Patent Coffee + Patent Pending, Making Radio Waves in Nomad

Patent Exterior | Courtesy of Simmer Group

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Coffee Cove by Day, Covert Cocktail Lair by Night

Patent Coffee + Patent Pending are fairly new to the New York City foodscape. A posh dual concept eatery in Nomad; housed in the vault of the Radio Wave building at 49 W 27 Street. The coupled coffee & cocktail bar have an identity and flavor – all its own. If it’s one thing New York City is abundant in, it’s food joints. In the city that never stops sipping & chewing, a spot that lacks character and punch is a spot that falls flat. Based on Open Table database of registered restaurants, VinePair reveals that it would take 22.7 years to eat your way through NYC. That’s roughly 8, 285 instagram posts or stories for your followers to thirst over. A foodie could enjoy a new establishment daily, never visiting the same place twice. The Skinny NYC holds these truths evident that NOT all eats are created equal. In fact, for the right dish, one could easily be a repeat offender. Just so happens, Patent is the protoype – it’s so good!

Patent’s identity, decor and curated menu are a nod to former resident & visionary Nikola Tesla. The idealist behind it all is owner Ryan McKenzie and his creative cartel – Simmer Group. Designed by Carpenter + Mason in collaboration with Simmer and built by Cocozza Group, the trio made Patent’s story all make sense. Taking advantage of its original arches, the coffee & cocktail oasis encompasses: brick, marble, custom metalwork, mysterious lighting, fresh greenery (brought in daily from the nearby flower district) and an entryway outfitted with a custom channel letters sign.

Rainy Days Are Perfect For Coffee, No?

I set a coffee date with my bestie Gina Doost of What The Doost at Patent Coffee. A bit rainy, we arrived within 15 minutes of one-another. Having both walked pass a few times, we realized custom channel letters marked the spot. For those who are not familiar with NYC – Nomad is an area saturated with businesses, office buildings, apartment buildings and foot traffic galore. Opening its doors at 7:30 a.m., with the hustle & bustle of the neighborhood in mind, Patent Coffee offers a wide-range of grab-and-go options. From drip coffee to salads, Patent has you covered. Bon Apetit’s – Senior Food Editor Claire Saffitz crafted two cookie recipes exclusively for Patent. As if that’s not enough, pastries are baked daily by Pain D’Avignon. The Kouign Amann was the best we’d ever devoured. We shared the pastry along with an apple-pecan salad. I’m usually against pre-mixed salads; dressing makes the ingredients a bit soggy. On the contrary, the salad was crisp & refreshing with a slightly sweet & tangy vinaigrette and just enough feta cheese for a Mediterranean twist. Our caffeinated libations of choice? Gina selected an Americano; I decided to go with a Macchiato both with oat milk – yup oat milk (Saving the deets on oat milk for another day)! Surrounded by beautiful flowers, wood, marble and aroma’s, we were quite energized and satisfied. Patent Coffee closes at 4 p.m. in order to prep for the 5:00 p.m. opening of Patent Pending.

Came For The Coffee, Stayed For The Cocktails & Bites!

At 5:30 p.m. Gina and I approached Patent Coffee. You’re probably wondering how a coffee cove converts to a cocktail lair in an hour – let me explain. At first we were totally thrown off, the space was dark & mysterious. But we remembered being directed to enter a 4 digit secret code into the keypad upon our arrival – so we did. A hostess buzzed us in; we were then summoned to enter a secret door which doubled as the Patent Coffee menu during the day. It was at this moment I learned that Gina was a Nikola Tesla aficionado. We managed to gain access to the sub basement where Tesla sent radio waves to his Trinity & Church test lab, the energy was crazy (meaning good). Divided into 4 Teslian categories: Energy, Frequency, Vibration and Descent; we were in awe of both the inventive mindset of crafting these cocktails and the menu design. The menu was designed by various artists and writers, while the drinks were invented by Harrison Ginsbergand and Nick Rolin of of Dead Rabbit and BlackTail fame. I started my cocktail campaign with a drink from the Descent section of the drink menu – Currents & Coils. Darker & richer, but honestly seemed very light and tropical to me. The drink consisted of Venezuelan & Guyanese Rum, Malted Milk, Coconut, Banana, Patent Coffee, Pineapple and lime. While Gina went for Energy. The Strange Magic a mix of Vodka, Strawberry, Madeira, Grapefruit, Lemon, Prosecco and Seltzer. The drink menu has an awesome range, there are beer and wine selections. No drink is over $16 unless you opt for a little sparkle then you’ve gotta buy the bottle – which is great for a posh New York City bar. We shared a fried chicken sandwich which was served with chips + a pickle on the side and the cheesiest Grilled Cheese Sandwich known to Nomad. The bites menu isn’t as extensive as one may want it to be. But the options are varied and I am sure equally as delicious – there is something for everyone.