I like finding a new coffee spot with almost a hidden area for relaxation, like The Chipped Cup. I heard Five Flies Coffee is one of those spots, and have been wanting to check this place out for a while, and the first visit several months ago, we have been going back a few times. They have beautiful plants which I always love to see. It seems like they get loads of sun there. They have a small seating area up front, almost like a waiting area for people who order things to go. Then more “regular” seating with tables and chairs.
They have all sorts of baked goods, some quiche, and some other items such as sandwich type items that you can get them to heat up. The offering changes all the time, which is a good thing in my opinion, so that you can get something different each time you visit. They are also vegan friendly, so you can get vegan goods and drinks here.
There is a long corridor with desk and chairs, this is the “work” area, where you can bring your laptop and do your work. They have 90-minute limit though. There are always several people working at this spot. So, where is the “hidden” area? In the back of the corridor. As soon as you pass it, you walk into this glorious, beautiful, room with relaxing atmosphere. I mean, just look at it!
The room is furnished with old/antique looking chairs and sofas, making the room even cozier. People who come here often have their favorite spot, as we now do also. No laptop is allowed in this area, so it is only for enjoying coffee, food, and your company. I love that. And their wifi password will make sure you are aware of it. Whoever at the Five Flies Coffee was really clever with the password…
This is also a popular spot for someone who wants to have a quiet morning alone. It doesn’t get loud in here much, especially during the early hours. So peaceful. If you want to sit back here, just to be aware that they don’t call out your name or anything when your drink is ready. So it is better to go back to the front after a couple of minutes to see if they are ready.
We have tried a few different drinks and baked goods over the several visits. Here are some of what we had. For drinks, we first tried their Maple Brown Sugar Latte ($6.75/mug) and Bourbon Pecan Maple Latte ($6.75/mug). The Maple Brown Sugar Latte was really nice, not too sweet, deep flavor of brown sugar and maple. Bournon Pecan Maple was sweet and amazing from the first sip. You get the whiff of the bourbon and the subtle flavor, more like a hint of bourbon. I loved it.
For baked goods, we tried their Maple Glazed Cruller ($5.25) and Pistachio Croissant ($5.50). If you are getting something that does not need to be heated up, the staff will give them to you immediately, so make sure to take them with you before going to the back room. Cruller was exactly what I wanted. The perfect texture, soft and firm at the same time. The coating of maple glaze really nice too, sweet but not overly sweet. Moist donut, I really enjoyed every bite. Pistachio Croissant was big and attractive. Loads of crushed pistachios on the top, and the inside had beautiful green color marbled with white. Flakey and buttery. These two seems to be one of their “permanent” menu, as we see them at our every visit.
Then a couple of items that needed to be heated up. A quiche and Panouzzo. I didn’t know what Panouzzo was, but it looked good, so we had to try it.
For quiche, we chose the Ham & Cheese Quiche ($8.25). It was a bit on the small size, as most quiche piece would be. It was so tasty with a nice crust that was short and flaky. Egg was cooked just right, with good amount of ham and cheese. Very tasty, it tasted like homemade, comforting item. Panouzzo had a couple of different ones as well, and we chose Prosciutto and Salami Panouzzo ($13.50). From what I understand, Panouzzo is an Italian sandwich made with pizza dough. How cool! It was HUGE and filled with nice amount of prosciutto and salami, cheese and broccolini. The broccolini makes it a bit harder to bite off, and not so easy to cut with a plastic knife. The bread is flaky and fluffy. Holds the content well. Heavy with all the filling, and I mean it had a real weight to it. Very satisfying, enough to share among two or more people depending on how hungry you are, and how much other food you ordered.
During our following visits, we tried a few other things. We had Maple Brown Sugar Latte, Iced ($6), Vegan Lemon Matcha Bread ($6), and Vegetarian Pesto Panouzzo ($12). I liked the iced version of their tasty coffee concoction, especially on a hot day. The Vegan Lemon Matcha bread was a-ok. Very thick and dense, not so moist nor light. The flavor was not great, but I was glad to have tried it. Maybe their other flavored vegan breads are better. Pesto Panouzzo was nice. Easir to eat, filling, and very tasty.
Then, Bourbon Pecan Latte, Iced ($6), Parisian Ham Sandwich ($10), and Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche ($8.25). Their drinks are always great. Flavorful and delicious, hot or iced. The Parisian sandwich is basically a ham and cheese in a croissant, and it was just a-ok. Nothing really special. The quick was really great though. We do enjoy their quiche of different flavors.
Their bathroom is right outside the backroom, between the long desk and the backPa room. There is only one gender-neutral bathroom, so there might be a wait sometimes. The inside is huge, enough for more than one bathroom stall. The decor is interesting. It fits the back room aesthetic, although a bit dark.
So, there are some hit and miss when it comes to the food, but the drinks have been great. Five Flies Coffee really know how to make tasty coffee. We tried other coffee than the ones listed here, and we always enjoyed them. The staffs at Five Flies Coffee are not friendly, unless they know you. They might not be polite, or greet you with a warm smile, but they are efficient. I hope they will get more friendly staff so that we feel more welcomed, but other than that, we love the atmosphere and the coffee, that keep making us go back again and again… If you are looking for a relaxing, homey, beautiful coffee room experience, maybe you might want to visit here.
Five Flies Coffee – 554 W 158th St, New York, NY