Darling Coffee
“Having moved to Inwood a few years ago there were two major things the neighborhood lacked.”
“Try their NOLA cold brew, with hints of chicory and a faint sweetness, or one of their constantly changing iced teas.”
“The only down side is that they reserve certain tables for computer use and some remain computer free.”
Darling Coffee
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Working: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range Moderate
8 reviews
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My perfect afternoon in Inwood: strolling through Inwood Park in the fall sipping a latte from Darling Coffee. And that's how I spent a recent afternoon complete with the Darling Coffee latte.
It's a cozy little coffee shop with a wide selection of alluring baked goods, reliable espresso, and cups with a cute squirrel logo. While the name came across as a little kitchy, it suits the coffee shop. I got a granola bar to go for my hike, which had a great texture and delightful mix of oats, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds. The honey flavor was pretty overpowering and could have been toned back to allow for more earthiness from the other great ingredients.
If in Inwood, it's a good place to swing by for some espresso and to support local business.
The air in the joint can be snobby. So what. Being yourself loud and proud clears it right up. Like a flu remedy. The choices are great. Don't forget that this is New York!!!
They use Plowshares coffee so pour overs are good. But the prepared coffees, like a Cortado, can be a hit or miss, depending on who is making it. For me, a black pour over is fine.
I love their Ginger Bundt Cake. Supposedly they use Guiness in the batter…
I do not bring my Laptop here. I use my 'old school' Alphasmart Word Processor, since I do not need to plug it in and I don't need Wi-Fi. Here those items are scarce and spotty.
Seating arrangements are a bit odd. If you sit in the middle, you tend to be bumped and the object for alot of 'excuse meez'. Can be annoying. Do yourself a favor and sit closest to the wall.
Like most of my Inwood locals I wanted to fall in love and make darling coffee part of my family. I just do not feel any great desire to go back. It wasn't bad it was just three star A-OK.
If you are in the neighborhood you will enjoy all the fun Tea selections and the cute ambiance.
Unfortunately I think the more popular or busy this place has become the more it has gone downhill. My last few visits The great strong tea they had, tasted watered down, and the focaccia unfortunately rather stale.
I didn't know I liked corn bread until I had it from Darling! It was savory and sweet with a little bit of strawberry and fig(?) preserve. Yum!
I also tried the chocolate Nutella cake to honor the passing of Mr. Rocher. That was delicious too, but can you ever go wrong with Nutella? It's kind of like bacon. I can't wait to have the corn bread again.
Darling Coffee is DELIGHTFUL & DELICIOUS!!! I'm always surprised when I come in to attack their PM baguettes – it's usually a variety of different cuts of meat ranging from turkey and pork with artichoke spreads, butter or some type of Dijon mustard…ugh just great.
But let me address the sweets for the people who enjoy pastries, cakes, cookies and things of such. The owners and bakers in this establishment are so damn creative – it's sickening! I've indulged on homemade banana bread made with Nutella, ginger bundt cake made with guiness, lemon tart, three milk cake with papaya…with occasional special treats such as Foccacia and herbed goat cheese with cucumber on some special type of bread (that I cannot remember the name of) but you catch my drift!
This place is absolutely phenomenal. I can go on for days about them but you should definitely check it out for yourself.
I'm so in love with this place, it's almost a little borderline ridiculous.
Just kidding. It's TOTALLY fine.
Since moving up to Inwood from Hudson Heights about a month ago, I've been a pretty regular customer. Despite living closer the A at Dyckman, I do enjoy walking up to the A at 207th and, you know, swinging in for a morning tea and treat before work a couple mornings a week. (Hey. Extra exercise, right?) When I first went to Darling when it opened a couple of years ago, they had no chai, but now they have an authentic blend that is just to die for. It's spicy with very sharp notes of star anise. Their tea selection has also expanded since their early business days, with well more than a dozen kinds of loose teas to choose from. Their Mint Verbena is a must try. Finally, their food is amazing; I love coming in at 8 a.m. to see them preparing foods behind the counter. If I had to eat one thing and only one thing from them for the rest of my days as a patron to them, I'd go with the blueberry scone. It's pretty much a scone sandwich, with two buttery and crumbly scone slabs surrounding fresh blueberries, jam, and lemon zest. I think there is actually a little bit of magic in them.
I am a total proponent of cordoning (so to speak) of some areas of cafes for non-computer use. Darling does that, and it's easy to find available computer tables by a sign with either a smiling or frowning computer. (Cute.) Conversely, I enjoy sitting on the window seat and people watching my neighbors along Broadway.
Finally, the staff is super nice and personable.
I'm so glad this place has thrived and it's quite clearly enjoyed by many in Inwood and beyond. Here's to their continued success and all of the blueberry scones I can eat!
Darling Coffee
NY: Manhattan: Inwood
11:20am Sunday 6th September 2015
Four Stars
First stop on Ben's Broadway birthday tour. Darling Coffee is just a short walk from the A train's last stop on 207th Street. This coffee shop was the only bright spot in this otherwise abysmal area. The large front window, wood paneling, and white walls give this place a cozy feel. There were plenty of tables. I had a NOLA Cold Brew ($4) and a Ham and Cheese Biscuit ($3.5) to stay. The iced coffee was still served in a plastic cup. It was cloudy, filled with chipped ice, and overall pretty smooth. The biscuit was very buttery and flaky. The thick ham and the flavorful cheese was nice complement.
Note: On Weekends, you cannot use your laptop on the tables.
Also they have a tip dip where you insert your credit card and tip the staff a $1.