TravelNoise: Abbotsford Road, New York City

Located in prime Gowanus, Brooklyn, Abbotsford Road stands mighty and industrious. Inside, the place is a sun-drenched warehouse space, and the open-layout concept allows for customers to take in the seating area, bar and even the coffee-making machines. In the back, sacks of fresh coffee beans are piled high. If the scent of the beans isn’t enough to send you into coffee heaven, the mellow playlist and white tile bar will help you snuggle right in.

My guest and I arrived on opening weekend, when the owner was giving tours of the space. We were incredibly lucky to take up a few minutes of his time as we were walked through the coffee shop’s offering. What we quickly learned upon walking in, and confirmed in the walkthrough, was that Abbotsford Road is far from just a regular ol’ coffee shop. It also acts as a wholesale coffee distributor for interested customers, and an authentic one at that. From the piles of coffee beans to the “bean bar”, at which people can have coffee tastings and brewings to the company’s crop-to-cup philosophy, what you’re getting is pure, uninterrupted and high-quality.

As we sat down, we were walked through the focused, but soon-to-be growing menu of coffee. Abbotsford Road specializes in three types of blends: crema, forza and vivo, and of course, a decaf option is available. Also on offer are a slew of lattes, like turmeric, matcha and chai, cappuccinos, hot chocolate and cold brew as well as fresh pastries and sandwiches and specialty syrups like lavender, honey and hazelnut. We should mention, though, that the coffee is so good, it can stand on its own.

Now, to the stuff you’re interested in: the taste. We tried the cappuccino ($3.50 for a small), the chai latte ($3.50 for a small), the vivo blend ($2.50 for a small) and the forza blend ($2.50 for a small). The cappuccino was a beautifully detailed (shout out to the barista who blew us away) and absolutely did not need any sugar, as it was creamy, light and frothy on its own. The chai latte was delightfully mellow, creamy and subtle. I just want to say that I am not a huge black coffee fan, but Abbotsford Road changed my mind within milliseconds of my first sip of their vivo blend, which was fruity and naturally sweet. Then, I found my new favorite drink in the forza blend, which was deep, chocolatey and nutty.

While we appreciate a good specialty drink with the flavor fixins’, we can’t deny that truly good coffee will speak volumes for itself. That coffee can be found at Abbotsford Road, and while we don’t expect it’ll be going anywhere anytime soon, we suggest you hurry. Don’t waste another minute on coffee that isn’t a 10 out of 10, especially when you know where to get the perfect cup.

Address:  573 Sackett St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Telephone Number:  (347) 384-2862
Website: abbotsfordroad.com

Sami Allen

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