Abraço
They pour espresso and macchiato to stay only, and Liz Quijada's reason is that
half is wasted on the paper cup if you take it out.2 Her husband Jamie McCormick roasts the coffee himself, leaning on Brazil and Central America, and it runs through a La Marzocco GB5.2
Why go
The name comes from the Gilberto Gil samba.2 Quijada does the baking and she came to it sideways, out of catering and private dinners: I'm much more inclined to savory than sweet.
2 They run the cold brew in small batches on a Toddy and pour the drip one cup at a time.2 The pastry and snacking menu changes every day.1
Order this / avoid
- Order: the orange-scented olive oil cake, which is on the board whatever else has changed. Hannah Albertine:
It's so moist, it could almost be an olive oil brownie in disguise.
1 - Order: an espresso or a macchiato, and stay to drink it.
- Avoid: turning up needing oat milk. Albertine reported in 2021 that
they decidedly don't offer any dairy-free milk alternatives,
so ask first.1
What locals & experts say
- Hannah Albertine, The Infatuation (16 February 2021):
If you're an East Village dweller, it's crucial to identify the coffee shops that will guide you through this harsh world. For us, one of those places is Abraço, an espresso kingdom that's been on East 7th Street since 2007.
1 - Jamie McCormick, to Sprudge, on hiring:
There is a spiritual yes or no. It's obvious from the first 48 hours if you get it.
2
Good to know
- Older write-ups print 86 East 7th Street. They moved across the street into a bigger room, and the door is 81.2
- Booking: walk-in.
Verdict
should-visit — Liz Quijada bakes here and Jamie McCormick roasts the coffee, which is two owners doing the two jobs that decide a cafe. The board changes every day and the olive oil cake never comes off it.