Photo Credit: Tom Werner - Getty Images
How to Be Outside, Inside
NYC for introverts.
New York moves fast, but you don’t have to. When the city’s energy feels overwhelming, these third spaces offer a place to slow down, sip something warm (or strong), and settle in. Whether you’re looking for a quiet escape, a creative spark, or just a cozy spot to exist for a while, these community hubs offer a little peace—without sacrificing personality.
The Chai Spot
SoHo
Step into this warm, welcoming tea café built on love and cultural exchange. Sip fragrant chai, lounge on colorful cushions, and soak in a space designed to build bridges between communities. Plus, fifty percent of their profits go to supporting women and children in Pakistan.
The Free Black Women’s Library
Bed-Stuy
A literary hub, community care space, and Black feminist archive, this library offers 5,000+ books by Black women and nonbinary writers. Come to read, rest, swap books, or join workshops, film screenings, and critical conversations.
Apartment 5
Lower East Side
A cocktail bar that feels like a secret hideaway. With fortune tellers, hidden rooms, and an ever-changing vibe, this is the perfect place to sip something strong and get lost in conversation—or your own thoughts.
Commune
Brooklyn
Part café, part wine bar, part creative incubator, this space was built for collaboration and community. With food pop-ups, affordable drinks, and a welcoming vibe, it’s an easy place to spend hours.
Book Club Bar
East Village
A bookstore-meets-bar where you can grab a novel and a Negroni in the same breath. Cozy up with coffee during the day or sip on craft beer and cocktails at night—reading encouraged at all hours.
