We all need a "third place" -- somewhere other than home or work where we can relax, sip coffee and chat with friends. I found a new one today and am here to report on it.
One distinctive advantage to living in a metropolitan area is the presence of exotic options. Sure there are boring, pedestrian Starbucks around the world but wouldn't it be nice to try coffee from Yemen or Guatemala? To savor a Pistachio Latte? Or bite a tasty organic pastry?
On the way home from a bi-monthly drug-infusion today I coaxed my chauffeur into visiting a new specialty coffeehouse: Mokafé on Route 110 in Melville. (There are additional locations in NYC and NJ.) The Melville location is large and nicely-decorated. Perfect for a comfortable experience. Open until 2 a.m. most nights Mokafé is designed for fun. It is busiest between 9-10 o'clock at night.
Mokafé's owners are from Yemen, Palestine and Guatemala. Their culinary offerings celebrate the owners' cultural heritages. Mokafe’s coffee beans come from farmers in Yemen and Guatemala with whom the owners deal directly. The owners originally started as wholesale coffee distributors. When they opened a coffee-shop it was instantly successful and they've continued in that direction.
The variety of coffee drinks is diverse, as are the interesting pastries, cakes and sandwiches. Experiment with khaliat nahl, sabaya or a pistachio knafa croissant. And when you spot me and my chauffeur canoodling in the corner, come over and say hi. :)
My (current) favorite small local place is called the Horn. It's a Somali owned chai and coffee house. They also sell little pastries called Sambusas in a variety of fillings plus a ton of desserts. I like the potato and egg version with any of their house made spicy sauces, but the beef and peppers or BBQ chicken are also very good.
ReplyDeleteNice! You'll have to take me there. :)
DeleteDefinitely!
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