Throw a stone five feet in any direction while standing on the sidewalk in NYC and you’ll hit a café, but none are quite like Usagi. That’s because Usagi is wearing many hats–it’s an art gallery, library, and café all in one. And word on the street is that they’re pouring the best matcha latte in town.
Usagi [ ooh-sah-ghee ] is a Japanese word for rabbit, an animal that many cultures associate with renewal and spring. The 2,800-square-foot cultural hub was designed by architect Sou Fujimoto, and, beyond being the coziest place to work remotely or get lost in a book while sipping on your latte, the hybrid space also showcases the work of creatives–from influential thinkers and engineers to writers, musicians, and designers–and hosts performances and workshops.
Cozy into one of their seating areas–each of which are unique and individually designed, from cozy couches to traditional tables–and flip through rare architecture books from Japan, peruse special products that can be difficult to find in NYC, browse the art on display, or get some work done! And don’t miss out on the opportunity to join one of their workshops–past ones have included the Mizuhiki Workshop, which is a traditional Japanese decorative cord used to express respect and gratitude, and a Matcha Workshop.
The best part: you can stay put even if you get hungry as the café offers plenty of food and drink options to try out, such as bento boxes, onigiri, udon, and rice balls. And definitely grab yourself a matcha latte–they use high-quality, real Japanese matcha from Ippodo Kyoto and prepare it ceremonial style. If matcha isn’t your thing, though, they also serve regular lattes, hojicha lattes, sencha, iced coffee, americanos, and more. (But if matcha is your thing, this Queens hidden gem is serving up matcha ramen!)
David B wrote on Tripadvisor:
We stopped here to read and have coffee before going to dinner later in the neighborhood. The environment was very warm, quiet, peaceful. Good coffee. The art work and crafts for sale were interesting. I would definitely like to spend more time there when I want a nice, clean, quiet place to read and have coffee!
Usagi is serving as the perfect respite from the madness of NYC; it’s a space where visitors can escape the city’s hustle and bustle and relax in a peacefully zen atmosphere, whether that be solo or with a companion.
Learn more and keep up to date with their workshop schedule on their website.
📍 163 Plymouth St., DUMBO