This Sunday, October 1, is International Coffee Day (preempted by National Coffee Day on September 29), a day meant to promote fair trade coffee and support coffee growers. It’s also an excellent excuse to enjoy North Brooklyn’s bevy of brews.
There is certainly no shortage of great java in the neighborhood, but, fewer places offer unique and interesting spins on one of the world’s most popular beverages.
Here are some unexpected ways to mark International Coffee Day in North Brooklyn.
Bondi Sushi
Craving coffee with a side of sushi?
If so, head to Bondi Sushi (156 North 4th St.), which opened this past spring in Williamsburg. The small chain focused on fresh fish and sushi recently unveiled its outdoor sushi bar and lounge, with a patio that surprisingly includes a coffee cart.
Iceberg’s Brewing is operating the coffee cart outside Bondi. The cart offers coffee, espresso, matcha, pastries, and what Bondi dubs the “best Japanese egg salad sandwich.”
The cart is open 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Larry’s Cà Phê
Like the sound of salted iced coffee?
Try Larry’s Cà Phê (135 Woodpoint Rd.), the Williamsburg coffeeshop that replaced Tar Pit and serves a delicious Vietnamese salted iced coffee.
Larry’s Cà Phê is now run by Tuan Nguyen, who first worked as a barista at Tar Pit before buying the shop and naming it after his adoptive father, Larry Hilton. The latter half of the name translates to coffee in Vietnamese.
Nguyen recently shared his recipe for cà phê muối or salted iced coffee in the Community Cookbook. Nguyen told Greenpointers that cà phê muối was invented in 2010 in Hue in central Vietnam, and now, it is gaining popularity all over Vietnam.
“If you enjoy Vietnamese iced coffee, you have to try cà phê muối,” Nguyen said. “It will wow you and hit all areas of your taste buds with one sip because it has sea salt, sweetness from condensed milk, bitterness from the coffee, fattiness from the heavy cream, the fragrance of cinnamon, and definitely plenty of caffeine from Vietnam robusta beans.”
Larry’s is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Qahwah House
Ever tried java from Yemen?
Qahwah House (162 Bedford Ave.) is named after the Arabic word for coffee. The owner, Ibrahim Alhasbani, runs a small chain of Qahwah House coffee shops. He moved to the United States in 2011 and identifies as an eighth-generation coffee maker who always dreamed of owning his own shop in New York.
All of the beans used at Qahwah House are imported directly from the Alhasbani family farm in Yemen. Stop by on Sunday for Qahwah House’s signature drink, the iced Yemeni latte.
Qahwah House is open Monday – Saturday from 7 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Púsù
Looking for something stronger?
Púsù (318 Bedford Ave.) is a Chinese restaurant in Williamsburg with a food menu that it is entirely vegetarian and a drink menu that leans into vegetable and fruit ingredients. The restaurant also serves one of the most unique espresso martinis in the neighborhood, which combines espresso with blueberries.
“Sip into caffeinated bliss this National Coffee Day with our sensational take on the espresso martini,” Púsù wrote on Instagram.
Púsù’s blueberry espresso martini is made with Haku Vodka, blueberries, cold brew coffee, a touch of Italicus, rich coffee liqueur, and a Biscoff garnish. The restaurant calls the cocktail is “the perfect blend of java and indulgence.”
Púsù is open Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m., and Friday to Sunday, 11:30am – 11p.m.
Isla & Co.
Can’t decide between an espresso martini and a non-alcoholic brew?
To round out the list, there’s Isla & Co., which is offering both!
On Sunday, Isla & Co. (107 N 12th St.) is having a coffee pop-up with specially priced $2 flat whites, brewed with Hole in the Wall beans. The deal will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., while supplies last.
On the eve of International Coffee Day, Isla & Co. is hosting an espresso martini pop-up. On Saturday, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., guests can enjoy discounted espresso martinis for $10 at the Australian restaurant.