Grace Street: The Cafe of NYC’s K-Town

Stroll onto 32^nd street near Times Square Manhattan, and you’ll find yourself in the ever popular Korean Town of New York City, otherwise known as “K-Town”. Whether you’re a first time visitor or a local, the image that comes to mind is probably streets filled with traditional Korean cuisine. A pleasant surprise, Bibimbap, Korean BBQ, and Gimbap aren’t the only goodies that surround K-Town, although these delicacies are definitely delicious stories on their own.

 Another highlight of Korean Town that often times get neglected, are their plentiful cafes and dessert spots. Scattered across the streets are plenty of cafes, each with their own unique style, adding to the modern and hipster vibe of Korea Town.

 Strolling through K-Town one evening, I passed by Grace Street’s large glass window, caught a whiff of their rich smell of coffee, and was immediately attracted by their clean minimalist design.

It’s true, I’m a self-acclaimed café lover, I literally find as many as I can to try whenever I’m traveling. There’s just something comforting about sitting in a café while enjoying a hot cup of coffee, something sweet, and people watching that gives off a peaceful feeling of relaxation, putting you at ease amongst the hustle of bustle of New York City. Grace Street lives up to its name and does exactly just that, providing a graceful, classy yet casual space for busy New Yorkers to take a break and unwind. Although food and especially the caffeine are the main priorities of a successful café, the ambiance is also another main factor. With their abstract paintings, high ceiling lights, and real-life portraits splattered across the walls, Grace Street’s artistic atmosphere was certainly appealing.

Of course, as a huge caffeine addict, the quality of a café’s coffee is definitely a huge determining factor. Grace Street did not disappoint, with both their Spanish Latte and original Latte both slightly sweet and rich in flavor.

Ever heard of a Mo-chaffle? In the Grace Street dictionary, it’s a mochi waffle dessert and classic. Meanwhile, in my dictionary, it’s just plain delicious. This thick, flaky, and slightly warm waffle topped with bananas, strawberries, and drizzled with Nutella and whip cream, was the perfect companion to coffee.

Certainly, their menu doesn’t just end there. Their selection of iced coffee also includes Americano, Mochas, and Lattes, whereas their selection of hot coffee includes all the classic favorites of Expresso, Cappuccino, Mocchiato, and rich drip coffee. Grace Street also does tea, with an extensive list consisting of Oolong tea, black currant tea, honey lemon tea, and green tea with roasted brown rice. As for desserts, besides the Mo-chaffle, another must try is Grace Street’s Ho-D Duk donuts, a traditional Korean donut filled with melted brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon.

Simply delicious when topped with cold ice cream, it’s no wonder this sweet treat tops Grace Street’s list of most popular desserts. Another popular specialty is Grace Street’s Affogato, a coffee-based beverage consisting of a scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato and topped with a delicious shot of piping hot expresso.

 So step into New York City’s Korean Town to discover its hidden gems of cafes, Grace Street will become one of your favorites.

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Wenna Pang

A writer and photographer who's in love with new experiences, visual art, and the written word. Born and raised in Chicago, I've also spent time living in New York City, Hong Kong, and traveled throughout various places. A travel enthusiast by heart, I love roaming new places and exploring the people & food that comes with it. As an avid story teller, I love sharing my discoveries, whether it be my latest travel experience or newest food adventure. I truly believe that food is the universal factor that connects all of us, no matter how different we may be in other ways, we cannot deny that there’s at least one thing that we love to eat and that one favorite food magically and unconditionally gives us comfort and pleasure. That feeling is one of the purest forms of happiness and I’d love to share that feeling through my work

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