JUNGLE TIME

For many people in New York City, coffee is a necessary part of the daily routine. It’s the quick stop on the way to work, the afternoon pick-me-up, and the only way to get through those late nights at work. Those coffee breaks mirror the go-go-go attitude of the city with customers focused more on their phones than the baristas preparing their drinks. The Monkey Cup, a tiny jungle-themed coffee shop in West Harlem aims to change that. Alfredo and Laura, or as they’re affectionally called “Mr. and Mrs. Monkey Cup,” want to be a part of your day and a part of your family. Their mission is “to offer you the most delightful moment of the day, the monkey moment!!!” and they truly do just that. They know their customers’ names and favorite orders. Even Leo and Gio, the two baristas, know about the regular customers’ big work projects, school trips, and upcoming exams. When customers enter the shop, they put their phones away, visibly relax, and look like they’ve just come home from a long day at work. The Monkey Cup is a sanctuary, a place where the world slows down even for 5 minutes, bringing together shop owners, teachers, students, and artists over a good cup of coffee and lots of laughter.

Now I know that I’m biased because with the monkey theme and vine-covered ceiling, this is the cutest coffee shop within a 50 block radius of my apartment, but their coffee is seriously good. There’s coffee and there’s coffee and this place definitely serves the latter. Alfredo and Laura strive to bring coffee techniques from around the world to this little corner of Harlem. They serve delicate pour overs in which the coffee is weighed on scales to precise 26 grams to form the perfect coffee to water ratio. They have a Japanese cold brew in which ice cold water slowly drips over ground beans for 17 hours at a rate of two drops per every three seconds. Their lattes are creamy, full-bodied creations with latte art so pretty that you almost don’t want to drink it. Almost. And then there’s the Monkeyccino, a cappuccino with a monkey etched on the surface.

If that wasn’t enough, the Monkey Cup wants to save the monkeys and raise awareness of wildlife conservation. Each month, the Monkey Cup adopts a new monkey from the World Wildlife Foundation. A picture and description of the Monkey of the Month (this month it’s a Golden Lion Tamarin) is posted in the front of the coffee shop, and the wifi password changes accordingly to match the species of monkey they’ve adopted. Alfredo says it’s a great way to have customers learn about the different species of monkeys around the world.