If you’re a coffee addict, or a falling victim to the “there’s-too-much-blood-in-my-caffeine-system” bracket, the West Village is your Elysium. Just when you thought you had discovered the best café near the NYU campus and made a mental note to return after that one class on that one perfect day, you got lured in by yet another (if not more) appealing bistro. Welcome to the vicious circle of cafe, coffee and caffeine.

We know America is the biggest coffee consumer in the world and it is easy to see why. No matter what time of the day it is, the lines in Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee and Tea or Dunkin’ Donuts never seem to shorten. In classrooms, whether it is an exhausting lecture or a short recitation, every table has a modest cup of coffee sitting on it. And regardless the price, everyone is willing to pay more for the espresso, cappuccino, mochaccino, macchiato, latter or any other form of coffee drink that is fashioned up to sell today.

I can’t complain. I admit I am a fan and giving into the coffee lifestyle at a rapid pace. Recently, I discovered my paradise – Vagabond Café (only 3 minutes from Bobst Library!! Yes, I promise to go back to this one at all cost!).

Vagabond Cafe on Cornelia Street, New York

Vagabond Café is easy to miss if you are walking down Cornelia Street, thanks to the many restaurants and bars on the way. However, surprisingly enough it is the only coffee place on the street that really sells coffee. They have even named their menu as “Caffeine”. Score.

The cozy tenor comes next. Red brick walls, heavy dark curtains to block the world out, large comfy cushioned couches and chairs (who doesn’t love those!) wooden flooring and dull green bulkheads – you can walk right in, nestle in with a hot mug of “caffeine” and forget the cold rains outside.

Vagabond Cafe offers a cozy atmosphere. Forget the world and nestle right in.

The biggest bonus, however, is the unique Latte menu of the café. Yes, they have a completely different menu offering not just varieties of coffee but varieties of lattesas well! Make it iced or hot, and have the small cup for a large size at a humble price in flavors of chocolate chip cookie dough, Irish cream, almonds, pecan pie, tiramisu or what have you.

Sweet accompaniment with marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate balls can set the coffee mood just right.

But no coffee shop can get by without offering its share of sweet accompaniments. “Light my fire” – a sweet crepe with marshmallows, graham cracker and chocolate balls – is a personal favorite. Dig right in and no sin would taste more beautiful!

As for the quality of the caffeine, I believe the smile says it all! :)

An Irish cream latte