Tazza

Charming coffee shop by day and intimate wine bar by night, Tazza is a Brooklyn Heights favorite. Not only is the coffee some of the best to be had in Brooklyn, but the café’s delicious baked goods (shipped in from all-star spots like Baked and Balthazar, among others) will keep you coming back again and again.

There's something that just feels right about sipping a cappuccino from within the confines of Tazza's cozy walls. Maybe it's the fact that the café's coffee is always spot-on, or maybe it's the side of baked-to-perfection almond croissant that I can never resist ordering. Whatever the case, I think there's no better place in Brooklyn Heights for a coffee break. Beyond the standard breakfast pastries, the shop offers quiche, muesli (a personal favorite of mine), yogurt and granola, and fruit cups.

Tazza serves lunch and dinner, too. Choose from a variety of freshly made panini that range from a melt-in-your-mouth fig, honey, and ricotta concoction to more savory options like a hot prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula winner. It goes without saying, too, that the baked goods are worth sampling. Try the carrot cake or a red velvet cupcake, and you won't be disappointed.

The café's "no laptops or cell phones" policy definitely goes against the Brooklyn coffee shop grain. The overall effect, though, is a positive one. The setting seems more European: Customers come to chat over lattes or simply to sit and enjoy a simple meal. Even Tazza's website tells visitors, "You come to Tazza to relax, and relax you will."