Little Collins is part of our Midtown Coffee Guide!  Check out all of the great coffee, like this Australian shop just south of Bloomingdales!  

The Basics

Six words or less: Midtown rush, Bright Espresso, Open-faced snacks

Location: 667 Lexington Ave (Un-assuming storefront between 56th and 57th street)

Hours: Weekdays: 7-5 & Weekends 8-4

Open Since: Summer 2013

Amenities: Bathroom, Bar seating for 10, No wifi

Must Try: Go Full Australian with a Flat White & Brekkie:  Sweet Uncle Fred, toasted banana bread, ricotta, strawberries, honey and topped with crushed almond brittle

Owner: Leon Unglik

Roaster: Counter Culture

The feel of the place

Visiting Midtown coffee shops like Little Collins is an ideal way to experience office worker culture in New York.  You’ll find all of the cubicle escapees here around mid-day; the place is small and buzzing.

Jade green coffee cups line the bar, but you won’t find an espresso machine.  That’s because this spot was the first modbar in NYC.  You’ll find them other spots now, like Gotan.  A silvery swan neck appears on the countertop, bubbling out your espresso shots.  The mechanics of it all happens underneath the counter.  The idea is to break down walls between you and your barista.

This shop was founded by Australians which seem to be taking over coffee in New York.  (Little Collins is the name of a street in Melbourne.)  This means that they specialize in a flat white, think a latte with less milk, a cappuccino with less foam and a true passion for getting the velvety potential of steamed milk just right.  They also do snacks in their kitchen in the back, lots of sweet and savory open-faced sandwich treats–the crepe of Australia, the Brekkie.