Joe Coffee

Perfect red eye

I love Joe!!! This is the best alternative to Starbucks in downtown Brooklyn. Their coffee has amazing flavor and texture! The foam is always thick and creamy. If I don’t want too much caffeine, I order the Chai latte which is equally as delicious as their coffee drinks. Take me back to NY so I can grab a cup of Joe!
Tip: Cash only. This location is in DeKalb Market which only opens in the summer time.

Great place! Open a permanent store please!

A perfect macchiato in a slightly weird location. The barista was friendly and her drink rates an A+. We got ours in porcelain cups «for here»; I recommend this choice unless you’re in a hurry to be on your way.
I wouldn’t want to come here in really bad weather, however. Lucky for us we had some sun on this early December day.

Dekalb Market is amazing and I wish it was closer to home, but the coffee at Joe is beyond belief. We had Bolivia drip and it was intensely floral and delicious. I could drink it every day! Lovely, friendly barista who knew a lot about coffee, too!

The service is always friendly with a smile. The coffee is superb. They have a punch card which entitles you to a free coffe when you buy 10. Joe also has other locations to visit.

I sooo do NOT drink iced coffees because I have no interest in destroying my intestines. However, I went with a Groupon special ($ 10 for 5 coffees) and bought a Cappuccino (barista gave me a punch-​card for the remaining 4). I just have to say I support businesses like this over the big names (StarShmucks) anyday because they do one thing and they do it WELL. The cappuccino was spot-​on, smooth, bold, hot and smelled amazing! Didnt smell like a pile of sugar like those stupid mochachocadunkacrapiattos. All I got was a paper blue cup of Integrity, and it was good enough for me! It also helped that the barista swirled a heart into the froth (see my check-​in pic)…man did that get me through a nasty, rainy afternoon!
GO JOE :)
P.S…why 4 stars? I dislike the location and if I didn’t have the Groupon it’s unlikely I’d venture that way *just* for the joe.

Remember the infamous «Soup Nazi» from the mid 90’s? He made such amazing soups (as well as had a strict ordering procedure) that he was featured in an episode of Seinfeld in which the gang of 4 had to line up and order properly just to get their hands on his soup. I was so enamored by their soups when I was a teen that I ended up applying for a job there. He refused, stating that it took YEARS to learn the trade and that I should focus on school.
HOWEVER, he also introduced me to his COUSIN, who owned a few Bagel Café franchises uptown. And guess what? His cousin turned out to be JUST like him. He demanded for perfection in a stern yet brotherly manner, which allowed me to train properly in making perfect cups of coffee. When I left after the winter, he patted me on my back and (with a smile) said, «Now you know how to make coffee.»
That being said, here are a few rules that I prescribe to when dealing with coffee :
1) Always judge a coffee establishment by it’s House Roast.
2) Always get fresh coffee beans to take home (preferably churned on location; ground there if you can’t do it at home).
3) Rate the quality of the coffee by brewing it as naturally as possible; via Bodum, Slow drip or Moka pot.
4) Always opt for espresso whenever possible.
5) Mate is NOT a substitute for coffee — even if you are from Argentina.
Now, lets turn our attention to Joe.
I had spent a few hours sketching out a portion of a mural for Robicelli’s Bakery during a particularly hot day this summer (102 degrees) before sauntering my way over to the Joe container store (The store is located at Dekalb Market– a new open air market filled with salvaged shipping containers converted into stores). Even from afar, I smelled fresh coffee and was yearning for something deliciously roasted on ice.
In general, I never order anything über fancy, like the Mocha Latte Frappes that you find everywhere — I find that those sorts of drinks take away from the integrity of the product. On this day, Scout, the nice guy who manages this particular Joe location, suggested that I try a Café Americano, to which I responded with a wayward nod and stared off to the side while using all of my energy to try not to pass out from over-​heating & exhaustion. He responded by graciously asking me if I wanted a single or double. Spacing out completely, I chimed, «Whatever» and then added «I don’t know much about coffee.» He then concocted a plastic cup filled with rich iced espresso and set it gently down on the counter. I paid, swept it up, mumbled a thanks and dashed to fill it with milk and some sugar. Then I tried to quench my thirst with a large gulp.
Needless to say, it was PHENOMENAL. Whatever this guy did, he was able to make a perfect cup of Café Americano, Iced. I stopped short. It was smooth and creamy, hinted slightly of roasted cocoa, nuts and some sweetness without that acidity at the end of the gulp. It was perfect. I wanted to savor it rather than gulp the iced goodness. I was so impressed that I immediately woke up from the slumber that the heat put me in and was invigorated to get on with painting that day… and I remain impressed. In fact, yesterday, when I found out that they were closing up for the day, I asked Scout if I can buy a cup of any extra coffee that they might have left over. Of course, he shook his head and said that it was already gone.
I don’t think that there is anything negative or constructive criticism that I can give to Joe, except perhaps the fact that they have no awning. It gets really hot standing on line without one over your head and I can only imagine what it would be like in the winter during snowfall.
Anyway, that’s how much I like their coffee. I especially like the fact that they use slow drip filters for every cup of coffee — when I saw that, I knew that they satisfied all of my coffee rules. In truth, it’s made me into some form of coffee fiend… What am I supposed to do now?! I’ve been finding myself craving their coffee whenever I walk past my old love, Baruir’s in Sunnyside (Which has some of the best coffee in Queens). I might just have to find someone to manhandle them for their brewing techniques and recipes in order to satisfy my cravings when I’m home… Just kidding. ;-)

I am a loyal Joe customer. Well-​made coffee and always with excellent, friendly staff.
Since it is the summer, I can be seen sporting iced coffees all day long. Yes, I am addicted to caffeine. I guess it is better than being addicted to smack.
Look to Joe for a well-​brewed coffee, hot or iced.
This location is in the Dekalb Market. It is pretty neat that they use old shipping containers for each storefront. Oh, how I love Brooklyn and the great creativity of Brooklynites. This is coffee and art at its best…