Nicoletti Coffee Roasters

Nicoletti does not sell coffee by the cup, which is the first thing to know before you drive over. The Dyker Heights, Brooklyn shop is an old-school Italian roaster run by Aldo, named in nearly every customer account, and the operation is built around bean sales rather than barista service. There is no espresso bar to settle in at. There is a counter, a shop dog, Italian imports like machinette stacked on the shelves, and Aldo at the center of the whole thing. The roasting happens in-house in the traditional Italian style, the way it has been done for decades. The Napoli blend is the headline. The 1972 roast goes deep into the dark end. The Old School roast includes robusta, which is the Italian-tradition move that most American specialty roasters have moved away from, and which is part of why Aldo's regulars are loyal to this counter and not the lighter-roast shops a few neighborhoods over. Bag-buying customers know what they are getting, and they have been getting it for a long time. The room is the old Brooklyn Italian storefront. Personal service from Aldo is the centerpiece, with the shop dog as the second character of the visit. This is not a cafe to sit in. There are no tables, no lattes, no working room, no concession to the laptop crowd. Home espresso brewers are the natural fit. If you want traditional Italian-style dark roasts and you want to buy them from the person whose family has been doing this kind of roasting for a long time, Nicoletti is the address. The Napoli blend is the place to start. The 1972 is the next step. The Old School is the bag for the customer who wants the robusta-in-the-blend experience the way it used to be. One honest flag worth raising. A recent customer noted a stale bag, which is the kind of detail worth knowing on a roaster who moves bags primarily through walk-in retail. Check the freshness when you pick up, and if anything reads off, talk to Aldo. That is what the counter is for.