Purple Waves

Got the maple sea salt latte and the turkey cranberry sandwich. Both were great! Amazing staff and space.Very cozy inside. They rent it out for private events as well. Grateful to have spots like this in the area. They care a lot about sustainability and fostering community so definitely check them out!

This place has my favorite egg salad sandwich in the world. I live an hour away but I will literally travel just for their egg salad sandwich and a lovely time al fresco with a friend! The vibes are so nice here. I also love their lattes.

A very nice place to work and study. They serve various coffee foods and drink. I never order the food, just coffee for takeout. I would say that the coffee is a bit disappointing. I ordered mocha and it doesn’t taste chocolaty. Also order the honey latte. Doesn’t taste as great. Though i love that they give reusable cup to take home (i can use it for a while and bring it back) and its very environmentally friendly. I support the idea

This place is amazing. Excellent coffee. Creative menu and delicious food. Beer and wine selection on point. Pleasant space in a great location…beautiful view of Central Park and Frederick Douglass Circle Plaza. Kid friendly. Practices sustainability. Wonderful addition to the neighborhood!

A very joyful experience, from the food, to the staff & its ambience.You know that feeling when simple dishes are rich & well served, making your day all better; well exactly that.

Saw that Purple Waves was now open while walking to my usual coffee spot but now I have found my new place for coffee and lounging. It was great and the chef and owner are so nice! I got the lox toast and upgraded it to an everything croissant. It was heaven!! I def recommend stopping by and trying this place out, you will not be disappointed

I was here for an event and had a wonderful time! The drinks and food were delicious (especially the brioche grilled cheese) and the atmosphere was pleasant. I would definitely come back next time to do some work here. The owner sources all their ingredients locally, including their wines, keeping sustainability at the forefront of this business.

Fresh and original salads, decent coffee, plenty of seating indoor and outdoor. Lovely, affordable afternoon spot (especially for a cafe across the street from the park). Will have to try their happy hour sometime

I came here for a to-go coffee and was charged a $0.25 surcharge for a reusable plastic cup. Drinking a hot coffee from a plastic cup is not a pleasant experience, and the fact that someone else might have used this cup before me really grossed me out. They also insisted that if I brought the cup back for another coffee at a later date, Id get a discount by avoiding the $0.25 charge... thats not a discount, thats you selling me a cup before I have access to the posted price of your product. Not to nickel and dime over $0.25, it was just super weird. The pastries were expensive compared to other local coffee shops, and the barista was unsure where they were made, which is just also less than ideal. The coffee was also pretty weak for my taste, but that could be personal preference. Anyway, now Im in responsible for this rigid plastic cup, and since I wouldnt go back to Purple Waves, Im not really sure what to do with it. Recycle it?

Wonderful to have Purple Waves @ #frederickdouglascircle (NE corner of #cpw & #cpn) join the neighborhood! It’s the absolute best/most delicious addition to #frederickdouglasblvd #restaurantrow in a *long* time!!The cafe fare is elevated & utterly sublime (the lox are a must try, made by their amazing Chef Ella!); the coffee & chai are top notch; the vibe is cool; & the intention is community-focused. The place is light, airy, & cozy/modern. The owner (Sharon) and her team are super warm, courteous, & competent- just right attention.

The food here is some of the best in the area, and the staff is attentive and friendly. However, the lack of takeaway coffee cups and limited hours are holding it back. While I would have given 3 stars, I’ve rated it 5 because I truly believe in its potential—I want Purple Waves to succeed.This place could easily become a neighborhood favorite, but their insistence on impractical reusable coffee cups is driving customers away. The morning dog-walking locals and office commuters are in need of quality coffee, but they bypass Purple Waves because of the hassle with deliver zero reusable cups. Many locals have mentioned trying it once but not returning due to the inconvenience. These folks have the first annoying experience and it is hard to come back for other things.IMHO Offering disposable cups for takeaway could boost sales by 20%.

Purple Waves’ concept of zero waste is amazing, and one that I wish more restaurants/coffee shops would adapt as well. The location is great for grabbing a bite to eat and then going for a walk in Central Park, or exploring Harlem. Although I haven’t tried their food, I have experienced their coffee and chai latte. Unfortunately this is where I have to deduct points from my review. The chai latte I had this morning was basically a $7 cup of steamed milk. This was my second time coming, and I’m willing to go back and try the food, but it’s not a place I’m going to seek out anytime soon.

Disappointed with Purple Waves. We waited 20 minutes for a cold brew that never came, and to top it off, they don’t even have to-go cups. Not ideal for anyone on the move. Definitely not worth the stop.

What a beautiful and cozy cafe/quick eats place. Am so happy they opened here. Food and coffee are delicious, the atmosphere is perfect and management and staff are so nice and available. Highly recommended.

I like this place so much! The location is great, the service is great. They have space and all these small social gatherings and you can study and read here.However, on a little bit of a serious matter, just for others who can only eat GF (Gluten Free) - the three dip kombo is marked as GF but is then served with bread with gluten. I am glad I asked beforehand. They offered some vegetable sticks once they realized I chose the dish due to it being marked GF :)

This adorable new cafe is already whipping up some amazing, unique eats. Its a perfect spot for a coffee date or to settle in with your work or studies.

Really good food and i loved the harvest moon latte!! Good ambiance and also great for working, nice people working there :)

Fresh and delicious food, warm atmosphere. Perfect for children. Absolutely recommended! They had a music show for the children by @CityBirdsmusic which was fantastic and very high quality.

We came with the children and had a fantastic experience! Food was great. The owner walked around to make sure everyone is happy. It was great!

SO glad this place opened by us. A great place to work, have a chat, or just enjoy the day with good good food. My entire family loves this place.

The atmosphere at Purple Waves is very nice. The cook prepares delicious fresh dishes. The staff is extremely friendly. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and the laid back atmosphere with our three children. The owners have a great company with an even better mission, 100% circular entrepreneurship. We’ll meet again! We promise. Enjoy the holidays and a happy and healthy 2025!

Coffee and food are very good. Great location at top of the park, good addition to the neighborhood.

Sharon runs an amazing shop - the food and coffee are top notch but the service and vibe is not to be missed either. Theres also a wine bar! Indoor and outdoor seating available!

My neighborhood go to for coffee, avocado toast, soup, to get work done and just be.... in a community-like setting - hospitality is top notch! The staff and very hands-on owner are incredibly warm and welcoming. Its an inclusive, thoughtfully designed space - cannot recommend enough!

Thank you guys. You are the best.

I asked to purchase a coffee. The lady who helped me was mega rude from the beginning of the transaction. I was asked for a small coffee and she kept saying what kind of coffee over and over again and was looking visibly annoyed. Eventually she asked if I wanted espresso or drop and I clarified drip. They let me know to have a to go coffee I would need to give them my phone number and cc information. The reason being, they use a reusable cup service and want you to return the cup later. So thats cool. Theyre trying something different and something sustainable.Im not going to bring the cup back. Ill just recycle it but its just not going to work out for me to carry a cup all day long with me. That part is no biggie. I let them know Im happy to pay for the cup how much will it be if I dont return it. The cashier says they dont know and its a contract Id be signing with a third party provider.... Now this is the crazy part. I end up looking it up and the third party company will charge you $5 if you dont return the plastic cup and this is not talked about anywhere in the transaction. The employee didnt even know and I think they might be a manager here.To round out my experience I offered to pay cash for the coffee and I was told they would only take exact change and nothing less (for a purchase that was $4.08) so literally they wouldnt take $4 but they would take $5. She then says actually you know what we dont accept cash plenty of businesses are cash only.I walked out literally having money and no coffee. Did I push the employee too much? Yes of course. I could have just walked out on the unknown charge discussion but the initial interaction was just so toxic that I had to keep pushing a bit.I havent experienced service this rude in a while. Clearly she was having a bad day or someone else was supposed to cover register or something. Ive been here a few times and never had an experience like this before but Ill remember this one forever

Love this place. Good food with healthy options, great list of tea blends and coffees, and awesome view of the park. Service was friendly and relaxed.

Purple Waves have been a gem in our neighborhood. The owner (Sharon) and staff are friendly and very helpful. The space is inviting and beautifully curated. The coffee menu is truly unique and paired with reusable cups heightens my overall experience. They welcome service animals and have a good amount of outlets for working remotely. Next time try the miso cold brew with the morning side egg salad sandwich and sit on the antique couch at the back while you enjoy some NYC people watching!

Waited 90 minutes after ordering for food, only received an overextracted latte and watery drip after the first 45 minutes. Ended up cashing out because we did not receive our order - two pieces of toast and a dip. We were informed the kitchen was backed up but we saw 2 wait staff and 3 behind the counter with only 8 tables sat and no walk in orders. Very frustrating and will likely not return.

Located at the North End of Central Park, Purple Waves is a cafe by day and wine bar by night. It has become my go-to for studying, hanging out with my friends, and coffee/wine. The menu does not miss, but my favorites include the miso ginger salad, salmon nigiri, and the Gamay. Were so lucky to have this spot in the neighborhood!!

Great outside vibes and good salad. Everyone is super nice and its q good spot to chill or do some work.

Lovely little establishment. They don’t offer “to go” cups and instead they give u a reusable cup to bring back. Environmentally friendly, kind, cute and cozy. The wine list is also nice.

A chic and relaxing ambiance, exquisite wine, and impeccable service in the heart of Manhattan. The perfect place to enjoy a nice glass of wine, brunch, intimate date, or family dinner.

Best new spot in Harlem! Great cafe space with welcoming, friendly staff and beautiful views to watch the world go by. Food is also incredible. Highly-recommend. Kid-friendly, bring your babies!

A quiet, elegant but easy going coffee shop with an outdoor space, where they serve a decent espresso with a tiny glass of sparkling water, a staple in Sicily but not on the edge of Central Park! Cinnamon/honey latte very good as well. Mostly, a place where you can talk with your friends without the pressure of high volume music, or can work on your future novel

Nice coffee spot

Nothing especial about this place. Its rather overpriced for what it offers. $5 to put a tea bag on hot water lol ... but this is NY.C It also has this well-meaning but silly system where you have to return the take-out plastic cups they sell for .25 cents– for sustainability purposes. They take down your number and remind you to do it. The chairs are vintage and atmosphere is nice if you dine in. I certainly wouldnt return though, or recommend it... its no different than a bodega coffee or tea.

Tried cappuccino. It was really good. Looking forward to come back for a breakfast soon.

There are few cafes that offer so much space and are so pleasant. For a cafe/ wine bar the menu features perfect dishes, each one carefully balanced in proportions and flavors, with good prices. Excellent service!

Excellent customer service from West and delicious coffee. I’ll be back.

The latte was straight up bad.... the oat milk was weirdly sweetened and not creamy at all. waiter was very nice though :)

My favorite new coffee spot, the kindest employees, the greatest coffee and the best homemade sandwiches. LOVE IT !

Stumbled across this lovely, friendly community cafe. Warm welcome and delicious food. Great spot to watch the world go by.

Prices are good. Service is great. The space is phenomenal. They are sustainable and environmentally conscious which should be the standard for other cafes like this. Can’t wait to do some wfh here in the near future!

Waited for a long time for this type of casual eating place since the days it was an all night gas station. Good food, great staff, great music.

Everything is fresh and homemade! Very friendly staffs and amazing food!

Omg please improve the coffee! The staff is sort-of-okay but seemed annoyed to work and also another waitress just appeared overwhelmed and confused. As I heard from several Columbia students, the coffee is nasty. The coffee really needs to improve! If they could get their act together, hire friendly staff, learn how to make coffee, they’d be so busy, the location is great, tons of dorms around and the park just across the street, but the food and service was just so freakin’ disappointing. I see the owner N.A. keeps getting on here to apologize. Stop apologizing and fix it or you’ll be closing up soon!

Really good food, great vibes

Delicious coffee and pastries. Can’t wait to come back for their breakfast/food!

Ham and cheese is great, please go get ham and ham and cheese i love it. Maple sea latte great please go get latte i love it. Servers are great, they seem like they were all friends for a long time. Matter of fact everyone was working was great and super friendly. Woohoo purple waves :)

I come here occasionally to work with a friend!

Very nice food :)

Friendly staff, great service and food

The staff at Purples Waves are amazing! Ella, Water, Antonio, and Ibrahim all make you feel welcomed and at home from the moment you walk in. If I lived in the area, this would be my go-to cafe and wine bar.

I had a wonderful evening at Purple Waves! The food was incredible, the wine amazing. And I love the fact it’s all local and they really care about the environment 😍

My mom and I met here before taking a walk in the North Woods in Central Park. Its a perfect meeting spot! We ended the walk here too and had the lox toast and tabbouleh salad. Both were delicious. My mom thought the lox was among the best shes had, super fresh and flavorful without being salty. In fact, the owner told me they make it themselves. The lox toast comes with a simple arugula salad they somehow managed to make very flavorful with just a light dressing, perhaps because the arugula itself was clearly extremely fresh. We sat outside in the sun and loved the relaxed atmosphere. We will definitely be going back! Oh and we also ordered a decaf latte and a matcha with oat milk which they also make themselves, both were excellent! Bonus points for the attractive sustainable packaging. It doesnt feel good to create refuse that takes up a bunch of space in a landfill as a result of a single use while the earth is burning. Thanks Purple Waves for going that extra step.

Saw this new spot in the neighborhood and really wanted to give it a try.Sat outside and service was very slow. Limited menu items. Unfortunately, iced Chai latte tasted like dishwater.Once food came (about an hour after first sitting), it was decent but not sure worth the price. Tuna sandwich was like $18. Had to get up and ask several times at the inside at the counter to pay, server was no where to be found for like 20 minutes after finishing eating. The person at the counter was rude insisting the server “would be over.” All I wanted to do was pay and leave.I understand place is new, hopefully they work out some of these kinks. I’ll try again in a few months, hopefully will have a better experience. Place has great potential.

I went here for a casual coffee and dessert with my wife and the service was terrible. I had to ask for everything thing at least 3 times. Including silverware, a napkin, sugar, a spoon, and the menu. After running out of time for coffee because of all the asking and waiting I canceled my order and left, but the waiter didn’t even remove it from the bill and I even had to ask for that multiple times. Other than that, the coffee was mediocre and I never got a chance to try the dessert. This place has lots of potential, but terrible service.

The torshi is so good. Go get some torshi. The oat milk tastes good. Go get some oat milk. I love the cashew oat milk. Go get some cashew oat milk. The roasted nut and fruit is super good too. Go get roasted nut and fruit. Buy some sourdough.

We were sitting outside in the sun, had wonderful service, super kind people, the offered special blew our minds, the asparagus and the sauce was perfect, the best we had since we’re in the US! I had a pomegranate infused wine. I highly recommend visiting this place if you are around Central Park! :)

Awesome neighborhood spot with delicious food, drinks and atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Horrible service. The staff was inept, very slow and non attentive. The food was served cold and the order was incomplete

Chill spot with great food & service!

Good coffee, yummy treats. Great addition to the neighborhood. Very nice, accommodating staff. (the halva is first-rate)

On a gloomy day outside, it’s so nice and heartwarming in this newly opened neighborhood coffee.Go for the egg salad sandwich- perfectly made by house chef.Friendly and attentive staff. High quality coffee. Tasty food. Straight A’s.

Purple Waves is a neighborhood gem! The views of Central Park, the awesome food, and great service make one of the best places around. The lox toast is not to be missed.

Amazing service and delicious food. The Maple sea salt latte is to die for.

The best coffee in Ny

Love this place! Great service $ delicious food. Highly recommended

Excellent experienceFood was perfectly made

Loved this brand new family run place. Get in there and support them.

Fantastic space, great food and service.

I wont come here for the second time I had to pay for a lemon cake when I was dissatisfied with the bread pudding, this is ridiculous!

We ended up here sort of unexpectedly during their soft open and everything was absolutely delicious, the staff was lovely, I will be back and absolutely would recommend.

Such a great place for food by the park

Fantastic coffee and phenomenal avocado toast and paninis, bright & airy with plenty of seating, great addition to the neighborhood!!

Love this place! Five stars across the board!

Not worth it !

Sake is a MUST!

Real nice place and ppl

Great!

Lovely

Simply Amazing!The food is so fresh and delicious.The design is super cool and welcoming.The service was absolutely fantastic! Definitely will be back!

A beautiful and charming place, delicious food and excellent coffee, a fun Israeli atmosphere, the owner Sharon is kind and helpful, highly recommended!

Its easy to overlook the Purple Waves or put it in the “08/15” drawer. However, that wouldnt do the store justice.We were very happy about the breakfast and the super friendly staff and really enjoyed our breakfast!

Great please, very nice atmosphere.Oh well, Jehanon

Best Jahnun in nyc.