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Neighborhood Guides

June 6, 20262 min read

Clinton Hill Coffee Guide: Best Coffee Shops on Greene Ave and Beyond

Clinton Hill has six specialty coffee shops spread across Greene, Lafayette, Classon, and Fulton. A neighborhood guide to the best cups in the area.

By Henrique do Valle

Greene Avenue in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, lined with brownstone buildings and mature trees forming a canopy over the street

Clinton Hill sits between Fort Greene and Bed-Stuy, and its coffee scene shares the same general character as both: focused on specialty, spread across a few distinct streets, and worth going to on purpose rather than stumbling into. Six shops cover Greene Avenue, Lafayette Avenue, Classon Avenue, Willoughby Avenue, and Fulton Street.

The anchor is Burly Coffee on Atlantic Avenue at 4.5 stars. It is a specialty room with a strong pastry program and laptop-friendly seating, the kind of shop that covers both the morning coffee stop and the three-hour work session without feeling like it is compromising for either. Prima Brooklyn on Greene Avenue comes in at 4.4 stars with outdoor seating and a pastry program, and it stays open late, making it one of the more flexible spots in the neighborhood.

Lafayette Avenue has Choice Market at 318 Lafayette, a 4.3-star specialty cafe and sandwich counter with outdoor seating and a good pastry selection. It is a useful spot when you want coffee alongside a full meal, not just a croissant. Classon Avenue has Clementine Bakery, a 4.2-star spot where the baking program drives the visit and the specialty coffee supports it. The pastry selection is among the stronger ones in the neighborhood.

Brownstone storefronts on a tree-lined street in a central Brooklyn neighborhood
Clinton Hill's tree-lined streets connect directly to Fort Greene, making the two neighborhoods easy to combine in a single coffee outing.

Willoughby Avenue has Peckish, a 4.2-star specialty shop with outdoor seating and pastries at 49 Willoughby. It is a quiet street spot that does not try to be anything other than a good neighborhood cafe. And on Fulton Street, Hungry Ghost Coffee brings a 4.1-star specialty program with laptop-friendly seating to the Fulton corridor. The Fulton location is convenient for commuters coming off the C train.

Clinton Hill's specialty coffee scene is smaller than Fort Greene's, but the two neighborhoods overlap enough that combining them in a single outing is straightforward. The walk between Burly Coffee on Atlantic and the Fort Greene options on Dekalb or Fulton takes under fifteen minutes. If you are in the area for a few hours, both neighborhoods together give you a complete coffee tour of the central Brooklyn corridor without needing a subway.

Frequently asked

What is the best coffee shop in Clinton Hill?
Burly Coffee on Atlantic Avenue is the highest-rated shop in Clinton Hill at 4.5 stars, with a strong specialty program and good pastries.
Where can I work on my laptop in Clinton Hill?
Burly Coffee and Hungry Ghost on Fulton Street both have laptop-friendly setups. Prima Brooklyn on Greene Avenue also has outdoor seating and stays open late for longer sessions.
Is Clinton Hill close to Fort Greene for coffee?
Yes. Clinton Hill and Fort Greene share a border along Washington Avenue and Vanderbilt Avenue, and several blocks are within walking distance of both neighborhoods.