Sawada Coffee
The Military Latte is Japanese matcha, homemade vanilla syrup and espresso, and Hiroshi Sawada built it to come out looking like camouflage because he likes skateboards.1 The counter gives the bar back to Au Cheval in the evening, so this is a daytime stop.1
Why go
Sawada opened this one in 2019 with Hogsalt, inside the New York Au Cheval, and it is the only counter he has in the city.13 The espresso runs on a Victoria Arduino Black Eagle and the pour-over bar is a Hario V60 setup built into a skateboard.1 The coffee comes from Metropolis in Chicago, and the matcha and hojicha are imported straight from Japan under Sawada's own name.1 Baristas here train for six weeks and finish on a timed practical exam.1
Order this / avoid
- Order: the Military Latte. Sawada:
premium Japanese matcha and homemade vanilla syrup with perfectly dripped espresso.
1 - Order: the Black Camo next to it, which is the same drink with hojicha where the matcha goes.1
- Order: a V60 if you want the Metropolis on its own.1
- Avoid: bringing a group. Liz Clayton:
It's a small space—really a lobby cafe more than a full coffee shop—with limited seating.
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What locals & experts say
- Hiroshi Sawada, to Liz Clayton for Sprudge, on the name:
I like skateboards and skatewear. Most skateboard brands use camouflage designs, and the Military Latte is our signature drink, designed in a camouflage pattern.
1 - Jean Tomaro, Hogsalt's senior executive beverage director, on why it is daytime only:
Even though the shop has a great evening vibe, the city that never sleeps still only drinks coffee during the day. In the evening, the counter space is used for Au Cheval guests who are having cocktails.
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Good to know
- Booking: walk-in, at 33 Cortlandt Alley.
Verdict
should-visit — This is a one-drink stop and the drink carries it. Order the Military Latte and the Black Camo together, and let the difference between matcha and hojicha do the explaining.