Store of the Day: The Mug Cafe, it's not Starbucks, it's better..

For a long time I have complained about the fact there is no Starbucks in Sunset Park. One was going to come here five years ago or so and then Starbucks went into a recession mode and scrapped it's plans to open one here. Enter The Mug Cafe located on 4th Avenue between 58th and 59th streets. The place offers free internet and is open from 6AM to 10PM Monday through Saturday and Sundays until 4PM. The hours are equivalent to the Starbucks in Bay ridge on 75th street. For a road warrior like me who needs to do stuff on my laptop and access to wifi it fits the bill rather nicely. The price also happens to be right, $1 for a cup of Colombian coffee and reasonably priced pastries to go along with it. AND they also serve pizza. This is no hole in the wall either. The place is nicely laid out and spacious with plenty of tables and outlets to plug your laptop in so you can keep your battery charged while working, just like that "other place". So, if you're looking for an alternative to that "other" place that won't break your wallet and even serves pizza besides the traditional fare, this is the place to go. If we don't patronize our local businesses they won't last. So if you're in the neighborhood I urge you all to try it out. Oh, and did I also mention they make deli sandwiches as well. How cool is that? Try getting a deli sandwich at that "other" place. They also have  joined the cybermall on our website. If you want to check out their menu, by all means drop in and check it out. If you drop in on the place and patronize it, please tell them you saw it here and I sent you..

 

Shop Amazon Through Us and Help Support This Blog

 

Store of the day: Cafe Barakah

Cafe Barakah has been around for well over a year. It provides Wi Fi for it's customers and allows you to sit in comfort while you cruise the web and sip your coffee. It is open every day and caters to everyone in our community. It is located on 4th avenue and 21st street.They have an open mike night on Saturdays though I am not sure if it is all weekends. To be more unusual the place is run by two Arab women entrepreneurs who are trying to make a go at it. The place really deserves a bit more attention and we all know we need more Wi-Fi spots in the neighborhood, we are certainly lacking in that area compared to our adjoining neighborhoods. So, give them a visit, if you like the spot maybe you can make it a new hangout while you are cruising the net. They are always running promotions and other things like grls night or open mike night etc. You'll have to drop by there and inquire what they have planned next.



[where: 11232]
[where: 11220]
[where: 11215]
[where: 11218]
[where: 11219]
[where: 11228]
[where: 11214]
[where: 11204]

Store of the day: Blue Moon Bay Internet Tea & cafe

Typical chinese internet cafe. No Wifi, but if you don't have your own computer it doesn't matter. It caters to a gaming crowd but you can rent a computer by the hour. Non members pay $2 an hour, members pay $1.50 an hour. Membership is a measly $5 so it's a no brainer if you intend to use the computers there a lot. It's Located on 58th street right off of 8th avenue..I will be posting about other internet cafes in the area as well.


[where: 11232]
[where: 11220]
[where: 11215]
[where: 11218]
[where: 11219]
[where: 11228]
[where: 11214]
[where: 11204]

Store of the day: Has Beans Internet Cafe

Located at the extreme northern edge of the neighborhood @ 18th and 5th Ave. This place caters mostly to people from Park Slope. I suspect some people to the south might know it's there. They serve coffee and, of course, free wi fi. Starbuck's it ain't and it's not a large place so seating is limited. But hey, it's better than nothing.


[where: 11232]
[where: 11220]
[where: 11215]
[where: 11218]
[where: 11219]
[where: 11228]
[where: 11214]
[where: 11204]

Store of the Day: Love My Bagels

This is a new feature we are trying. As we run across many interesting places in our travels in the neighborhood we decided to add some of them to the blog. Pictured above is a relatively new Cafe and Bagel place that could give Starbuck's a run for it's money. It doesn't have WI FI at the moment but I bet that if you go in and ask for it maybe the owners will get the hint and install it. Who knows, it could become a new watering hole for those of us with laptops that hate having to go to MacDonald's or trekking over to Starbuck's in Bay Ridge. Drop in and visit them. They are located on 4th Avenue near 58th street. Let's patronize our local businesses.


[where: 11232]
[where: 11220]
[where: 11215]
[where: 11218]
[where: 11219]
[where: 11228]
[where: 11214]
[where: 11204]

A new kind of Bakery in Sunset Park

In what I hope is a new trend in the neighborhood is the opening of La Boulangerie Lopez in the Greenwood Heights section of the neighborhood. Hopefully the concept will spread. We are sadly deficient in good coffee establishments that serve good baked goods and internet as well. The only free wifi zones so far to have opened in the neighborhood are the free service offered by McDonald's and that offered by the Public Library. Though somewhat similar to a Starbucks, something we don't have in our neck of the woods, La Boulangerie boasts fresh baked goods baked right on the premises with a far wider variety than the fare at Starbucks. One thing that is lacking in the neighborhood is wifi access for those of us who are on the road and need to connect while we are out. La boulangerie is I hope the start of a good trend in the neighborhood. While we do have a goodly number of Internet cafe's in the area, especially on 8th Avenue. They do not have wifi access and you must use their computers. Out of luck if you lug a laptop as I do. The baked goods at La Boulangerie and the Cafe varieties should make Starbucks blush. The place already has acquired a rather strong local following and clientele. Perhaps now that some in the southern part of the hood are aware of it, they too will partake of the experience. Support your local businesses and drop by.

[where: 11232]
[where: 11220]
[where: 11215]
[where: 11218]
[where: 11219]
[where: 11228]
[where: 11214]
[where: 11204]