I used ChatGPT to plan the ultimate coffee shop crawl for National Coffee Month — here are the places I'm checking out and the drinks I'm trying

Once I emerged from my bed in the morning, my mind immediately suggested a glass of orange juice before stepping outside. My family members, on the other hand, brew a classic Blue Mountain Coffee to kickstart their day. The aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans and coffee-inspired drinks have always intrigued me, yet I seldom partake in such beverages.

With National Coffee Month underway, I vowed to venture beyond my comfort zone and savor some exotic coffee creations. As a New Yorker who thrives on exploring each borough during my weekends, I aimed to visit the most renowned coffee shops in the city that offer distinct hot and cold beverages. Once again, I turned to ChatGPT with a specific objective in mind, requesting its guidance to make the most of National Coffee Month.

After reviewing its coffee shop and drink recommendations, I now possess a scrumptious itinerary to follow throughout the rest of August. (Image credit: Shutterstock)

To ensure ChatGPT understood my level as a casual coffee drinker and my location, I provided it with this prompt: "For National Coffee Month, what are the best ways someone like me who doesn’t usually drink coffee should celebrate it? Keep in mind that I live in New York, so find the best coffee shops for me to go to and try out the most unique coffee blends."

ChatGPT immediately advised against simply ordering a large black coffee. New York City offers a rich coffee experience, with an array of unusual preparations, flavors, and origins. From Japanese siphon coffee to Korean-influenced drinks, and from ultra-light Ethiopian beans to creative espresso drinks, there’s a coffee adventure waiting around every corner.

ChatGPT then outlined a feasible National Coffee Month challenge, beginning with a coffee that lacks the typical coffee taste, followed by a coffee-based dessert drink, a coffee prepared in an unconventional manner, a single-origin coffee to discover unique flavors, and finally, NYC’s most experimental specialty coffee. The journey should culminate with visiting six coffee shops, each boasting one-of-a-kind flavors worth sampling: Coffee Project New York in the East Village, PARK at KIMS, Suited NYC, SEY Coffee, Dayglow, and Hi-Collar.

Each coffee shop offers a unique experience. At Coffee Project, the Deconstructed Latte separates the espresso, milk, and final latte, allowing you to appreciate how each component influences the drink. PARK at KIMS provides a rotating pour-over program, beans from Korean roasters, and unconventional drinks like an Orange Cold Brew, as well as a Nepali chiya and exceptional matcha for those who may not prefer coffee.

Suited NYC, ideal for those who may not be thrilled about coffee, offers a banana latte with a sweet and fruity profile combined with the familiar taste of coffee. SEY Coffee, a Brooklyn micro-roastery, focuses on carefully sourced, lightly roasted coffees from Kenya, Ethiopia, Colombia, and Peru. The shop aims to challenge you to appreciate the coffee itself, with tasting profiles ranging from violet to lemon.

Dayglow invites you to explore the most fun coffee stop, featuring a rotating selection of coffees from various roasters, inventive espresso drinks, and a diverse filter-coffee program. The standout drink, Vienna Latte, showcases what coffee can truly be. Hi-Collar, a Japanese kissaten-style café, specializes in siphon coffee and rotating beans.

Watching the coffee being prepared in a glass siphon is almost as enjoyable as drinking it. Current/rotating coffees have included beans from Bali, Colombia, and Kenya.