Coffee Shops

Aubergine Cafe

If you need a break from Woodside’s busiest areas, head over the Aubergine Cafe on Skillman Avenue. Located in a residential area and far enough away from the hub of Woodside underneath the 7 train line, Aubergine is an upscale coffee shop with pastries, sandwiches, beer and wine, and of course, your regular caffeine fixes.

Opened in 2003, Aubergine has brought speciality coffee and quality delicacies to not just Woodside, but perhaps more frequently, residents of the nearby Sunnyside, along with those from Jackson Heights, Astoria, and Long Island City. Their beans are hand selected at Irving Farm, and they work with New York City’s best bakeries to create their breads, desserts, and even breakfast bars.

Their breakfast menu includes everything from avocado toast to Irish oatmeal and chia seed pudding. For lunch or dinner, you can get items like homemade chili and a smoked salmon platter salad.

Despite its restaurant-y nature, many locals come here to sip coffee and read or work on their laptops. Aubergine’s coffee menu includes your regular coffee and espresso options, as well as chai spiced lattes, green tea lattes, iced mochaninos, and most temptingly, the Ghiradhelli Chocolate/Mocha Frappe.

Lucid Cafe

If you’re used to working and studying in quiet coffee shops, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief when you see the Lucid Cafe. The busiest areas of Woodside lack places for people to work and study, which is why Lucid Cafe was much-needed and serves a key purpose for Woodside locals. With its cozy interior and wifi, Lucid Cafe is Woodside’s go-to if you need to focus or get that caffeine fix, with well-brewed coffee, a range of espresso drinks, and fresh pastries. People who are more inclined to tea should try their Honey Lemon Ginger Tea or Peach Black or Tropical Green Iced Tea. Or if you’re hungry for more than a pastry, the Lucid Cafe also has meals, including French Toast, ricotta cheese salad, kimchi fried rice, and bulgogi bibimbap. As its name suggests, the Lucid Cafe, which has another location in Manhattan, will definitely brighten your mood after a drink, pastry, and a few cozy minutes inside.

Next, check out our Untapped guides of the neighborhoods of Astoria and Inwood.