When I saw the lumberjack behind the counter at Irving Farm, I knew it was a good sign. A lumberjack, sporting the hipster look du jour, was a clear indicator that this place had quality coffee.  As we had been subsisting on hotel coffee (made from a coffee pod machine but still not up to snuff), we needed our caffeine jolt. Finding good coffee on the Upper West Side used to be difficult, but thanks to Irving Farm, it’s arrived.

Admittedly, I found Irving Farm while looking up “breakfast sandwich” on the Upper West Side on Yelp. While looking at reviews, I saw that Irving Farm had fantastic coffee.  Irving Farm coffee is single origin, bought directly from the farmers, and roasted locally.

As we patiently waited in line to place our coffee order, I was struck by the vast assortment of baked goods on display. Over a dozen different bakeries are represented here, and I quickly forgot about that breakfast sandwich.  The bakery I most wanted to visit, but dismissed because it was in Brooklyn, was Ovenly. They had a few different baked goodies behind the case as well.

Once you’ve ordered, you can sit in the main room or in the more spacious back area, away from the blasts of cold whooshing in from the front door.  The Upper West Side location is the largest in the chain with its atrium area.

On my first visit here, I couldn’t pass up the black pepper parmesan scone from Ovenly.  The lumberjack confided that he had eaten a misshapen one earlier and said that it was amazing. That it was, with chunks of parmesan studded throughout.

Since we had such a positive experience on our first visit, we returned the next day. I got a latte and a blueberry cornflake muffin from Ovenly. I rarely drink lattes, so it was quite a treat. Having tried both the standard house brewed coffee and latte, I was impressed by the quality of both.

The muffin was a typical blueberry muffin, except for the crunch of the cornflakes on top. It was bursting with blueberries though, which was a delight.

The skylight in the backroom bathes the room in a nice light. It’s a great space to just chill and read a newspaper or chat with friends, as one group of local moms did.

The Upper West Side location also serves wine and beer, along with hot food like the previously mentioned breakfast sandwiches. Next time you’re in the neighborhood, stop in and treat yourself to a coffee, perhaps a breakfast sandwich or pastry, grab a seat in the backroom, sit back and enjoy.

Location – 224 West 79th Street, New York, 10024. Additional locations throughout Manhattan
Website – http://irvingfarm.com
Kid-Friendly – Yes
Kid’s Menu – No
Pesco-Vegetarian Friendly – Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly – Yes
Gluten-Free Options – Yes