Public Espresso + Coffee

I am visiting from out of town for a wedding and stopped by to get some coffee. I asked for iced espresso and the barrista working replied:
«Are you going to go put milk in it make yourself a latte and I’ll have to slap you in the face.»
I was shocked. When I said that was rude, he assumed I meant people that apparently made their own lattes rather than his behavior. He never apologized to me. I would never get coffee here again.

I’m from out of town, and was looking for another option other than my hotel…
Note that they are in the Hotel Lafayette, and unless they have the sandwich board on the sidewalk pointing to their location in the hotel, they’re gonna be easy to miss!
Also note that I didn’t have my glasses on, so unless you know exactly wher to look in the dark dank lobby, you gotta do a walk-​around. They’re at the old-​school reservation desk, so I didn’t notice ‘em at first…
There was the only one guy working on Saturday — and he made my Americano in a good way.
They really seem like the only indie coffee house in the area, so they should really take advantage of that.

Great location. I parked on the street which was fine. You can choose to sip your coffee on a comfy couch or table. Service was good. They made my friend an «off menu» drink (a london fog) and made it well. My latte was perfection. As was my rhubarb scone which was made at the butter block bakery (my new obsession). Would totally come back to this place to show some friends!

Public Espresso, I love you. Whenever I am downtown, I will find your either at the Hotel Lafayette or Newberry, usually.
The coffee is delightful, smooth, rich, with legit notes like a good glass of wine would have. When you go in, look at the description and then pay attention when you take your first sip, you will taste them.
This is a hand poured coffee place. The guys behind rhe counter are fairly knowledgable and have a great opinion on it (and anything else too, like books and foreign affairs). I went to a hand poured coffee place in San Antonio that a friend raved about and it only made me appreciate this place more. They let you fix up your coffee as you like it (no, «work of art» one chance is all you get thing), and their coffees are actually delicious. There’s more than 1 brew. They usually have a few baked goods while supplies last, I haven’t been disappointed by those either.

Best coffee I’ve had in Buffalo. I have low expectations in Buffalo for coffee, assuming I am going to subsist on Tim Hortons and Starbucks until I go home. However, this place impressed. They are still roasting their own beans and the café is really the bar area of a stately downtown Buffalo hotel. They plan on opening a full location at one point so this may not be the place you hang out for hours. However you will be rewarded by their dedication to their craft.

Looking for a place
Yes in Buffalo somewhere
To chill for a bit
Public Espresso
Looks swank from all the pictures
Inside a hotel
Lafayette lobby
A very unique setting
I want to like this
People come and go
Some stick around to do work
Or join a tour group
Check in at the bar
Original hotel desk
That mail sorter though
Coffee was okay
Staff seem kinda stuck up eh?
Vibe goes up and down

I have become somewhat jaded over the past decade or so of searching out cafes. Every trip I take I try to find someplace new and delicious. Most recently I figured that blue bottle and philz were basically at the top of the game, and competitors would be different (eg, sightglass) but not strictly better. My experiences in Boston, LA, SF, Houston, and various smaller cities hadn’t disproved that theory and I was starting to think that maybe it wasn’t worth the extra effort of searching out new cafes during trips.
Today I got a latte at Public and it is good enough that I would pass by both a blue bottle and a philz to get to it. The flavor is very caramel which I really liked, it is a very espresso-​forward flavor (my preferred type compared with milk-​dominate or «smooth»), and the mouthfeel was great.
On top of that, the ambiance is entertaining and the staff are friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and dedicated coffee-ite’s. This one latte has made buffalo a memorable experience.

I was looking for a nearby place to do some of my school work from my hotel. I looked through Unilocal for coffee & tea cafes.
When I walked in, I was not expecting it to be in a hotel, but I think it gets it character for being in the location that its in. They use the old-​fashioned check-​in desk setup, which I think is pretty cool! The seating area was alright, although I expected more outlet locations since I am sure many come here to do work.
I ordered a latte. They had it in an awesome-​looking glass, but the drink its self wasn’t too impressive. It tasted like pure espresso.
Cannot lie, they have cool emoji cookies. That’s pretty sweet.

Delicious $ 4.00 lattes. Friendly service. Hotel atmosphere is well done and beautifully renovated. Great spot for a local cup of coffee. Baked goods looked amazing. Free wifi. Definitely worth a visit.

Pretty fancy drinks but really awesome atmosphere. I had the iced chai tea. It was yummy.

The cold brew is amazing. The espresso is amazing. The lattes are amazing. The coffee is amazing. I swear this place can do no wrong!
The atmosphere alone is a win, but on top of that these guys know coffee. The system they use for pulling shots is impressive and the flavor is amazing. If you’re looking for a high class coffee place without the high class attitude this is the spot. The staff is so friendly and you seriously can’t beat the drinks, and the baked goods! I mean home made Oreos, are you kidding me ! Highly highly recommended.

Well gosh darn it I am truly annoyed annoyed at the fact that I’ve been drinking garbage coffee for all these years I had one shot from their manual espresso machine and I’m a believer.
Don’t hesitate go, go there now you won’t regret it

These guys are Buffalo’s third wave coffee trailblazers. Without whom, most Buffalonians might still be ordering skinny sugar free vanilla caramel macchiatos (okay, let’s be real; most Buffalonians still think a macchiato is of the Starbucks variety).
But these guys were the first to do coffee right in Buffalo, and we’ve come a long way because of them. They were the first in town to do pour over; to offer a cortado (my favorite – and with an interesting approach using goat milk); to offer only one (the right) size for a latte or cappuccino. I can only imagine it was an uphill battle at their start. But these guys were and still are everywhere: At farmers markets doing pour overs and educating (without any pretentiousness); and for a while now, with a beautiful espresso bar in the Hotel Lafayette lobby (Public Espresso and the bar at Bourbon and Butter are what make the Lafayette cool).
They roast their own beans and have relationships with all farmers they source from. I enjoy them so much that we get a weekly three-​pound delivery of Public’s Revolution espresso blend at our office.
I can’t wait for Public’s flagship café to open on Grant Street!

I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed Public Espresso + Coffee before now.
I swear I thought I had, but that may have been a caffienated delerium brought on by many rounds of their coffee.
This is the best coffee in Buffalo. That’s it. That’s the review.
I have driven across the USA specifically to drink coffee, and these guys are in my top 5.

Let me start with the fact that I am very much not a coffee expert and my go to is usually just black coffee from Starbucks. That said, I LOVED the baked goods here (butter block I believe) and my coffee was good but I didn’t fully get it I guess? It’s definitely worth trying and the staff are so awesome I will be going back for sure. I think I’ll try something else though. I got the iced latte which was good but pretty small for $ 4.50. Like I said, I am definitely going to go back and try this again but I don’t think I’ll make it my replacement for my morning coffee just yet.

Excited to try this coffee spot after all the great reviews! Super location in the lobby of the Hotel/​Lafayette Apartments. There was a good amount of tables for people who wanted to get work done, or just sit and talk. My friend and I ordered a cappuccino and a latte. They had soy milk as a non dairy option which was great. Our barista was super friendly, and it was great watching him make the latte art. The coffee itself was superb. It tasted like high quality, and STRONG coffee. It had such a good flavor, didn’t even need any sweetener. My friend asked if they had any flavor shots/​syrups, and they didn’t have the typical starbucks esque syrups, but they did have a holiday spice syrup. With great coffee, I don’t think you need those additives though!

One of the best pour overs and cappuccinos I’ve had in this city! I haven’t had a cappuccino that good since I was in Europe — seriously! They bring in treats from Breadhive and makes for an interesting bar scene in the beautiful Hotel Lafayette. I’m not terribly impressed with coffee shooters but the iced coffee (kold brew) is really good! Give it a shot!

This is my first time ever coming here and I have to say, I am so happy I came. I was delighted to be greeted by a familiar face… Steven! He was so helpful in recommending a drink for me to try and helping me pick out coffee beans to bring home. Everyone who works behind the counter seems so knowledgeable and friendly. The atmosphere was perfect for studying, which I desperately needed to do.
My only qualm is the parking. I had a heck of a time trying to find somewhere that wouldn’t charge me an arm and a leg for all-​day parking. But, this is not Public’ fault, obviously.
I will definitely visit many more times

Just go! These people KNOW what they are doing! State of the art equipment and fantastic beans equals one of the best cups I have had. Fantastic mocha. We also had the iced coffee flight which was great to share and taste the coffee three different ways. Family with us got a cappuccino and October mocha which had some nice spices added in — they loved their coffees! Our barista was very friendly and knowledgeable. A unique environment with their coffee bar setup at the original Lafayette front desk. Even though we weren’t staying at the hotel, the 4 of us found seats without a problem and it was a calm and quiet environment.

I visited here over the weekend with a friend of mine and was fairly pleased with everything.
It wasn’t exactly what we expected since its in the middle of the hotel lobby but it was a nice setting.
I got the red October moca and it was very good.
I also god a ham and cheese croissant that was delicious! The service was also great!
To be honest I probably won’t be visiting again it was nice to experience it but not worth it. I’ll probably just continue to check out new places like his around the area until I find one that I love.

Fantastic space, fantastic coffee, and fantastic baked goods provided by all different locally owned bakeries! The only negative is that they «forgot» to make my coffee. Granted it was crowded, but I was quite disappointed when we were called to the counter for my boyfriend’s coffee and our baked goods… and my latte was nowhere to be seen. I figured it would take a bit longer than a pour-​over so I waited and waited, but when my name was never called I returned to the counter and it was made for me (with a semi-​apology)
Everything tasted great. The bagel, the muffin, and (especially!!!) the Butter Block Bakery’s home made pop-​tart and chocolate croissant were absolutely perfect… as were the coffee and the latte. We ordered a lot to try figuring we’d bring some home for the following day, but devoured it all… we just couldn’t stop eating! As I said at the beginning… Fantastic!!!

Public was a nice treat during a recent stay (and wedding) at the Lafayette.
The guy serving was pretty knowledgeable about the properties of each of the coffees, and he was friendly.
I had a latte, which was made with whole milk (hell yes), and just delightful. My boyfriend had their nitro cold brew which he preferred over Stumptown’s, huge victory. My friend had a pour over coffee, and was not impressed. At $ 3+, and a fairly small cup, she (and I) didn’t find the coffee to be any better than your average cup of diner coffee. She was also disappointed that the only option was low fat milk on the bar. She didn’t ask for cream, though they may have provided it if she had.
I wasn’t lucky enough to try any treats, but those homemade Oreos will make it in my mouth during my next visit to b-​lo.
Unassuming and quaint, I’d recommend stopping at Public if you find yourself near the Lafayette!

It’s so so hard to find a good cup of coffee nowadays. As my taste buds develop (they had a lot of growing up to do pre-​Yelp) so does my attention to high quality coffee. As I continue to explore coffee shops and different roasts for coffee, there’s one thing I can be certain of: pourover coffee is the way to go.
I’m a brat when it comes to good-​tasting coffee and a harsh critic of coffee shops. If you sell coffee, make it right, y’know?
I was certainly not disappointed with Public Espresso and Coffee. The hotel is absolutely stunning with beautiful architecture and a relaxing atmosphere. The barista was super friendly and one of the best parts of my time here! Alex L (shoutout for taking me here, yay thank you!) recognized Scott right away and introduced me to him. Man, does he know his coffee!
After some recommendations, Scott gave me the daily brew which was so good and smooth. I’m a traditional ‘with cream’ kind of gal but it’s not at all necessary when coffee tastes this good. The brew was perfect, just proving again that pourover coffee is the best. And of course that Scott has amazing talent at using that nifty pourover contraption. ;)
Alex had cold/​iced coffee and a shot of espresso. Wowza! Zing! That stuff is deliciously strong and will make you shake with a caffeine rush like no other.
After realizing you’re dizzy and sweaty from the intense caffeine, one should take the time to go explore this wonderful building. It’s beautiful, unlike no other in Buffalo, and the caffeine adds to the drive to explore.
Take the time and try this coffee out. It’s one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had in Buffalo and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Best coffee in Buffalo! Hands down! This place is a must-​go for any coffee lover in WNY! Everything is brewed by the company themselves, and it blows Spot Coffee out of the water in terms of flavor (sorry Spot!)
The Hotel Lafeyette serves as a perfect setting for Public, as it demonstrates Buffalo’s resurgence of small businesses inside one the resurgence of one of Buffalo’s historic landmarks!
There is ample seating, and the staff is great. The Kold Brew and Nitro Kold Brew are fantastic! The Nitro brew coffee is almost like a beer in texture, as it is smooth, frothy, and velvety. The roasts are all excellent, and I really don’t think you can go wrong. Buffalo really wins with businesses like these!
For food, they have a variety of local bakeries who deliver baked goods to them, from Elm Street Bakery to Breadhive and Butter Block. There is always something tasty on display! I recommend following Public on Instagram as they post what baked goods they have the morning of (and some sell quicker than others!)
All in all, this place is EXCELLENT, and I encourage every serious coffee lover to try them out — you won’t be disappointed!

Stopped by here for a quick pick me up under my boyfriend’s recommendation. He got an Americano and I got a Latte. We split the blueberry muffin and it was sublime. Highly recommend testing out this place for some high quality coffee. I also noticed people coming in to fill their «growler» with what looked like iced brewed coffee on tap. Additionally, all of their bakery items looked very enticing. I even got a brownie to go – will need to edit this entry at a later time to share thoughts about that.
The atmosphere is acceptable. I have never been to the previous location so I have nothing to compare to but in my opinion, the coffee is great but having a cup in a somewhat congested area during rush hour is less than ideal. We were there on a Friday at around 2:30pm and we just wanted to enjoy our afternoon snack with our books and even then a tour for the hotel was coming through. If you’re looking for a super quiet space to do work or relax, this wouldn’t be the place for you.
Otherwise, enjoy this gem downtown!

I’ve always loved Public Espresso + Coffee and now that they have a consistent location with steady hours I love them even more! I now have the option to either hunt them down at a local market or just come to the Hotel Lafayette… perfect.
Public Espresso + Coffee sells the best pour over coffee in Buffalo. They’re a small-​batch coffee roastery… I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, they are coffee experts. They are knowledgable about the roasting process, beans, and all things coffee. I think everything they do has been perfected down to a science. I love and appreciate the precision that goes into every single cup of coffee. I follow Public Espresso on Instagram and learn something new about their process at least once a week. The baristas are sure to make you smile with their excellent customer service. They truly care about their coffee and their customers.
I’ve had the opportunity to sample a number of their coffee beans now and I can honestly say I love them all. I also tried the cortado (espresso made with goat milk) and was delighted at how tasty it was. They’ve partnered with a bunch of local places to serve food, making BreadHive bagels and Elm Street Bakery baked goods available. I’ve also had the opportunity to try a homemade pop tart from Butter Block at Public and they were amazingly delicious… especially paired with a Public pour over!
All in all, whether you’re in the neighborhood (or not), stop on by Hotel Lafayette to do yourself a favor and grab one of the best cups of coffee in Buffalo… Public Espresso + Coffee.

Cute little coffee shop with great espresso. The barista really made an effort to make sure that my cortado was made to perfection. The espresso had a thick layer of crema, and the milk had lovely micro foam.
Plenty of cozy seating.
The only thing that would keep me from coming back is the parking. Street parking was metered and all taken up. I ended up parking in the lot next to the hotel. Its 2 $ per hour, and they do not charge for any fraction of an hour. I stayed about 1 hour 15 minutes and parking was $ 4.

Public Espresso + Coffee is a must stop if you’re anywhere near Lafayette Hotel!
The menu is simple and easy to choose from. Even still, I was at a lose as what to get. I asked the barista how the cortado was, a pour over served with goats milk, and he told the tale of the crew’s tasting and he personally insisted the cortado make the menu. That was enough for me! I did have to wait a while, but as it was the opening week of Public Espresso (yes, this review is coming quite late), it can be forgiven. Especially once I got to taste the cortado myself. Espresso and goat milk might not sound like much, but I LOVED it. I could drink this several times a week!
Do yourself a favor and stop in for a small drink; it’ll be one of the best one’s you’ll have in Buffalo!

Is it a coincidence that the best cup of coffee in Buffalo resides in one of the most beautiful semi-​newly renovated buildings? I think not. If you’re catching up with a friend and showing them the wonders of Buffalo, come to the Hotel Lafayette and treat them to an individually brewed cup at the Public Espresso Café in the lobby of the Hotel Lafayette.
I cannot think of one other place in Buffalo that sells pour-​over coffee and public espresso has nailed it. You may have tried their coffee at countless events if you’re a local. They are superbly dedicated and committed to roasting beans right — very knowledgeable about coffee and PRECISE with brewing. Down to the gram; they will coffee and know proper ratios and what you get is the best tasting coffee, hands down.
If you’re a Tim Horton’s addict and love the familiarity of the branded coffee you may miss the mark when you come here. At $ 3 per cup, it’s pricey, but it’s worth it and the wifi is good.
All the baked goods are served from Elm Street Bakery out in East Aurora. I had the granola and a cup of coffee when I came here. They also have various ginger sodas which looked appealing (but I did not try).
If you’re a coffee lover, you owe it to yourself to try a cup here.