Cafe 77: A Cozy Corner for Coffee and Bites on the Upper West Side

Cafe 77 Introduce

Introduction / Overview

Nestled within the historic walls of the New-York Historical Society, Cafe 77 offers a fresh and convenient dining option for both museum-goers and Upper West Side locals. This charming cafe brings a simple, yet high-quality menu to a bustling neighborhood, providing a perfect spot for a quick bite, a satisfying lunch, or a much-needed coffee break. While it may be a small space, it has managed to create a cozy and casual atmosphere that feels like a quiet retreat from the city's fast pace. Specializing in well-crafted coffee, fresh food, and delicious pastries, Cafe 77 is a testament to the idea that great things come in small packages. It’s the kind of place that is perfect for **solo dining**, a casual catch-up, or a refueling stop during a day of exploring the museum and surrounding area. The cafe is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, offering a fresh, modern feel within a historic setting.

Location and Accessibility

Cafe 77 is uniquely located at 2 W 77th St, New York, NY 10024, USA, with a side entrance on 77th Street, near Central Park West. Its location inside the New-York Historical Society provides a distinct advantage, making it a convenient stop for anyone visiting the museum. For New Yorkers, the cafe is situated in a highly accessible area. It's just a short walk from the 77th Street subway station, and numerous bus routes run along Central Park West and Broadway, making it easy to get to from almost anywhere in Manhattan. While information on full accessibility is not provided, its location within a major public institution suggests it is equipped to accommodate a variety of visitors. The neighborhood offers a mix of residential streets, retail shops, and other attractions, making Cafe 77 a great anchor for a day of exploring. The cafe also notes that it allows **dogs outside**, which is a great feature for local dog owners who want to grab a coffee and a quick bite before or after a stroll in Central Park.

Services Offered

Cafe 77 is designed for simplicity and convenience, providing a focused range of services to meet the needs of its customers. The primary service options are **takeout** and **dine-in**. While the seating area is not large, the cafe has thoughtfully arranged several small tables and chairs, creating a comfortable space to enjoy your meal. The menu is perfect for a **quick bite** and is popular for both **breakfast** and **lunch**. The offerings include a selection of hot beverages, with a particular highlight on their **great coffee** and **great tea selection**. You can choose from classic espresso drinks like **Americano** and **Latte**, as well as specialty options like the **Butterscotch Latte**. For food, the menu includes sandwiches, salads, and grain bowls for more substantial meals. They also have a tempting variety of pastries and snacks, such as muffins, brownies, and banana bread. For those who prefer a healthy start to their day, the **Overnight Oats** are a great choice. The cafe accepts **credit cards** and **debit cards**, providing a quick and easy payment process. As a bonus, they have a **restroom** available for customers, which is a convenient amenity.

Features / Highlights

**Great Coffee and Tea Selection**: The cafe is praised for the quality of its coffee. From a simple **Filter** to a complex **Flat White**, the hot beverages are a key highlight. The **great tea selection** also ensures that non-coffee drinkers have excellent options.
**Fresh and Savory Food**: While the menu is concise, it offers quality food. The **Caesar Salad** and **Grain Bowl** provide fresh, healthier options for lunch, and the **Sandwich** is a reliable choice for a quick and satisfying meal.
**Cozy and Casual Atmosphere**: Situated in a historic building, the cafe has a unique, cozy vibe that makes it a perfect place for a relaxed break. The atmosphere is ideal for **solo dining** or a quiet conversation.
**Partnerships with Local Bakeries**: Cafe 77 partners with local businesses like King St. Baking Co. for their Bundt Cake and Bien Cuit for their croissants, which ensures high-quality, fresh pastries for their customers.
**Convenient Location**: Its placement inside the New-York Historical Society is a major highlight, making it a logical and accessible stop for museum visitors. Its side entrance on 77th Street also makes it an easy find for people walking in the neighborhood.

Contact Information

**Address**: 2 W 77th St, New York, NY 10024, USA

**Phone**: (212) 485-9211

What is worth choosing

For anyone in New York looking for a delightful and straightforward cafe experience, there are a few things at Cafe 77 that are truly worth choosing. First and foremost, you should absolutely try their coffee. Customers praise the quality, and with a variety of options from **Espresso** to a **Flat White**, there’s something for every coffee lover. While the hot chocolate may have had some initial kinks, the coffee itself is a strong and reliable reason to visit.

When it comes to food, the savory items are a highlight. The **Caesar Salad**, with its fresh ingredients and tasty additions like bacon bits and boiled egg, is a great choice for a light yet satisfying lunch. The **Sandwich** and **Grain Bowl** are also excellent options for a more substantial meal. For those with a sweet tooth or looking for a morning treat, the **Banana Bread** is a must-try; it's praised for being fresh and having an authentic banana flavor. The pastries, especially the **Croissant** from Bien Cuit and the **Bundt Cake** from King St. Baking Co., are worth choosing as they showcase the cafe's commitment to sourcing high-quality, delicious baked goods from local partners.

What makes Cafe 77 so appealing is its simple and effective approach. It’s a place that focuses on doing a few things very well. The combination of **great coffee**, fresh food, and a quiet, cozy atmosphere makes it an ideal spot to take a break from a busy day. It’s the perfect place to sit and relax, enjoy a peaceful moment, or grab a quick, quality bite before moving on. The convenience of its location and the straightforward, delicious menu make it a great choice for both solo diners and small groups. It’s a charming and reliable spot that adds to the rich tapestry of the Upper West Side's cafe culture.

Cafe 77 Food & drink

Savory
Sandwich $12.00
Caesar Salad $13.00
Grain Bowl $15.00

Hot
Filter $5.00
Espresso $4.00
Americano $4.50
Macchiato $4.75
Flat White $5.50
Cappuccino $5.50
Latte $6.00
Butterscotch Latte $6.50

Others
Blueberry Muffin
Clementine Tart
Brownie
Cookie $4.50
Banana Bread $5.00
King St. Baking Co. Bundt Cake $5.50
Bien Cuit Croissant
Overnight Oats $6.50
Matcha $7.00
Tea $5.50
Hot Chocolate $6.00

Cafe 77 Details

Service options
Takeout
Dine-in
Delivery

Highlights
Great coffee
Great tea selection

Popular for
Breakfast
Lunch
Solo dining

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Offerings
Coffee
Quick bite

Dining options
Breakfast
Lunch
Dessert

Amenities
Restroom

Atmosphere
Casual
Cozy

Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards

Pets
Dogs allowed outside

Cafe 77 Photos

Cafe 77 Location

Cafe 77

New York New York County New York West 77th Street

2 W 77th St, New York, NY 10024, USA

Cafe 77 Reviews

An average rating of ★3.8 from 20 user reviews.

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★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

This review is about sustainability only!I was disappointed to see almost everything sold at this lovely café wrapped in single use plastic that is destined for the landfill, our waterways, or the incinerator. By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish, as over 95% of the plastic that we produce and use actually does not get recycled in the end—even when we put it in the “proper” receptacles.In a waterfront city such as New York, I find it incredibly frustrating to see local and essential institutions perpetuate the plastic waste crisis that is impacting New Yorkers and wild species here, and our environment abroad.I understand that there is not always staff capacity available or the infrastructure present to allow for washing reusable dishes and glasses.But perhaps there’s a happy medium you could strive for here. Maybe that looks like offering fewer food items wrapped in plastic, and instead wrapped in compostable packaging. But that would also require that you have receptacles for compost collection. Because if not, it all goes to the landfill, where it will not break down. You could likely work with the city of New York or Grow NYC to coordinate composting. And again, while I appreciate that you have compostable cutlery available, when it gets thrown into one trash receptacle like we see in these pictures, it doesn’t actually get composted. It is a nice thought, though.That could also look like not offering plastic cups for people who need to drink water there. Maybe you could even promote on the museum or café website and social media that folks can bring in their own reusable bottles for use?Thank you for considering how to be better stewards of New York City by way of your dining options at this café. We loved the food and the coffee, and the surface was wonderful. But it is up to both the patron and the establishment to help stop the stream of plastic waste at the source.
February 04 · Sheila
Recently opened and located inside the New York Historical Society (side entrance on 77th Street and CPW). This small café offers hot & cold beverages, pastries, snacks, sandwiches, and salads. The café isn’t very large, but they have managed to put in several small coffee tables and chairs. Apparently they will also be offering outdoor dining soon.I came by during lunch to check out Café 77 and got a hot chocolate ($6), a slice of banana bread ($5) and a Ceasar salad ($13). The hot chocolate was, sadly, disappointing. I was hoping for a rich chocolatey drink but instead got a watered down and bland beverage. The banana bread was good. It tasted fresh, had the familiar real banana flavor and a nice crust with a little bit of sugar. The Ceasar salad was really good. It had kale, croutons, bacon bits, boiled egg, and was topped with fresh parmesan. The Caesar dressing was a bit bland and the salad serving was on the small side, especially for this price. Nevertheless, it was still tasty.It was a so-so first visit but hey, they just opened a couple of weeks ago. I’m guessing they are still ironing out kinks. I would say save your money and skip the hot chocolate but would recommend the food. I’ll probably visit them again to try out their sandwiches and their coffee.
November 21 · Amelia
The New York Historical is a great treasure but I found this new cafe disappointing. My friend and I stopped by on Sunday afternoon for a drip coffee (so-so) and muffin (blueberry-almond—on the dry, bland side) before exploring two of the museum's wonderful current exhibitions. Nowhere near as nice or inviting as the Parliament cafe, which it, sadly, replaced.
April 07 · Amy R.
The Cafe at the Historical Society Museum reopened and is a sad little place. First what cafe doesn’t have half and half for coffee? The croissants are gorgeous but tasteless and the other dismal pastry/breakfast offerings are all savory. There is a teeny tiny banana loaf which is mixed with chocolate- can be yummy but if you don’t want chocolate in the morning you’re stuck because the other pastry is also with chocolate. Empty case where goodies should be - sad. Also just a note to management - why are you buying plastic straws??
July 31 · Roberta Chesler
Great little cafe with very kind servers. Awesome cup of coffee w espresso. Cranberry scone was delicious. A lovely spot to recharge in this beautiful Museum or come in from the Street. Thank you.
December 26 · Tee Enn