787 Coffee

Rum-infused coffee is the drink that gives 787 Coffee away. The name comes from Puerto Rico's dialling code, the beans come from the island, and the counter is arranged so that connection is the first thing you taste rather than a line painted on a wall.

Estate coffee from Puerto Rico

The programme is built on direct sourcing from farms tied to Hacienda Iluminada, the Puerto Rican estate at the centre of the company's story. That gives the menu a through-line most multi-roaster cafes do not have: one origin, one set of farms, and a link back to the island's agriculture rather than a rotating board of guest roasters.

The classics are all there, latte, cappuccino, Americano, iced latte and cold brew, but the signatures are the infusions. Rum-infused coffee is the house statement, with a whisky-infused version beside it, and both pull the drinks list toward Caribbean flavour. Puerto Rican pastries are made to go with them, so the food and the coffee point the same way.

A counter with an island accent

787 started in New York in 2015 with a small shop on East 7th Street in the East Village, and it has grown into a network of neighbourhood cafes across the city while keeping the same format: order at the counter, wait a moment, take it with you or find a seat. The branding is bright, the rooms are small, and the tone is warm rather than austere.

The company talks about community as much as coffee, and it backs that up in visible ways, including taking part in the Puerto Rican Day Parade. What that means for a customer is simple: this is a specialty coffee bar that carries a specific culture with it instead of stripping it out.

Order the rum-infused coffee

Start with the rum-infused coffee. It is the clearest expression of what the brand does and the thing that separates the order from any other espresso bar in the city. The whisky-infused version runs the same idea in a different key.

If you want something familiar, an iced latte or cold brew still draws on the same Puerto Rican sourcing, and a cappuccino or Americano keeps the visit in classic specialty-coffee territory. Add a Puerto Rican pastry to finish the picture; the case is the part of the menu that keeps the island in the room.