© Only If Architecture / Photography: Michael Vahrenwald / Esto

Facilitating New York City‘s discerning aficionados with their daily fix, City of Saints does so with a range of carefully sourced quality coffees from far-flung places, such as Honduras, Colombia, Brazil, Peru and Ethiopia. But it isn’t just the liquid black gold that pulls customers to its doorstep, and its sleek new outpost in Midtown demonstrates just that. The coffee roasters have collaborated with local architecture practice Only If, and this has resulted in a retail setting infused with sea-foam green. The striking hue is captured by various materials, including translucent fibreglass grating, quartzite, suede and simple green paint. Upon entering the new City of Saints coffee parlour, visitors find themselves in an elongated space where a service station is situated right in the middle on an elevated level. The floor-to-ceiling glass façade reveals seating right next to the entrance, but an adjacent room – or should we say salon? – is able to accommodate more patrons. The materials and indirect lighting lend the space a relaxed vibe, and the loose tables and outlets allow it to be used as a meeting or work space as well.

City of Saints
108 West 42nd Street (Midtown)
New York, NY 10036
Telephone: +1 646 8691123

© Only If Architecture / Photography: Michael Vahrenwald / Esto