Your Brooklyn Guide for the Best Lavender Lattes
Just across the Brooklyn Bridge lies the historic New York City neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill, separated by a main street called Atlantic Avenue. Filled with quiet tree-lined streets and townhouses from the 1800s, these are some of my favorite neighborhoods in New York City. Fun fact: Winston Churchill’s mother, Jennie Jerome, was actually born in one of those Cobble Hill townhouses!
Within these historic surroundings, there are many small local shops, including coffee shops serving lavender lattes! For your convenience, I have tried lattes at multiple shops and have put together my top three shop recommendations for lavender lattes based on taste. (For Manhattan shop recommendations click here.) Shops are listed in alphabetical order.
Charlotte Patisserie
Located on the bustling Court Street near Wyckoff Street, this Cobble Hill location is a narrow shop with seating in the back. The patisserie also has a larger location in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. As suggested by its name, the patisserie concentrates on cooking French-style pastries. From cakes to mousse to macrons, this patisserie does it all. If you need something sweet to bring home to your loved one, there’s no need to look any further than this shop—Valentine’s Day is sorted! Of the cakes I’ve tried so far my current favorites are the ginger coffee cake and the seasonal pumpkin tart.
Other than sweets, the patisserie also has a selection of muffins, croissants, and breads for breakfast. For lunch, you can find a selection of soups, quiche, and sandwiches. The Greenpoint location has even more menu choices, and the patisserie also does event catering.
While I admittedly have a sweet tooth, it was the patisserie’s sidewalk sign advertising lavender lattes that brought me inside. After ordering my latte the barista asked me to taste it to make sure I liked the balance of lavender and coffee. I was surprised, as many coffee shops do not deliver this level of attention. The first time I requested a bit more lavender syrup, which the barista happily adjusted for me. On all of my following visits, the barista still asks me to taste the latte first for the balance. Happily, it has been correct for me!
This lavender latte has a more apparent lavender taste, accompanied by the coffee taste. It is the sweetest of all the Brooklyn shops in this post.
Kaigo Coffee Room
Kaigo Coffee Room actually sits on the edge of Brooklyn Bridge Park, a picturesque waterfront park stretching from just north of the Brooklyn Bridge southward to Atlantic Avenue. While the coffee room has indoor seating, I highly recommend taking away your coffee to sit in the park during good weather. You can enjoy a secluded bench or lawn spot, or you can choose a bench with a view of lower Manhattan or the Statue of Liberty.
This lavender latte is more milky, but with an obvious lavender and coffee taste. It is not overly sweet or bitter—a happy medium! I have also tried a matcha lavender latte, which is also nice if you want to avoid coffee. However, the lavender is slightly less apparent against the matcha if compared to the normal lavender latte.
Kaigo has a small selection of muffins, pastries, and sandwiches if you are hungry. They also have a “soup of the day.” Perfect for those lunch breaks, and a breath of fresh air too if you choose! Don’t forget to grab a punch card if you plan to regularly visit!
Swallow Cafe
Located on the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Clinton Street, you cannot possibly miss this cafe. With huge windows perfect for people-watching, a plethora of seating, and an additional small second level of seating, Swallow is perfect for the study break or lengthened coffee conversation. If you don’t like lugging heavy books with you, use a Kindle plan to read a large selection of books on your chosen device. If you cannot get to this Cobble Hill location, luckily Swallow has two other locations in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Bushwick.
Swallow’s lavender latte retains its stronger coffee flavor with a perfect balance of accompanying lavender syrup. Of the three lattes in this post, this one is the least sweet, perfect for those of us who like a more clear coffee taste! The latte can be ordered in two sizes: 8oz and 12oz.
To accompany your latte, Swallow also has a large food menu ranging from full meals to lighter fare. For breakfast, you have options ranging from hearty oatmeal to pastries. Some of the pastries are ordered from Blue Skye Bakery in Park Slope, Brooklyn. My favorites are the pumpkin walnut cranberry muffin and the banana chocolate chip bread. The muffin choices vary a little each day, but they tend to have some type of bran muffin, berry muffin, pumpkin muffin, and zucchini muffin. For other meals, there’s a plethora of tasty salads, sandwiches, and soups to peruse for full meal options.
If you ever find yourself in Brooklyn, this gives you a guide for finding good lavender lattes and other food too! Take a break from work or sight-seeing and curl up with a coffee…and perhaps with a book or good friends for company. Let me know how you like these shops and enjoy your time in Brooklyn!
