Macchiato Espresso Bar
“It was totally worth drafting this review on my iPhone with fingers sticky from the chocolate oozing from the scrumptious cookie.”
“I will definitely be back when I need a caffeine fix near Grand Central Station.”
“Its espresso, hot milk, and foam milk had the perfect proportion here at Macchiato.”
Macchiato Espresso Bar
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range Moderate
8 reviews
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I like this place. I have a fairly dependable coffee arsenal within a short radius of my office, and thankfully, this is part of it. Much like La Colombe, Macchiato has a very Euro mod and minimalist feel, and operates like a well-oiled machine. I have had both their drip coffee and espresso drinks, and both were delicious. The prices are on par with other higher end coffee houses you might come across, like Sbux, Grumpy or Aroma, but I think the quality here is superior. The coffee they use is rich and complex, but very smooth. I also have never had to wait more than a minute or so to be served, which is a huge plus in my book. If you're a coffee head, you should definitely hit these guys up if/when near GCT.
As someone who has plowed through most of life without an ounce of caffeine (the strongest drink to me is a cup of green tea and even that I'm incapable of finishing), the appeal of coffee shops is kind of lost on me, unless I also eat a pastry. I must have walked past Macchiato quite a few times without realizing the buried treasure that lay within – their chocolate chip cookie.
I take chocolate chip cookies very seriously. That five star rating for Levain is no laughing matter – I like mine towering and warm and pudding soft in the middle with a slightly crispy edge. Hand me a crispy cookie or an oatmeal cookie and I'll question your integrity (just kidding, I'm still not over that one time I ate a chunk of an oatmeal cookie and realized what it was). The two reigning champions of CCCs for me are Levain and Zaro's tollhouse cookie. Macchiato's has knocked Zaro's off second base. It's a bit more compact but it's absolutely stuffed with chocolate chunks (not chips). I can eat one every day.
Which brings me to my next point. Ever dipped a cookie into an iced chai latte before? Probably not as good as a cookie dipped in coffee but I was extremely pleased for the rest of that afternoon.
There are quite a few seats but it was packed on a regular weekday afternoon and ear-crackingly loud. I wouldn't really bring work to do here or try to set up a conference call. However, it is perfect for ducking in and grabbing the essentials. And yes, the service was very fast. I paid, turned around to put my purse back, and my iced chai was ready.
NEXT TIME: uh duh. Their sandwiches look good too.
I've had very mixed experiences at this place, which is frustrating. I've had GREAT lattes/cappucinos (thus the four star rating before) and very meh lattes. The last two times I asked for my lattes extra hot (because they tend to go cold within 2-3 minutes when I head out the door), and they have still been giving me lukewarm (barely warm), watered down drinks. Today's drink tasted completely watered down– like the milk wasn't fresh, and I couldn't taste the espresso at all. I've asked for double shots of espresso before and am pretty sure I have never received the second shot. They also once messed up my drink and gave me a mocha instead of a latte.
For $4.50+ a latte, it's expensive for what can be undependable morning service?
That said, the pastries are fantastic! And the staff is always friendly.
macchiato is my sh!t
cookies are redonkulous.
best coffee in the area. seriously, who in their right minds would go to a starbucks when this place is down the block. SMH coworkers.
Meh, I purchased a chocolate croissant from them. I've had better, fluffier, and fresher. It's a very 'rich' place – meaning potent coffee's and buttery pastries. My colleague said the Macchiato he received was very good.
Macchiato Espresso Bar is a small coffee shop, that seems to serve most of the Midtown East financiers with their morning, afternoon, and evening coffee.
They are always busy, and there will always be a few people ahead of you on the line.
They have a few seats along the window, and 8-10 tables alongside the wall, each table big enough for two.
Their lattes are out of this world. I highly recommend winding down with one of their lattes, if you have the time during the day, in a ceramic mug.
And their chocolate chip cookies are insanely delicious. They are a wonderful hybrid of a cookie and muffin/brownie. They take a cookie form, but are gooey, warm, and fluffy like a muffin. They are small in size, but it will definitely kick your sweet tooth craving to the curb.
They also have salad and sandwiches.
Beware. Their music selection is questionable. They blast, seriously blast, techno club music. And everyone talks above the music volume, so naturally, the coffee shop becomes extremely loud.
I've had to take a client back to the Yale Club to continue our meeting because of the loud music and louder conversation.
I've seen people doing laptop work at Macchiato Espresso Bar, so it is doable, but I would not recommend.
Pretty excellent spot in an otherwise awful location for good coffee. The espresso here is quite good with an almost lemony undertone. Also, the people who work here are super nice and they serve up food and coffee FAST.
I didn't think the chocolate chip cookies here were anything to write home about, especially in a city where Levain Bakery is doing their thing. They just didn't taste that much different from any mid-level cookie.
All in all, however, this place is definitely a good stop for those of you who don't mind fighting your way through a ton of businesspeople and midtown banker boys to score some fairly solid joe.
Excellent coffee for an afternoon caffeine fix! I love the simplicity of the decor and it makes it so easy for me to forget about stress at work during my stay.
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie and the Cappuccino are my go-to combo here. The cookie was super soft and the chocolate chip is melted on the inside. It is the best, if you can get it just fresh out of the oven. I love the chewy texture and just the right about of sweet to help lift up my energy. Cappuccino is my favorite coffee of choice anywhere. Its espresso, hot milk, and foam milk had the perfect proportion here at Macchiato. My sweet treat and my coffee is a perfect balance of bittersweetness. I personally prefer my coffee hot but iced versions are just as good for any summer day! I would like to see Macchiato work on their latte art, it is quite boring on the eyes.
For those who work in the immediate area, you know that the coffee competition is heated around here. I am proud to say that Macchiato earns one of the top spots on my list. Skip your office's coffee from the pot or Keurig and treat yourself! You deserve it!