Cafes that are serious about the coffees they prepare have become commonplace. But here’s a new one that’s also a school and a training ground for baristas, with rigorous courses leading to official certification by the Specialty Coffee Association, a global trade group. Chi Sum Ngai and Kaleena Teoh, who own Coffee Project NY cafes in the East Village and Fort Greene, Brooklyn, have opened an ambitious new Queens flagship in part to fill a gap. “The Specialty Coffee Association has labs worldwide but none in New York,” said Ms. Ngai, who said she had to fly to Gainesville, Fla., to earn her certification. Recreational classes are also offered in the lab’s spacious classroom. The huge roaster in the front room is the top of the line; Ms. Ngai likes it because it’s not fully automated so she can control the settings. There is an informal cafe where a wide variety of coffees are brewed in myriad styles. Sandwiches and some pastries are served.
Coffee Project NY, 21-10 51st Avenue (21st Street), Long Island City, Queens, 631-684-2060, coffeeprojectny.com.
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