Downtown Rye got a strong caffeine jolt in April 1994 with the arrival of The Coffee Tree, Purchase Street’s first barista bar.
The outlet’s monopoly on satisfying the local thirst for cappuccinos proved short-lived, however. Just two months later Starbucks opened directly across the street.
In those days, New Yorkers were fascinated by the phenomenon of espresso emporiums charging premium prices to a population that had long been content to drink cheap brews served in blue-and-gold diner cups. The New York Times even dedicated a whole article in July 1994 to this local rivalry headlined “The View From Rye: Coffee Bars Are Gathering Speed On The Espresso Lane.”
It’s a good thing they published that story quickly. The Coffee Tree shut down months later.
Over time, Starbucks grew into the world’s largest coffee chain with more than 32,000 outlets in 80 countries. The company has had its ups and downs, but it still does a roaring business in Rye. On an average weekday, a dozen or more people can be found queueing at 7 a.m. to pick up javas they’ve ordered on Starbucks’ popular app.
But, in keeping with national trends, Starbucks no longer has a lock on this town’s lust for lattes. These days an eye-popping eight establishments compete in Rye’s quarter-mile-long central business district to pour residents hot and cold creations and provide them with a casual place to drink them.
Which raises the question: Can New York’s smallest city (population 16,202) support that many purveyors of handcrafted coffees?
Perhaps!
Despite a challenging economy, consumption of this small luxury continues to grow. As a recent report by The Atlantic put it: “Inflation-squeezed consumers are shying away from eating at restaurants, but many have kept indulging in… coffee.”
According to Restaurant Dive, a website that covers the industry, visits to chains of all sizes were up by 29 percent over the last five years with small and medium-sized enterprises gaining share from Starbucks and Dunkin’, the two industry giants.
A major factor driving the growth of smaller-scale coffeepreneurs: their focus on providing a more enjoyable experience within their shops.
Trying to regain share, Starbucks is investing heavily in creating more tempting stores designed to inspire customers to stick around, bringing back more comfortable seating and improving food quality.
Winfield Street Coffee, the newest player on the Rye coffee scene, has invested big time in creating a setting where customers will linger and, its owner hopes, consume more food and drink.
After seven years of negotiating with MTA bureaucrats, this July Winfield CEO Breno Donatti took over Rye train station’s long empty ticket office, filling it with a 55-seat cafe with comfy couches, tables and chairs, shelves full of books, and decorations including an original mural. An important concession from the MTA: Winfield has 20 dedicated parking spots next to its site, a major coup in parking-starved Rye.
A closer look at the town’s burgeoning ranks of cappuccino purveyors reveals that they work hard to establish niches that set them apart. For some, selling lots of coffee drinks is central to their business. For others, barista beverages constitute a small slice of their economic pie. Some are hyperlocal while others are international chains.
The main players:
Sunshine Coffee Roasters
- 44 Purdy Avenue, opened in 2024
- Total locations: 2
- App-based Loyalty
- Program: Yes
- Small Coffee: $3.75
- Small Hot Latte: $5.75
Closest to Starbucks in its coffee focus, Sunshine is different from the Seattle-based giant in that it’s “a premium coffee shop — a true third space between home and work,” according to co-owner Mike Contopoulos. Regulars at the 30-seat outlet readily offer supportive comments like “A local proprietor really makes a difference” and “They know people by name and what they drink.”
Winfield Street Coffee
- 2 Station Plaza, opened in 2025
- Total locations: 7
- App-based Loyalty
- Program: Yes
- Small Coffee: $3.25
- Small Hot Latte: $5.25
CEO Breno Donatti wants to create a place “where both commuters and locals can feel at home.” Winfield, located in the old Rye train station building, serves customers everything from morning espressos pulled by a barista to a happy hour martini shaken by a bartender. Community events, including live music nights, are planned to draw more people.
Winfield’s Rye location was closed by the MTA this week after an inspector discovered an unapproved small electric range in the kitchen, said Donatti. He called the MTA’s action “excessive,” and said he plans to appeal the move.
Patisserie Salzburg
- Opened on Purchase Street in 1992; moved to 2 Second Street in 2020
- Total Locations: 3
- App-based Loyalty
- Program: No
- Small Coffee: $2.95
- Small Hot Latte: $3.95
As its name implies, Patisserie Salzburg has been first and foremost a European-style bakery café during its more than three decades in Rye. Owner Par Shakiban estimates that hot and cold drinks account for about 15 percent of sales. Big news for the 40-seat eatery: prepared foods like kebabs, chicken cutlets, and meatballs were added to their refrigerated display cases in July, and Shakiban said he’ll create more of a restaurant experience featuring Mediterranean cuisine later this year.
The Snackery
- 64 Purchase Street, opened in 2021
- Total Locations: 1
- App-based Loyalty
- Program: No
- Small Coffee: $2.75
- Small Hot Latte: $4.50
“We are first and foremost an American-style bakery,” said owner Sara Leand. The Snackery is best known for creating high-end variations on mass market treats like Snackery Moon Pies and Swiss Roll Yodels. Whereas more coffee-forward local establishments have big morning rushes, Leand says her 12-seat shop is busiest in the afternoons and does a brisk business filling special orders such as a recent request by Madison Square Garden’s executive chef to supply treats for VIP boxes.
The Granola Bar
- 96 Purchase Street, opened in 2017; redesigned and added alcohol in 2022
- Total locations: 10
- App-based Loyalty
- Program: Yes
- Small Coffee: $3.50
- Small Hot Latte: $5.25
Co-founder Julie Mountain takes pride in serving food that “elevates coffee, breakfast, and lunch” at The Granola Bar’s 10 locations. Their 50-seat Rye restaurant has both tables and seating by the barista station. Mountain said she had no concerns about local competition, because “We aren’t just a coffee bar and people understand that the moment they walk in.” Summer foods recently featured included Street Corn Avocado Toast, Tropical Stuffed French Toast, and a Blueberry Matcha Iced Latte.
Le Pain Quotidien
- 30 Purchase Street, opened in 2009
- Total locations: 210
- App-based Loyalty
- Program: Yes
- Small Coffee: $4.75
- Small Hot Latte: $5.95
Although local staff are warm and welcoming, LPQ’s communications staff did not respond to our inquiries. A full-service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner at rustic farmhouse-style tables, LPQ was founded in Brussels in 1990 and has 210 outlets in 19 countries. LPQ has many European touches such as serving hot drinks in large coffee bowls.
Starbucks
- 51 Purchase Street, opened in 1994
- Total locations: 32,000+
- App-based Loyalty
- Program: Yes
- Small Coffee: $3.25
- Small Hot Latte: $4.95
Though Starbucks has much more competition than it did when it came to town 31 years ago, the store still has a big local following. Steady streams of customers hit the corner of Purchase and Elm throughout the week. Starbucks corporate didn’t respond to our inquiries, but local staff are hearing that major renovations of its Rye space and offerings are coming in the next year.
