Location: W 122nd Amsterdam

I’ve been searching, and searching, for a cute (I really need to find an alternative word!) café to read or study in. My criteria included exposed brick walls, comfy lounge armchairs, and European music playing softly in the background. Little did I know that I would find it just three blocks over from me in Max’s Caffee. It seems that the type of place that I was looking for aren’t easily googleable, and you’ll find that if you google ‘cute cafes in New York’, the results will look quite bare and clinical. Max’s Caffe ticked everything on my list. Recommended by my RA (Resident Advisor), Max’s is saturated with students studying or chatting in the very Europeanesque café. As I write this sitting in a grey velvet lined wooden armchair in the corner a man opposite explains to his friend that ‘They [the baristas] come to you, this place is classy’, which pretty much sums it up.The menu includes a range of food and drinks, their hot chocolate being my personal favourite, and what’s even better is that they don’t kick you out just after you’ve taken your final sip.

I only have two cons; the darkly lit room means that it is hard to read in but considering that this attributes greatly to the atmosphere I can’t complain too much. Also, there doesn’t seem to be an open WiFi connection, but that may just be because I haven’t asked for a password from the staff.