Yesterday, right in the heart of trendy Williamsburg, a place many (well, at least I) had been waiting for finally opened — Maru Coffee.
I couldn’t resist: I started my day with ☕️🥐 at the new spot, just so I could sit down and write this text.
If the name “Maru” sparks nostalgia for you, it means you’ve either lived in or at least visited Los Angeles.
There, Maru has long been a cult favorite: one of the city’s most respected specialty coffee shops, where simplicity becomes aesthetics and a cup of coffee turns into a small ritual.
The name “Maru” comes from Korean. Combined with the root San (산, “mountain”), it forms San Maru — “mountaintop.” This is no coincidence: the best coffee beans grow at high altitudes. But the word also hints at pause and space between things — exactly what we so rarely allow ourselves in New York.
The new New York interior carries the brand’s DNA: pale wood, high ceilings, Japanese minimalism without excess. Every detail feels calibrated so that nothing distracts from what really matters.
At 7:30 in the morning, when the café just opens, the whole room is flooded with sunlight — the windows face east.
One distinctive feature of Maru’s interiors is the low tables and chairs. They recall the Korean roots of its founders and set a certain ritual mood: coffee here isn’t “on the run” or “for work and calls,” but for slowing down and savoring the moment.
The menu is special too: in-house roasts, rare espresso sets where a strong shot is paired with a small portion of pour-over, and drinks brewed from beans no older than three days — even though the industry standard allows for much longer storage.
The result, as the founders emphasize, is coffee that tastes a bit sharper than usual — but that’s precisely its living character.
And as you can see in the photo, mornings here already draw people with kids and dogs, plus the signature calling card of any good L.A. coffee shop — a line at the door 😄
📍Maru Coffee / 320 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
