Il Caffe Latte at 189 Lenox opened back in 2009 and was basically the first coffee shop in Harlem to add a little historic charm within its interiors. Even though antique tin ceilings and exposed brick walls were considered a java shop standard downtown or in Brooklyn, none of the cafes uptown really embraced this aesthetic until Caffe Latte arrived by the corner of 119th Street. Later on, Lenox Coffee would open further up the avenue and start somewhat of a micro-trend. Double Dutch on Frederick Douglass Boulevard would debut a few years later and all have since attracted the typical crowd that does not want the clinical, Starbucks version of a coffee joint.
This eatery is probably the closest approximation of a diner within the neighborhood and Il Caffe has attracted a loyal following over the years since it is one of the only uptown coffee establishments that has a full kitchen.
Café Latte works so many ways, coffee shop, brunch, dinner or desert, plus it has a very creative interior design.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic edition to lower Lenox.. A cute, affordable place to eat. We need a lot more of these.
ReplyDeleteCaffe Latte has excellent food and the prices are very reasonable. My wife and I go every weekend for brunch. I recommend the omelettes and the whole wheat blueberry pancakes.
ReplyDeleteWould love to see more of these cute little eating establishments along Lenox. In fact I wish someone would develop the empty store front across the street on Lenox between118th and 119th (next door to the Columbus Hardware store).