Where to Meet Other Single People in Real Life in NYC
This bustling Yemeni cafe is known among Muslims to be a hot spot to scope out potential mates and has become a popular subject to joke about on TikTok.
On a typical weekend night at Qahwah House, which serves coffee and tea made with spices like cardamom, cinnamon and cloves until as late as 2 a.m. during Ramadan, the line creeps out the door. Myesha Choudhury, a 22-year-old student, has been visiting the Williamsburg location since it opened in November 2020. (There are also locations in the West Village and Astoria.)
“As young Muslims, we don’t have that many spaces for us,” she said. “It’s really cute for debriefs. If you go to an event and then you go back with the girlies for a debrief, Qahwah House is always the spot for that.”
She added that she meets new people there all the time: “Everyone there is being social.”
And there are plenty of non-Muslims there as well — patrons perched in chairs with laptops and chai. It’s a warm, welcoming space.
An Afro-Caribbean Hidden Gem
DEIÀ
Cocktail Bar
642 Rogers Avenue
Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn
Free
Deià (pronounced day-uh) could be described as a hidden gem; it’s easy to miss walking on Rogers Avenue even if you’re not new to the Little Caribbean neighborhood.
Junn Joly, 39, a Flatbush native, opened the bar in February. Having seen the area change with gentrification, he wanted to give something back to the community. “As the neighborhood goes through a lot of changes, I thought it made sense to do something that also matched the vibe of people coming in,” Mr. Joly said.
The bar features a happy hour from 5 to 8 p.m. on most weekdays, a small tapas menu and an outdoor patio. The space is “intimate,” said Joce (pronounced jahs) Blake, 34, a freelance writer who lives in Bedford-Stuyvesant. She said she enjoyed Deià’s “grown and sexy vibe,” and was optimistic that she’d find other single men or new friendly connections in their 30s there.
With free entry even on the busiest Friday or Saturday night, expect a lively fete by 9 p.m. to a variety of music selections of soca, dance hall reggae, Afro-beats and R&B.
A Ferry Ride and Brunch Vibes
Wynwood
Restaurant and Lounge
24 Navy Pier Court
Stapleton, Staten Island
Mostly Free