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Brooklyn, New York, New York · Specialty Coffee Brand Deep Dive

Café Grumpy

Editorial sacred-geometry artwork for Café Grumpy; not a documentary photograph
IndependentRoasts its own coffeeSourcing: Farm level
TagsCafé GrumpyNew York coffee roastersHondurasSouth AmericaCentral AmericaEast AfricaIndependentFarm levelRoasts in-house
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Café Grumpy is a Brooklyn-based specialty coffee roaster and retailer that has been roasting its own beans since 2009. The company operates multiple cafe locations across New York City and maintains a strong focus on quality, sustainability, and direct relationships with coffee producers. They are recognized for their hands-on approach to the entire coffee process, from green bean selection to in-house roasting and brewing.

Ownership
Café Grumpy is an independent, family-owned company founded by Caroline Bell and Chris Timbrell. It remains a privately held, independent business.
Founded
2005
Roasting
Reported to roast in-house.
What it's known for
Café Grumpy is a pioneer in the New York City specialty coffee movement, widely recognized for its commitment to in-house roasting and direct-trade sourcing. It is also known for its signature orange branding and its role as a long-standing independent fixture in the Brooklyn coffee scene.
Sourcing countries
Honduras · South America · Central America · East Africa
Farm-level sourcing
The brand sources directly from farming families and specialty producers across South America, Central America, and East Africa. They provide specific details for their single-origin offerings, such as the Torrebiarte family at Finca Santo Tomas Perdido in Honduras. Their sourcing model emphasizes long-term relationships with producers to ensure quality and sustainability.
Notable coffees
  • — DECAF Honduras (Torrebiarte family)
Documented coffee offerings

Coffees researched from Café Grumpy

These are examples recorded during editorial research. They are not a live product feed. The coffee, lot, price, and availability may have changed. We have not necessarily brewed these coffees ourselves.

Kochere

Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia · Washed

This coffee benefits from high altitude and iron-rich soil, resulting in a classic Yirgacheffe profile.

Original roaster or listing source

Instant Coffee - Iced Coffee

Guatemala

A smooth and refreshing instant coffee designed for iced preparation with notes of salted caramel and milk chocolate.

Original roaster or listing source

External customer, cafe, marketplace, and class ratings are not comparable measures of the quality of an individual coffee. We do not convert them into original tasting scores or brand-wide star ratings. Our independent reviews are published separately after a coffee has actually been brewed and evaluated.

Verify original product sources

Retailer information: Café Grumpy

Documented physical retailers
Café Grumpy (Financial District)
Historical source note (not live inventory): Operates a physical cafe location at 20 Stone St in New York.
Physical
Café Grumpy (Park Slope)
Historical source note (not live inventory): Operates a physical cafe location at 383 7th Avenue in Brooklyn.
Physical
Café Grumpy (Lower East Side)
Historical source note (not live inventory): Operates a physical cafe location at 13 Essex Street in New York.
Physical
Whole Foods Market (Manhattan West)
Historical source note (not live inventory): Hosts a Café Grumpy coffee bar inside the store location.
Physical
Whole Foods Market (Weehawken)
Historical source note (not live inventory): Hosts a Café Grumpy coffee bar inside the store location.
Physical
Documented online sources
Café Grumpy's online shop
Historical source note (not live inventory): Sells coffee beans, instant coffee, and merchandise directly to consumers.
Website

I was able to verify several physical cafe locations and their branded coffee bars within Whole Foods Market locations, as well as their direct-to-consumer online store; however, specific third-party grocery retail partners were not publicly listed beyond their general wholesale program.

These references come from public store locators, retailer listings and brand materials. Last checked Oct 24, 2026. They are research links, not proof of current stock or a buying recommendation. Verify availability, price and location directly with the source.
In the news

Recent news and media coverage about Café Grumpy, as documented by outside outlets. We link to the original reporting and do not rewrite or endorse it.

Sources used in this deep dive
Research disclosure — this profile was compiled from public online sources on 2026-10-06. This company overview is not a tasting review. Original tasting reviews are labeled separately when they exist. Ownership, roasting and sourcing details are attributed to documented sources. While the brand explicitly mentions sourcing from South America, Central America, and East Africa, a comprehensive list of every specific country currently in their rotation is not fully detailed on their public website.

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