The first time I stumbled upon La Colombe Torrefaction, I felt like I had stumbled upon the finest espresso bar in Italy. The espresso was served as a ristretto with a traditional darker, earthy Italian flavor and there was even sparkling water on tap (at the NoHo location). After learning more about La Colombe, I found out that they had two other locations-- one in SoHo and one in TriBeCa. My favorite is probably the one in SoHo because of the large sun-lit windows in a great shopping area. The espresso (as seen in the picture) had a consistent flavor from what I remembered at the NoHo location--dark and earthy. Their trademark dove decorated the inside of my espresso cup and could have almost gone unnoticed. The TriBeCa location had more seating and pulled a similarly good shot but with no sparkling water. Overall, La Colombe Torrefaction's locations are a good go-to when in need of more traditional-tasting espresso.

Note: No public restrooms at any location. Their coffee beans are used a lot in restaurants (that I noticed) around NYC. La Colombe is also located in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Seoul!  

Vibe: Traditional coffeeshop feel, like you are in Italy

Espresso Rating: 8.5/10

Overall Rating: 8/10

Hours: Mon-Fri: 7:30-6:30, Sat-Sun: 8:30-6:30

Website: http://www.lacolombe.com/