Left rectangle ads redesigned
Robert Ripps book
History of Tribeca Buildings
New Kid on the Block: Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters
Open in the long-empty corner retail spot (can anyone recall a tenant?) at 310 Greenwich, the south corner of Independence Plaza with floor-to-ceiling views of Washington Market Park, is Toby’s Estate, a chain of coffee roasters and shops out of Sydney.
The company was founded in 1997 by Toby Smith, an Australian lawyer who ditched his day job to travel the world to learn coffee production, then turned his mother’s garage into a mini roastery. If LinkedIn is up to date, he is the global president and CEO. They have tons of cafes in Australia and the Middle East, plus a popup in the West Village.
I am not a coffee drinker, so I leave it to readers to comment on that. But the coffees are sourced all over the world and the offerings at the cafe are rotated regularly, both blends and single origins. There are little acrylic labels at the counter that show you what’s brewing, and of course there’s the usual array of styles. Cold brew is self-serve from taps. A large long black is $5.75; a latte is $7.75; a single espresso $3.50. Tea is $5.
The menu offers an avo toast of course though I got the soft boiled eggs with labneh mistakenly thinking it was a grain and learning the hard way that it is yogurt. But after I adjusted to the fact that the whole thing was cold, it was quite good — served with sourdough toast ($15). There’s a peanut butter banana toast for $7.
The renovation is one of the loveliest I have seen in the neighborhood in a while. Mirrored wall aside, it is warm, generous in its layout, and uses lovely materials, including a dropped ceiling that looks like a teakwood grid. I am a huge fan of those cantilevered tubular steel Breuer Cesca chairs (I assume these are reproductions from Wayfair or something) — all of us of a certain age knew someone with those in their dining room.
They have not settled on their permanent hours or even updated the website. For now, try 8a to 3p. Will update.
7 Comments
Comment:
Medium rectangle #1 (top)
Right column rectangle ads
Restaurant guide icon
As expected (and from previous experience with their original locations in Williamsburg and West Village, both of which became Partners Coffee), the coffee is terrific. This is a real third wave coffee bar with meticulous technique (they weigh the beans to a precise amount when making espresso and pour overs, for instance) and baristas that seem well trained. From a taste perspective, the espresso I tried on the day it opened ran circles around anything available nearby (Laughing Man, Jack’s, Meadow Lane, all of which are extremely mediocre). Welcome to the neighborhood, Toby!
And I know for a fact, this guy knows his coffees!!!!! :)
Coffee is outstanding the Waffles and Eggs mediocre. wouldnt get breakfast but would deffo treat myself to a nice flat white. cheers
The coffee is excellent. The renovation IS beautiful, albeit not entirely “cafe comfy”. But the chairs by the window are luxurious and offer great cityscape views while you enjoy a Guji espresso. Tribeca wins. Thumbs up.
I’ve been twice now and I’m in love. Coffee is faultless. I had the eggs and labneh dish you pictured above and it was divine.
I asked about their hours and they said 6:30a-4pm weekdays, and then I think he said 8a-5p on weekends. He noted those were tentative though, and they’re testing demand for staying open later, potentially until 7.
Also, they were so kind, insisting I push two table together to fit my laptop with my food and coffee. Looking forward to becoming a regular.
If anyone from Toby’s reads this: love your new cafe but please bring the price of a tea down! $5 is wild for something that was served to me in the tiniest cup I’ve ever seen. Higher prices for quality coffee makes sense – a small price to pay when it’s made as carefully and thoughtfully as they do – but a $5 teabag + hot water is just out there.
You must be new here. Welcome to Tribeca.