Each floor of the Empire State Building Starbucks Reserve was designed with a specific experience in mind. The first floor is the closest thing to a typical Starbucks experience you’ll find in this location. Thrillist describes the space as “a high-end take on your typical neighborhood Starbucks cafe.” It features a full cafe menu with to-go food, unique coffee drinks, and standard menu items. The first floor also features a shop with artist-inspired merchandise and a seasonal rotation of whole-bean coffees.
The second floor is where customers can enjoy the full restaurant and bar, with cocktails and a menu designed by Italian bakery Pinci. Starbucks says every meal at the restaurant starts with a tasting of its Empire State Building microblend coffee. The floor also hosts a private event space.
The lower Concourse Level features meeting rooms, the “experience lounge,” Starbucks Reserve Coffee Workshops, and the “innovation bar,” where visitors can sample the brand’s latest brewing technique: cold-pressed espresso. This technique uses cold water and upward pressure to create a sweeter, smoother espresso shot, similar to Starbucks’ traditional cold brew.