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Now that the radiators are clanking and the branches are spindly, we can spend whole afternoons in the cozy nooks of our favorite local coffee shops, waiting for the snow to fall. This season, forget those big green letters blazoned on every block (you know the ones we’re talking about) and explore some new homey cafés across the bridge.

These six Brooklyn spots might not offer Snuggies, but they do come with free wi-fi, environmentally friendly beans, and Johnny Depp’s old fireplace.

Williamsburg

Atlas Caffe | 116 Havemeyer Street (bet. Grand Street & Hope Street) | 718.782.7470
Atlas Caffe, an Italian coffee shop with free wi-fi and a Brooklyn edge, can be summed up in three c’s: cozy, cappuccino, and custard. Tucked into a corner space on Havemeyer, Atlas has a much warmer and friendlier neighborhood feel than the over-crowded cafés of Bedford Avenue. Their signature drink is a creamy cappuccino, made with imported espresso from Italy. Pair that with one of their popular vanilla custard bomboloncinos (rich Italian doughnuts), and your day’s just been made.
Nearest subway: G/L trains to Metropolitan Avenue/Lorimer Street; J/M/Z to Marcy Avenue

Second Stop Café | 524 Lorimer Street, by Ainslie Street | 718.486.6850
There are cozy cafés, and then there’s Second Stop. The warm space and genuine spirit of owner and native Brooklynite Paul DeGruccio creates a comforting environment that is hard to leave, even after your third cup of java. Second Stop offers a phenomenal selection of Stumptown coffee—we sampled the Panama Don Pachi blend—an Oregon-based company with New York-based roasters, brewed with a Clover machine. Stumptown is part of a shifting paradigm in the coffee industry, a new wave of bean entrepreneurs; independent coffee growers are traveling internationally to places like Latin America and Ethiopia to reclaim the industry from the corporate giants while maintaining a purist perspective on coffee production. In addition to free wi-fi and a food menu, which includes Chicago-style hotdogs (but don’t try asking for ketchup), Second Stop has an in-house pastry chef who crafts cookies and brownies from scratch daily.

The venue has been in DeGruccio’s family since 1935. He decided to turn his grandfather’s grocery store into a coffee shop because he believed in giving something “for the young people.” While the café’s fireplace is just for decorative purposes, perhaps customers can glean some heat from this fun trivia: the mantelpiece used to be a fixture in Johnny Depp’s West Village apartment.
Nearest subway: G/L trains to Metropolitan Avenue/Lorimer Street

Bay Ridge

Caffe Café | 8401 3rd Avenue | 718.748.8700
This little shop is worth the long, slow R train ride. You arrive above ground in a quaint and charming neighborhood that comes with views of the Verrazano Bridge. Choose from the large selection of roasts and teas, then snuggle into the small rustic space with a book until you’ve lost track of time.
Nearest subway: R train to 86th Street

Greenpoint

Café Grumpy | 193 Messerole Avenue | 718.349.7623
While you can get the perfect heart-shaped foam-topped macchiato at their other outposts in Chelsea and Park Slope, the Café Grumpy in Greenpoint is both their most spacious and oldest location. Choose to sit by the window or work by the bustling coffee counter, peering over the top of your laptop (yep, there’s free wi-fi) at the local customer-characters that could inspire a short story. Since September 2009, Café Grumpy has operated their own in-house coffee roastery where specially selected beans from environmentally conscious South American growers are roasted on a vintage machine.
Nearest subway: G train to Greenpoint Avenue (Where comfortable shoes, it’s a 1/2 mile walk.)

Park Slope

Red Horse Café | 497 Sixth Avenue (bet. 11th and 12th Street) | 718.499.4973
While the Park Slope coffee scene is better known for Gorilla Coffee, this tiny Fifth Avenue micro-roastery is a great (free wi-fi) spot if you’re in the neighborhood and just need a warm place to relax. The interior is well lit with wood décor and the coffee hails from the Berkshires-based Barrington. Red Horse also hosts live music, art exhibitions by local artists, and game nights. Visit their website for upcoming events.
Nearest subway: R train to 9th Street; F/G trains to 9th Street-4th Avenue

Red Hook

Baked NYC | 359 Van Brunt Street | 718.222.0345
Those who can’t control a sweet tooth by chugging water, you have been warned. A cute and cozy bakeshop in up-and-coming Red Hook, Baked is known for their delicious whimsical desserts. Their extensive menu includes the traditional bakery fare plus specialties like homemade marshmallows. Section off a piece of the day to indulge in a slice of Sweet and Salty Cake—their bestselling dark chocolate cake with a salty caramel and chocolate ganache.
Nearest subway: Travel to Baked requires two-fold transportation. F/G trains to Smith-9th Street. From there, the B77 bus will take you into Red Hook.

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