2. Caffe Reggio (119 MacDougal St.)
Caffe Reggio prides itself on being the first cafe in the United States to serve cappuccino. Founded in 1927, this joint located in Greenwich Village is only a block and a half away from Washington Square Park. The walls of the cafe are adorned with pieces of art, some of which can be traced back to the Italian Renaissance.
When original owner Domenico Parisi opened the cafe, he purchased an espresso machine that is allegedly the oldest espresso machine in New York City. Although it is unknown if that fact is true, the espresso machine still finds its home in the back of the coffeehouse. Not only has this flashback in history been featured in movies such as The Sun is Also a Star, The Godfather Part II, and The Kremlin Letter, but many authors have found creativity behind the bright green awning of Caffe Reggio. Influential authors and members of the Beat Generation, such as Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, and Allen Ginsburg frequented this spot in Greenwich Village. It was here that they tossed around ideas for their next pieces of writing.