The Civil Service Café

New York

PERMANENTLY CLOSED

On the corner of Clinton and Nostrand lies this sun-soaked coffee shop, where the scent of freshly ground espresso beans and hot sauce-speckled breakfast sandwiches greets you as you pass by tables of MacBook-obsessed creative types to order at the counter. A steady slew of Brooklynites swing through The Civil Service Café every morning to grab a cold brew (and hopefully fill up their "buy five, get the sixth one free" card) and perhaps a pastry for the road, while others stay and order from the breakfast all-day menu, which features standouts like the egg platter -- a plate of two eggs, kale side salad, pumpernickel toast, home fries, and a small drip coffee for a mere $10. The line moves quickly but actual seating tends to be scarce on the weekends, as regulars post up to work for hours at a time, occupying communal benches and contemplating local artwork mounted upon the whitewashed brick walls.