Coffee Project

Chi Sum Ngai and Kaleena Teoh, a married couple who left their tech jobs, opened this East Village cafe in 2015. The room is small and brick-lined, with dark wood, hanging bulbs and window seats, plus a few sidewalk tables for the overflow. The house order is the Deconstructed Latte, served as a tasting tray of espresso, milk and the finished drink alongside sparkling water. There's no bathroom, and the tight tables turn over quickly.