Caffe Reggio exterior

The practice of taking yourself to a cafe to enjoy a cup of coffee or a conversation with an old friend is not reserved for the common person. From Beat Generation writers to modernist authors, influential authors have frequented New York City cafes for more than a century. Rather than burrowing in your bed or stacking more coffee mugs at your desk, check out these 10 New York City cafes frequented by influential authors throughout history and the present. Maybe you will be the next inspirational author!

1. Hungarian Pastry Shop (1030 Amsterdam Ave.)

Influential authors and customers enjoy baked goods and coffee from Hungarian Pastry Shop.
On beautiful days, customers fill the tables of Hungarian Pastry Shop that spill onto Amsterdam Ave.

Nestled in Morningside Heights, the Hungarian Pastry Shop serves intellectuals of all forms. Within the wifi-free shop, customers can enjoy Hungarian Coffee or a slice of flourless chocolate cake. While students collaborate on homework assignments, others type away fiercely on their laptops.

As customers enter the quaint shop, the smells of freshly baked pastries and deep coffee fills their noses as their eyes scan the walls full of photos of books that have been written within the cafe. Influential authors, such as Julia Otsuka, Rachel Hadas, and William C. Rhoden have found inspiration in this spot minutes from Columbia University. Ta-Nehisi Coates, the influential author of Between the World and Me, frequents the shop as well.