This Huge Starbucks Roastery Opening In NYC Is A Caffeine Lover’s Dream
For many people, stopping at Starbucks for a caffeine fix is a daily ritual. Between all the different drink options, reward perks, and happy hours, you can bet I'm plugging my order into the app first thing in the morning and picking it up on my way to the office. But now, for caffeine lovers in New York City, there's an entirely new way to experience your coffee. Starbucks' Reserve Roastery is opening in New York City on Dec. 14, and it's unlike any Starbucks you've seen on the east coast.
The roastery created by Starbucks is the fourth of its kind in the world. Yep, it's that exclusive. The first was created in Seattle four years ago (where Starbucks was born), and a second in Shanghai opened up a year ago. A Milan location opened doors in September, and now, we have one in New York City. Two more are slated to open in Tokyo and Chicago in 2019.
The NYC roastery is nearly 23,000 square feet of space in the Meatpacking District, right next to the hustle and bustle of Chelsea Market. The huge space specializes in unique, small-batch coffee and boasts two coffee bars, a cocktail bar, a scooping bar (where guests can buy beans), a Princi bakery (with all of the baked goods your heart could ever desire), and so much more.
The two coffee bars guests can check out are the Main Bar and Experience Bar. The Main Bar is the anchor of the space itself, where baristas are serving drinks like espressos, americanos, and your favorite cold brews, as well as to-go items. Over at the Experience Bar, you can get deeper into the craft of coffee with all different methods of brewing. You can order flights and try things like siphoned coffee, Chemex-brewed coffee, and pour-overs.
Upstairs, customers can check out the Arriviamo Bar, the first of its kind in the United States. The 60-foot bar sits 80 people, and bartenders are serving up drinks like the Black & White Manhattan (Reserve coffee, Basil Hayden's Bourbon, Cynar Amaro, and Carpano Bianco Vermouth) and the Final Say (Matcha, Tequila Cabeza, Liquore Strega, Roots Mastiha, and Royal Combier with lime and a coffee-infused cherry). All of the signature drinks were made in collaboration with mixologist Julia Momose. You can even rent the area out for your friends (I know where I'm hosting my next birthday party).
Finally, there's a Princi bakery inside the roastery, where you can stop in for a snack or a meal and try the fresh baked goods that are made on-site. They've got it all — sandwiches, pizza, soups, salads, desserts... you name it.
Along with the newness of the space itself, the Reserve location is also a real working roastery. Beans are delivered, roasted, and pulled straight from the production line into huge silos that baristas then grind and use in your brew. And you'll try a ton of different variations you've never even heard of before — they're currently brewing their Pantheon Blend Vintage 2018, which is exclusive to the Starbucks roasteries.
If you're as Starbucks-obsessed as I am, there's no shortage of product for you to bring home after checking out the Reserve Roastery. Aside from grabbing drinks and food to-go, you can head to the Scooping Bar and order some fresh beans to try a new brew at home. Rather wear your heart on your sleeve? The roastery has a ton of merchandise. There are amazing collab lines like this one with Matteo Cibic...
...and exclusive new Starbucks Reserve NYC products.
The space wouldn't be complete without a Starbucks Siren, though. What's a Siren? It's the nautical woman you see in the Starbucks logo! Each Reserve Roastery has a different Siren, and the New York City one was created by Max Steiner. It's a 10-foot statue made out of cast copper, and TBH, I want one for my house.
It's something you just need to see for yourself. If you're in NYC, head to the roastery and check it out, along with all of the other amazing features in the space at 61 9th Ave. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery opens on Dec. 14.
