sit down. They have an hour and a half limit for how long you can sit, but with so many things to do in the neighborhood, that isn’t a big issue. They also provide free wi-fi.

My experience here was excellent. The espresso was delicious, the baristas were some of the friendliest I’ve seen, and it’s organic and fair trade friendly. I couldn’t find a seat, but it was also primetime for labtop users, and I was happy to take advantage of the beautiful day and explore the village. Plus, shortly after I got my drink, I ran into Amy Sedaris on the street, who is one of my absolute favorite actresses! I plan on returning to Grounded soon to try their Nutella Latte, and hopefully get there in time for the tofu scramble.

2/21/10 Update:

I couldn't wait any longer to try their Nutella espresso. It was yet again a nice (though slightly windy) day in New York, and since the forecast for the next few days is rain, I knew this was my best opportunity to make it to the West Village. Luckily this time they had their tofu scramble, and open seats so I could sit down for a little while. The nutella espresso was everything I expected it to be. If anything, I suggest Grounded for this drink alone. The tofu scramble wrap was also delicious. They played great music (though I couldn't tell you who the artists were), and once again were exceptionally friendly. After my second visit, I can only recommend this place even more! I will definitely be visiting this place many more times in the future, which will surely come in handy with the buy 10 drinks get one free card they give you!

Picture of my nutella latte and tofu scramble:

Grounded is located at 28 Jane Street in the West Village between Greenwich Avenue and West 4^th street.

Directions: Take the 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, or L trains to 14^th street.

Website: www.Groundedcoffee.com