It’s been a New York minute since New Yorkers have been able to enjoy a full-immersion coffee festival experience, and the 2022 New York Coffee Festival delivered just that last weekend at the Metropolitan Pavilion. Returning after a two-year hiatus, the fest drew enthusiasts and coffee pros alike, with both big names and indie artisans showcasing their newest innovations, from espresso machines to portraits painted with coffee. We’ve wrapped up some of the trends from the weekend, whether you missed out or want to bask in your memories!

Gear is always a major thing at any coffee expo, and this year, superautomatic machines continued to challenge our perception of internal robotic coffee making. Some looked more like espresso machines and some less: Terra Kaffe‘s anticipated TK-02 superautomatic home machine bore sleek white stylings in a boxy design. The machine comes replete with smart hopper, grinder, and dosing scale, and an “easy-connect” milk carafe. The TK-01 can make you both espresso and filter coffee, attenuated to settings you’ve fine-tuned through its expert data collection modules. And I know what you’re asking: can I operate this machine with my smartphone? Hell yes you can.

Another automatic wonderbrewer is the Eversys, which looks like a traditional espresso machine in front, robot party out back. The Delonghi-owned Eversys line comes in an array of options to superautomatically outfit any office, small restaurant, gas station, or fancy kitchen with carefully crafted espresso.

Naturally, a hands-on approach is still exciting to many. We saw dazzling gadgets like the Pietro steel-burr hand-grinder—not exactly something you’ll be tossing in your knapsack for camping, but still full of countertop wow, and it comes in a dozen colors. We were also eager to meet the eco-friendly Drobi dripper, which avoids paper filters (and waste) with a triple-layer mesh filter. Drobi launches on Kickstarter in the coming days—expect more coverage to come right here on Sprudge.

Not that anyone’s bored of actual coffee, but variety is the spice—or nootropic, shall we say—of life. Pathfinder, a fermented, hemp-based, zero-proof spirit went big, demonstrating its deliciousness in coffee cocktails and beyond. Phyto-cannabinoid-rich High Tea (get it?) was on scene, and in ultimate New York coffee fashion, we loved Mr. Black for its reimagined Anthora cups for enjoying the company’s coffee liqueur in espresso martini form.

Thinking “outside the booth” has become a welcome trend, and we loved Oatly’s full-sized café diorama, Sweetleaf’s blacklight experience, and naturally were drawn to Nguyen Coffee Supply‘s skee-ball table. Notable mentions to Minor Figures oat milk’s mirror-world and Dona who created a full on MoMA moment.

Also, did we mention the bees? We’re always happy to see nature paid tribute to, and must give a tip of the beekeeper’s hood to Bee10Coffee‘s honeyed coffee paste for bringing in a colony of live bees! Way to create a buzz around a new product!

Enjoying arts and culture alongside coffee culture has always been one of the mainstays of NYCF. This year was no exception, with all-day performances from participants in the Coffee Music Project, and—hey—a free piano! We were also so charmed by the personal poems offered by Stained Napkins—no, not a band, but the eponym of one NYC-based poet who doesn’t always have paper on hand.

The 2022 New York Coffee Festival was enjoyed by all, and we’re especially glad to have it back as a reminder of the city’s coffee community. Dates have not yet been announced for the 2023 event, so look for an update when tickets go live.

Liz Clayton is the associate editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Liz Clayton on Sprudge. 

Photos by Jeremy Hernandez, who contributed to this reporting.

Read all NY Coffee Festival coverage on Sprudge. 

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