NYC was just named the second best city in the U.S. for coffee lovers: see who beat it

NYC is a city that famously never sleeps, so it's no surprise it's got a lot of coffee. However, you'd be remiss to assume it is the top destination for java lovers in the country. In fact, according to the Food & Wine Global Tastemakers Awards, the Big Apple ranks as the second-best coffee city in America.

Before you drop your designer oat milk latte in shock, let’s look at the bright side: being number two in a country of thousands of cities is still a "grande" achievement. NYC has long graduated from the iconic blue-and-white Greek bodega cups (though we still love them). Today, the city is a global crossroads of caffeine. Food & Wine praises the fact that you can sip a traditional Italian espresso at Abraco, channel your inner Viking with Scandinavian light roasts at La Cabra or geek out over rare Panamanian beans at Arcane Estate Coffee. We even have coffee-driven cocktail bars to give you two kinds of buzz. NYC's coffee scene is diverse and delicious, and local caffeine fiends can be proud of the number two ranking.

So, who managed to out-brew NYC? That would be Austin, Texas at the top spot. Food & Wine experts were charmed by the sheer creativity of the Texas capital. While New Yorkers are used to grabbing coffee in skyscrapers, Austinites are finding world-class brews in alleys, trailers, kiosks and even converted vans. The city has turned coffee into a multi-sensory adventure, blending it with bakeries, breweries and lush botanical gardens like the newcomer Leona. Apparently, pairing a Proud Mary coffee with Thai-Mexican fusion in a garden patio is the secret sauce to beating the Manhattan skyline.

NYC isn’t the only one looking up at Austin; Los Angeles rounded out the top three. While it's known for a strong coffee scene, L.A.’s omakase coffee menus and latte art competitions still couldn't quite catch the Texas heat.

Best cities for coffee lovers according to Food & Wine

1. Austin
2. New York City
3. Los Angeles
4. Chicago
5. Seattle
6. Miami
7. Honolulu
8. San Francisco
9. Boston
10. San Juan, Puerto Rico