Sweetleaf Coffee & Cocktail Bar

Sweetleaf in Long Island City has been around for more than a decade. It's a coffee bar by day and a cocktail bar after 5 PM. Inside there's exposed brick, leather seating nooks and vintage touches. The sunny back room with its lounge area is the spot to settle in with a laptop or a friend.

The drink to know is the Voodoo Child, an iced coffee with a serious caffeine kick. Their site says the goal is simple: be the best espresso bar possible. The breakfast sandwich has big fans, and the pastries are good, if a little pricey.

In the evening it's craft cocktails and local beer, and the espresso martinis are the favorite. Seating ranges from work tables and window seats to cozy corners for a date. The wifi's reliable, and it gets busy at peak hours.