Cupfuls of New York City

Buddy Buddy

Buddy Buddy is not your average coffee shop, mostly because they looked at coffee and decided it needed nut butter. Originally from Belgium, Buddy Buddy has brought its nut butter coffee bar concept to NYC, with a sleek, modern space and a menu full of combinations I definitely wouldn’t have thought to put in a latte. But now I completely understand! It’s a fun change from the usual coffee shop menu, especially if you like your coffee a little on the sweeter side.

Drinks

The whole thing here is nut butter coffee, and they really commit to it. Their drinks combine espresso with their own nut butters, which makes them extra creamy and gives them a rich, slightly nutty flavor without just tasting like flavored syrup.

I tried the Praline Mocha, made with their hazelnut butter and dark chocolate, and it was SO good. It’s sweet, creamy, and basically somewhere between a latte and a dessert. If you’re a hazelnut/Nutella person like me, this is probably the direction you want to go.

My friend loved the Almond Butter Chai. I stole a sip and will definitely be ordering one of my own next time I come here!

They have several other nut butter drinks too, so there’s actually a lot to try beyond your standard latte. And somehow drinking coffee with nut butter in it feels more justifiable than ordering dessert at 10 a.m., so I’ll take it.

Food

Unsurprisingly, the food also revolves around nut butter. They make their own varieties and use them on sourdough toast, so you can actually taste the same flavors that show up in the drinks.

There are sweeter options that pair really well with coffee, and you can also buy jars of their nut butters to take home. I respect any coffee shop that lets me leave with both caffeine and a jar of something.

This definitely isn’t the place for a huge breakfast or lunch, though. The drinks are the main event here, and I’d come for one of their specialty coffees rather than expecting a full café meal.

Atmosphere

Buddy Buddy has a bright, modern, slightly funky interior that matches the concept perfectly. The little Buddy Buddy characters on the wall are adorable, and the rows of colorful nut butters make the space feel more like its own brand than just another minimalist NYC coffee shop.

There’s room to hang out for a bit, but I think this is especially fun as a stop with a friend—order two different drinks, try each other’s, and inevitably decide yours was better (that’s what I did!).

I have to give Buddy Buddy points for originality. NYC has approximately one million places to get an iced latte, but not many where someone asks which nut butter you want in it. The drinks are creamy, fun, and different enough that I’d actually come back specifically to try another flavor.

If regular coffee is starting to feel a little boring, Buddy Buddy is worth adding to your list. And if you already love hazelnut and nutty coffees, you probably didn’t need much convincing in the first place.