TLDR
Underrated UWS spot for expertly crafted coffee & delicious espresso. Great flat whites & cortados, even better without sugar! [1], [2]
Details
This Upper West Side coffee shop is a must-visit for its expertly crafted coffee, particularly its flat white and cortado [1]. It's noted for being consistently excellent and potentially underrated, offering a superior coffee experience even for those who prefer their drinks without sugar [2]. The shop also offers good baked goods and focuses on quality espresso preparation [3].
Food Overview
The coffee is the star here, with customers highly recommending the flat white and cortado, praising their balanced flavor profiles that don't require sugar [1], [2]. The shop is also noted for having good baked goods and a focus on the quality of the espresso shot itself, distinguishing it from other cafes [3].
Caveats
One user had a negative experience, finding their drinks tasted watered down and expressing a desire for a barista who cares more about the espresso shot quality.
Reddit Opinions & Reviews
Top Reddit Posts About SOLID STATE COFFEE
Recent Reddit Mentions
From post: The Espresso At Solid State Whats Special About It
"An employee at Solid State explains their practice of rotating coffees on espresso frequently to allow customers to try different beans. They also emphasize the importance of precise steaming temperatures, particularly cooler temperatures for cortados, to preserve the milk's natural sweetness and enhance texture."
PositiveFrom post: The Espresso At Solid State Whats Special About It
"This commenter explains that a great espresso requires good beans, a proper roast, precisely dialed-in grind, and skilled barista technique. They praise Solid State for focusing on coffee quality over marketing, also noting their baked goods are good."
PositiveFrom post: The Espresso At Solid State Whats Special About It
"This user had a negative experience at Solid State, finding all their drinks tasted watered down and hoping to find a barista who cares about the espresso shot."
NegativeFrom post: The Espresso At Solid State Whats Special About It
"This user emphasizes that the quality of the espresso shot itself is crucial and that many places fail at this despite having good beans. They recommend St Kilda and Sey Coffee as alternatives for similarly good espresso shots."
PositiveFrom post: The Espresso At Solid State Whats Special About It
"This commenter implies that if someone needs sugar for their coffee to enjoy it, they don't truly like coffee."
NegativeFrom post: The Espresso At Solid State Whats Special About It
"Drawing from personal restaurant experience, this user believes that meticulous calibration of the espresso machine and grind dose is key to achieving a smooth, balanced espresso on its own, suggesting Solid State likely pays close attention to these details."
PositiveFrom post: The Espresso At Solid State Whats Special About It
"The commenter believes Solid State Coffee is underrated and consistently serves excellent coffee, often outperforming more hyped establishments. They also note the shop's proficiency with heavily processed coffees."
PositiveFrom post: The Espresso At Solid State Whats Special About It
"This commenter suggests that good beans combined with a skilled barista who cares about the espresso shot preparation contribute to the quality of drinks at Solid State."
PositiveFrom post: The Espresso At Solid State Whats Special About It
"The user loved the cortado at Solid State Coffee, noting its balanced and satisfying taste even without sugar. They found that most other highly-rated NYC coffee shops don't provide the same pleasure without sugar."
PositiveFrom post: Which Coffee Shops Have Both Great Coffee And
"This user agreed that Solid State is massively underrated for both coffee and food."
PositiveFrom post: Which Coffee Shops Have Both Great Coffee And
"This user recommended Solid State on the UWS, calling it underrated for both coffee and food."
PositiveFrom post: I Made A Map Of Recommended Coffee Shops From
"A commenter recommended Solid State Coffee, providing its location."
PositiveFrom post: Looking For Coffee Recommendations In Manhattan
"Solid State on the Upper West Side is recommended as excellent."
PositiveFrom post: Searching For The Bestflat White
"Solid State on the UWS is recommended as having a solid flat white."
Positive