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By Danielle Furfaro
The Brooklyn Paper
The $7 latte has arrived in Greenpoint — and we put it to the taste test.
The licorice latte at the new high-end, Scandinavian coffeehouse Budin opened Friday, apparently breaking through the brown ceiling and setting a borough record for most expensive coffee drink, But is it worth it?
The drink, officially called a lakkris latte, borrowing the Icelandic word for licorice, is scrumptious if you like the black chewy stuff. The espresso has a light taste that works well with the strong licorice syrup. And in case the candy flavor leaves you craving the real thing, the concoction comes with two pieces of licorice on a spoon.
We partook for journalism’s sake. But what about everyday Brooklyn java hounds? Would they pay $7 for a souped-up latte?
“I might buy one occasionally as a treat,” said Glenda Cortez, stopping into Budin on opening day.
Another customer was less eager.
“Honestly, probably not,” said Joe Levinson, slurping a less expensive cup of joe.
The Nordic-themed cafe on Greenpoint Avenue, between Franklin Street and Manhattan Avenue, offers cups of regular old drip coffee for the utilitarian caffeine-seeker. But fancy northern European roasts from names renowned among the coffee cognoscenti — including Tim Wendelboe from Norway, Koppe from Sweden, and Drop Coffee, also from Sweden — range from $4.50 to $5 per cup.
More money gets customers a more lavish presentation. The higher-priced varieties are made with a filter inside a porcelain cone that the barista pours hot water over. And, to complete the royal treatment, the finished product comes in a tiny carafe on a silver platter.
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Seven bucks is the highest price we have ever seen for a Brooklyn latte (for comparison, a peppermint latte at Starbucks runs $5.39), but the $7 latte’s appearance on the scene made us wonder if there are any coffee drinks more expensive out there. We asked Budin’s competition in the nearby cafe capital Williamsburg what their costliest concoctions are. Here is what we learned.
Sweetleaf — Vietnamese-style iced coffee, $4.75
Toby’s Estate Coffee — Chai latte with a shot of espresso, $5.25
Konditori — Mocha latte, $5
Gimme Coffee — Peppermint mocha, $5.25
Pudge Knuckles — The appropriately named “F--- Sleep,” a large cup of cold-brewed coffee concentrate with two shots of espresso, $5.25
If you know where to buy a coffee drink that costs more than $7, let us know in the comments.
Reach reporter Danielle Furfaro at dfurfaro@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-2511. Follow her at twitter.com/DanielleFurfaro.
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