City League Coffee Roasters

Best cafe in Bay Ridge if you ask me. I’m a coffee enthusiast and the quality of the espresso is insanely good. The environment is perfect for studying as a college student myself. The staff are so friendly; it’s so hard to find such great customer service in this area. Every time I’ve visited this coffee shop, I always get greeted in the most genuine way. The coffee/ matcha never disappoints; the quality is always excellent. I even brought a coworker there and she loved it! You most likely won’t regret your visit there!

I'm not going to review the coffee in this review, but the coffee here is great. This place is also the local cafe where people can gather, work, sit, and just enjoy a little coffee and food, so please come here! The atmosphere is really warm and it has a cool, industrial vibe. Aside from the coffee, my wife and I have gotten hooked on the Chicken Pesto panini here. It is a REALLY good sandwich. The price is fair, I believe around 10-12 bucks after tax, and it can feed two people decently well if split (one person will definitely be fill on it) The sandwich is served hot and brought to you with chips and it is so good. It's a simple panini with chicken, pesto, basil, and mozzarella, but they way they make it here is perfect. My wife and I like it so much we bought the ingredients and made it at home one day. While good, it wasn't quite as good as the way City League does it. I think for the value, it's a great choice for a snack or small meal, especially if you are at the cafe anyway.

Several days ago, a friend and I decided to check this coffee shop out on the recommendation of a friend. We entered the shop which was fairly empty and we were the only patrons waiting to be served. We were not greeted by the staff - in fact the two employees on shift made a conscious effort to move away from the register and have a conversation amongst themselves (photo below.) My friend and I were reviewing the menu and discussing what we might order so initially it wasn’t an issue that we weren’t being served or even acknowledged. After standing near the register for several minutes, and an attempt to ask a question to the employee that was outright ignored, we decided to spend our money at one of the many other fantastic Bay Ridge coffee shops that actually wants business. As we were leaving the shop, another man entered and was immediately greeted and serviced by the employees. This incensed me and I decided to return to take some additional photos to show just how empty the shop was and how there was no excuse for the employees to blatantly ignore us completely other than perhaps racism or just plain hipster judgement. This place is trash based on the complete lack of customer service and clique-ish environment.

I honestly don’t even know where to start with this review because I would’ve given City League more stars if I could! Coffee: If you’re a coffee enthusiast like me, you have to try their coffee beans, they’re a 10/10. I personally love the Bodega! Menu: A great variety of drinks and amazing pastries (shoutout to Little Boxes NYC—Monica and Jessica make the most delicious pastries. I’ve never had better than the cakes and pies they make, and I’m not even exaggerating). If you get hungry, they also have chicken and turkey sandwiches. Atmosphere: The best place to study or work. They have clean, spacious tables, comfortable chairs, and cable outlets everywhere. Staff: The friendliest people you’ll ever meet, so kind and always smiling. Dane, the owner, is such a down-to-earth person with the best energy. He’s always in a good mood! Bottom line, I love this shop so much. They’re literally my second family now, and they deserve all the support because they bring their best every single day.

Their coffee and customer service is amazing! I was sad that they didn’t have any more of those awesome stickers last time I went and so I contacted them to see if they have anymore stickers anywhere that I was willing to pay for. They replied pretty much immediately and held onto to some stickers for me free of charge! Awesome business!