Cositas Ricas (Mimi Fuchs)
Located right on 74th street and Roosevelt avenue, Cositas Ricas fits in perfectly with the rest of Jackson Heights. I stumbled into Cositas Ricas when I met up with the rest of the Jackson Heights group- it was raining, cold, and I was a little too early. Looking for a simple place to grab a cup of coffee, I was pleasantly surprised to find that for $1.50, I was served one of the more delicious cuppa joes I’ve had in my time. Perfectly blended with Columbian coffee beans, served in a simple plastic cup, just the right amount of froth on top- I was hooked. Normally, coffee in New York City is overpriced, under caffeinated, and poorly brewed. Not at Cositas Ricas. It was almost as though the extremely affordable cup of coffee had as much love and care put into it as the more expensive coffee shops in New York do.
The clientele at Cositas Ricas is predominately Latin American. The people behind the counter only speak Spanish with the customers, and everyone seems to know each other. What I was immediately drawn to was how incredibly real it seemed. I complimented my coffee with a pastry that had caught my eye, and was surprised to taste a completely new flavor. A flaky, honey drenched pastry with a name I cannot pronounce made me really understand why Cositas Ricas has such a loyal clientele and does so well in Jackson Heights.
Fitting in with the community perfectly, as many of the residents in Jackson Heights are from different parts of Latin America, people can find solace in Cositas Ricas. The food and beverages are true to Columbia- the people who work there have things in common with the people who come, and welcome the new comers. I noticed throughout Jackson Heights many restaurants similar to this nature- filled with loyal customers, hard workers, and foods that really were “true to taste” to ones home country. Jackson Heights is a neighborhood filled with many different types of people- immigrants from all around the world come to the area to raise families, find jobs, and more. After walking around the neighborhood a bit, I realized that Cositas Ricas is not the only shop that revolves around their clientele, providing a “taste of home” to those who come to enjoy the food. Many other restaurants and shops are similar, speaking only the language of the home country, providing foods and products that can only be found at that specific location or back in the home country. I find this to be one of the most charming qualities about Jackson heights. Anyone from anywhere can come and find something that reminds them of their roots.
Cositas Ricas is a locals place. The decorations are colorful, the music is jovial, and everyone seems to be either acquaintances or good friends. This is often difficult to find, especially in New York City. New York is a place where people are constantly on the go, rushing around, barely having time to stop, enjoy the scenery and a good cup of coffee. Overall, I give Cositas Ricas 5 stars for being a dive coffee shop- it fits in the community perfectly, has great service, and great coffee!
