The Bean

Tables are a little tight, but at midnight, we had a corner to ourselves. What’s nice are the tables back up to a fairly comfortable banquette with seat cushion pillows. The atmosphere is a bit funky (hand-​painted images on the windows of rocket ships and alien palaces in the sky), as is the music (radio playing 70s to 80s) and eclectic clientele (other writers with that crazed look in their eyes). Lights are bright enough to read. There’s free wi-​fi (the password is «thebean3).
Coffee drinks range in price from $ 1.75 to $ 4.75. My fiancée had a super-​potent large espresso ($ 2.50). Later in the night, I splurged on a small chai latte ($ 3.50); one of the best I’ve had. Just enough milk. Not too spicy. Good heat — could drink it in a few minutes. Note to self: try the iced chai latte.
Our post-​1am snack consisted of a butterscotch white chocolate blondie ($ 3.50). Packed with chunky white chocolate chips, the moist treat wasn’t too sweet and the hint of butterscotch was just right. While this particular one wasn’t, The Bean is all about the vegan desserts. They have a great many choices when it comes to the baked goods… cakes, muffins, cookies, etc.

The Bean’s new location in Union Square seems to be thriving, and they’re getting ready to open another location on 2^nd Ave. just a few blocks away from this original spot, which shattered my heart when it closed. I LOVED having a place where I could get a good coffee and chill with my dog, and I don’t think the new locations are pet-​friendly:(

I had time to kill and I was on my way to Think Coffee to sit and wait but I glanced at The Bean and they had a window decoration that advertised their chai tea latte and how they were the original (something along those lines). I passed the café by a few paces but I turned back around and went in. Best decision ever.
I can’t say I’m a chai tea latte connoisseur considering I have had the drink predominantly at Starbucks and a few times at Joe the Art of Coffee, however, The Bean’s chai tea latte blows every other out of the water. Honestly. It’s quite tragic actually because I can’t seem to bring myself anywhere else but the Bean for this delicious drink. I can’t fathom venturing to Starbucks or anywhere else because the chai tea latte is that good.
When I first took a sip, I was taken aback by the velvety texture and the creaminess, and then came the subtle nuances of the spices that created such a delicious flavor. I can honestly say that I have not had a good cup of chai tea latte until now. After my first visit, I went their a couple of days straight after that.
There is a petite female cashier/​barista that is a complete sweetheart. I hope I see her again during my next visit because she was speedy, cheery, and very friendly.
C.

After coming here on several different occasions, The Bean is one of those rare establishments that truly and wholeheartedly serves its community. Located on the cusp of where the East Village ends and where the Lower East Side begins, their sense of homeliness is most evident from the service, to the customers, to the décor and all the way to what matters most: their products.
Speaking of the products: The Bean offers an impressive array of various delicacies (they also pridefully sell quality vegan treats which is a major bonus). However, food aside, their true bread and butter (no pun intended) is their high quality coffees and teas that of which leave a good lasting impression on your palette.
It’s a no-​brainer why I come here whichever opportunity I get. What I love most about this place is the genuineness of the staff (namely the baristas that make customers feel welcome). As a result don’t be surprised if they begin to remember you after a few visits. The shop is laden with everyday neighborhood regulars that adds that authentic feel of community, so on occasion you can make a friend or two.
While the «modern coffeehouse» is flashy and sophisticated, charm and character is what they lack. For what it is, I think The Bean a rare gem in the borough of Manhattan, let alone all of New York City. It fits in the category of small independent shops that prides themselves on serving quality products to their customers and being an artistic safe haven for its fellow customers. For that, it gets my respect.
(Also, as a major plus, the shop is canine-​friendly which gives it a ton of credibility and respect.)

[this is for the Broadway & 12^th St location]
I stopped by today for a dirty chai. It is a large location with lots of seatings. I especially like the benches out front, similar to that of their other location on 1^st Avenue. The iPad cash register is a bit slow, but staff is friendly and apologetic.

The Bean gives sort of a mainstream Starbucks vibe as it is on an East Village corner on 1^st Ave. Nonetheless, it is still very local, and the workers are extremely friendly and personable. There is an abundance of seating, so that is always nice. Oh, and you can bring your dog in!
Wi-​fi is offered, and I have found that is hard to come by in the city. The place has a constant line for a good while, one of the perks of being on an avenue. The people that come here seem to be pretty chill also.
I went with the kitchen quiche, and it had some nice roasted tomatoes and spinach, and a little bit of cheese. The crust was buttery, and it was not too eggy. I hate too much eggy flavor in stuff.
This joint is a great place to enjoy your morning, whether you are dropping in to grab a quick snack and cup of joe or politely abuse the hospitality and spacious seating of the establishment.

Cute little coffee shop that serves a decent iced coffee and blended coffee/​frappuccino type drinks. They also have a decently sized desert selection. It’s a good place to chat with friends if you can find a seat– but it’s really not the type of coffee shop where you can just plop down and study or read for hours on end. It’s rather small and seating is limited. Windows look out onto 1^st avenue, good for people watching.

The Bean is really nice in the sense that YOU CAN BRING YOUR DOG INSIDE… yes, really!
And while we were sitting here Shenae Grimes from 90 210 came in to get coffee and made a huge scene talking loudly about how it was «4:20, you know what that means»…someone wanted attention.
Anyways, if you are in the East Village this is a nice option for cheap coffee that is pretty decent.

One of the only.
Let me pause and then repeat this for emphasis.
ONE OF THE ONLY…
beautifully decorated, bright, clean, spacious, coffee shop with baked goods and good coffee. The art work is absolutely divine. I love the Nuit goddess and the glitter heart pieces.
Oh, you are waiting for the part that makes it pretty unique. I did promise «One of the only…» right.
ONE OF THE ONLY…
COFFEE SHOPS LEFT WITHOUT:
loud talking college/​high-​school kids
blasting hip hop, dance music, or indie rock
skeevy homeless asking for money or occupying tables (Starbucks)
folks obviously looking for their next «fuck» or friends with benefits” fix
narcissistic indie boy/​girl staff to begrudgingly wait upon you
burnt, badly made, or angrily served coffee
Yay! You can study, for your bar/​licensing exam/​medical boards here, without the commonly found coffee shop horrors mentioned above.
Yeah, this is the coffee shop you had in mind, when you wanted to get a cup of coffee and read the paper, study, write, or do something without the traumas associated with coffee shop patronage.

The Bean is a great place to go to relax on the outdoor benches on a nice day or to camp out inside with your laptop. I love that they are dog friendly and my pooch appreciates the free treat.
This is my place to go when I want to run out for a cup of coffee and the service is quick. For me the coffee and food is okay, but everything else keeps me coming back.
Plus, they have a frequent buyer card where you can get a free coffee drink!

I go here at least 3 times a week in the morning on my way to the subway. Always quick and efficient. The soy chai latte is my go to, and its always amazing here. I get so sad whenever they are out of their chai mix.
Its a good sized space with lots of windows, nice to sit and work in one of their window seats. More reasons to go: they love dogs and have no minimum on credit cards!

I cant hate a place that sells my one true addiction in life: Coffee. I was rather parched and taking an extremely long walk in the village.
I was going on a blind date.
I was nervous as shit. So what does anyone do when they are nervous? Have a drink! My drink of choice– COFFEE.
The ladies behind the counter are ridiculously friendly and perky (i mean, they Do sell coffee) and were enthusiastic about my choice of a soy café au lait.
When i paid, i mentioned it was my first time here and they were excited. And showed me their pastry case. Everything looked great, but i just made a note for next time :-)
The joint was kitschy and cute! and crowded. Not a free seat in the house. So i took my coffee to go. it was everything i needed it to be. I was in heaven.

This bright and cheery coffee shop on the corner of 3^rd and 1^st Avenue reminds me of one of my favorite dogs (owned by one of my favorite people) whose name is Bean. Not only because they share a name, but Bean would absolutely love to while away a few afternoon hours here.
With free treats at the counter and plenty of people watching available through the floor to ceiling windows, it’s no wonder every other patron here has a pup under their arm or at their feet. For the humans, there’s plenty of comforting coffee/​tea drinks, hearty soups and other lunch options available. For the vegans and veggies, you’ll be pleased with the selection as well. Doggie (and vegan) treats are fine, but it’s the shiny case of beautiful cakes and tarts at the front that triggers my Pavlovian response. That Snickers cupcake had my name written all over it… I better go back tomorrow to pick it up.
The only real drawback to this cute café is the fact that they charge for WiFi. I do think think that the tables are scarce — even at 4pm on a weekday almost impossible to score — so I imagine it’s more about table turnover than wireless overhead.
Ruff life.

The only coffee shop in the East Village that can mix a legit half-​caf coffee because they actually brew decaf.
The girls that work there are friendly and fun. The line moves fast no matter how busy, only problem is the location of the sugar/​cream station is hard to access when it’s crowded so prepare to wait or drink your coffee black if you’re in a hurry.
Did I mention they’re dog friendly? Yep, get a coffee and your companion gets a biscuit. Everyone wins!
Just moved to the neighborhood 2 months ago and have tried them all… Bean has become a daily stop for me!

They make a PERFECT CHAI.
I’ve been around the block and back sampling the chai lattes that all the cafes around these ‘hoods have to offer. They generally range from awful to pretty good, but never have I tasted one that’s perfect. Nope, not until The Bean graced me with its presence. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and spicy with just the right amount of frothy-​ness. Please do yourself a favor and try one.
I was initially drawn to The Bean b/​c of their free Wi-​Fi. Password is TheBean2. They’ve got a few outlets, so you can plug in. I also like the ambiance; it’s comfortable, laid back and unpretentious. Very down to earth, friendly baristas. They have a good selection of pastries, snacks and sandwiches too, but I haven’t tried any yet. Too busy with my chai.

A Cantabrigian can sniff out a real deal coffee house– we can’t help it. The difference between 1369 and Starbucks is staggering to us. We come from the oh-​so-​hip, you-​better-​recycle, and we-don’t-want-to-see-a –HINT-​of-​corporate-​agenda-​please, school of coffee thought.
So when I ducked in here with an old friend, while we discussed the latest documentaries we had seen and the status quo of current chair designs, I was subconsciously doing a café mental checklist.
Little tables and kind of crowded would be the most valid complaints about The Bean, which are hardly complaints at all. Mostly, my café-​snobbery noted rather good things.
Hipster baristas without the ‘tude? Check. Featured art from a local struggling artist? Check. Free wi-​fi so I could play with my itouch every time my poodle-​bladdered friend hit up the bathroom (which he reported was not disgusting)? Check and check.
The 90’s tunes they played was a refreshing change from the whiny indie college rock that I usually have to actively tune out.
If it looks like a coffeehouse, and walks like a coffeehouse…

Very cute place. To hang out with your lappie, bring your dog, etc. I didn’t stay very long, but my friend brought me here to get our coffee/​teas to-​go and enjoy the beautiful spring day outside.
Chai tea latte was good. My friend got earl grey with skim milk and a shot of almond (custom order at its best!) There was nothing of that nature on the menu. Service is great. What more could you ask for in a local shop?

This place is really cute and they have a decent selection of vegan bakery, which I am happy to report comes from Brooklyn-​made Red Mango, instead of from Vegan Treats. Vegan Treats is great but it comes from Pennsylvania and is in pretty much every veg restaurant in NYC so it’s nice to have some variety.
I’m not a coffee drinker so I’m a big fan of The Bean’s soy hot chocolate, which is also vegan. The lady who rung me up knew the chocolate syrup was vegan because she has checked for people in the past but she still brought out the container to show me. Very nice.
My only issue with this place is that the front door doesn’t close all the way so you get a super cold draft if you’re sitting near the front.

Hey,…after 7 years, the Bean is still tops in terms of consistency, selection and customer service — the baristas are unique in their own way… the internet café area is a lifesaver for when I need a PC in a pinch… and it’s always a treat when Guy or Isaac are there to hold down the fort.
The always awesome Tori K even inspired a video based on her Bean review:

My companion needed some coffee, so we wandered into the Bean.*
I don’t drink coffee, so I opted for the Delicious Chicken Soup. It was false, or at least exaggerated advertising.
Hello nice, redheaded barista lady!
I appreciate you filling the soup to the brim so I get my money’s worth. However, I’d rather not burn my hand and spill soup everywhere when I open it. So please, keep that extra centimeter of broth.
Hello quiet, studying girl!
It was me that took that newspaper that was sitting on the counter to sop up the soup I spilled everywhere. You already had your book, and it was far enough away from you that I thought it was fair game. I am sorry.
Hello girlfriend!
I am sorry that when the studious girl was angry about her paper, I pointed at you and ran out of there. That must’ve been embarrassing. Almost as embarrassing as being associated with me in a romantic capacity.
I like the little counter on the left side of the coffee bar. The seats were sort of hidden, so I could sit down in the mostly full place. Also, it is a front row seat to watch them make all the coffee drinks, and 3 out of 4 employees will make a self-​conscious joke.
I don’t like that they charge for their internet access.
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*Undoubtedly short for the Immigrant Bean, as opposed to the Native Bean one avenue away.