N estled in the heart of the Lower East Side, Black Cat LES is a neighborhood-driven coffee and tea house that offers a cozy ambiance, friendly staff of passionate baristas, and is the ideal setting for meetings and study groups.

While most cafes in New York City have commercialized, adjusting to rent hikes and embracing "for-profit" models by pushing for higher turn-over, Black Cat stays true to the cafe concept. Along with an extensive food and beverage menu we have free-Wi-Fi, a printer, comfy seating and vintage lounge furniture as well as an Airbnb kiosk. At night, the space comes alive with free events that cater to our customers. Our schedule of programs includes open-mic and comedy shows, academic lectures and themed movie nights... We even offer tutoring services.

Aaron Ho, owner of Black Cat LES believes that how we prepare ourselves for the day makes all the difference. Along with being a business owner, he’s also a criminology professor at a local university. His vision for the Cafe is to build community and bring like-minded intellects together. The cafe is where he and countless other students, academics, teachers, intellectuals and professionals do their work while being outside of work. To stimulate exciting discussions, he even leaves his research manuscripts on a shelf for customers to read and comment. Whether you’re seeking the perfect cup-of-joe, a hearty breakfast or a quiet place to study, come on by!