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Luxuriating over a cup of good coffee is a tried and true New York pastime. And while many coffee shops shifted to a grab-and-go model during the pandemic—if they could even keep the doors open at all—a new West Village coffee shop is returning to the sit and sip tradition.
El Condor Coffee Roasters, which just opened at 95 Greenwich Avenue, aims to flip the traditional coffee shop model for both guests and employees. By centering around the stay-and-play experience, guests can enjoy table service and open tabs, power outlets at every seat and complimentary high-speed WiFi. Flexible seating options, a full food menu, plus beer and wine make this space truly an all-day experience.
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El Condor serves its own roasts, created in partnership with Jacob Ibarra of Tenfold Coffee in Houston, Texas. Beans are sourced from Sumatra, Ethiopia, Brazil and Guatemala, plus special Geisha beans from Panama. All roasting takes place in-house.
To eat, an all-day menu is led by Chef Youssef Aderdour (formerly of Alain Ducasse, LDV Hospitality and Zuma) and features seasonal baked goods and lush, healthy lunch and breakfast options. El Condor also offers an assortment of local beers and a rotating selection of wines from the East Coast and South America.
El Condor's business model is unlike a lot of coffee companies—it is built on ensuring a safe, transparent, and equitable workplace culture for employees. Back-of-house and front-of-house staff are paid equally and can take part in its revenue-sharing business model. El Condor's employees will be offered training programs for personal and professional development within the company, plus potential opportunities to advance into a partnership with El Condor. Perhaps, most importantly, to an industry hurting for staff, El Condor is offering its workers health insurance with employer contribution, tax-deductible benefits, contribution to personal projects, and more.
The shop's West Village location is said to be the first of many to come. Another location will open in the city this summer with additional outposts around the country slated to open within the next couple of years. The design of each location will vary depending on the neighborhood and building history. This first location uses natural materials and a textured white palette contrasted with pops of primary colors for a Mid-Century vibe.
El Condor will be open from 7am-9pm daily, offering a taste of international cafe culture to New Yorkers used to being booted from their caffeinated stations before the end of their workdays.
