Kava is Croatian for Cafe.  

Kava opened up just south of the Meatpacking and High Line entrance a few months ago.  With some really nice espresso makers and a cute spot, it was always on our list to come back to.  So on our walk to Hester last week, we stopped in to the Washington Street location.  I didn’t need a coffee, but it was a great excuse to check out the space (and the garden!).

There is a nice warm glow to the shop.  It was hard to capture in pictures.  Roman & Williams designed the interior.  This is the same group behind the Ace Hotel and the Standard Hotel.  The owner, John Saric, is a partner at the Ace and lives right around the corner.

The espresso machines here are pretty high tech.  They have the next-generation Strada machines built by Marzocco.  Apparently, there are only 3 in all the NYC boroughs, and 2 are here.  The other is at the Whitney.  They use Stumptown beans (Stumptown is also at the Ace, another great coffee shop).  I just had a regular coffee which was ok…not like my Joe, maybe a little weak.  I really think I need to have one of the lattes, so will be back.  The space won me over.