The Starbucks Reserve® Empire State Building® Store
Spanning an impressive 23,000 square feet across three floors, the Starbucks Reserve® Empire State Building® store is a celebration of coffee as more than just a beverage—it’s an immersive journey. Customers can participate in innovative, hands-on coffee workshops and indulge in guided tasting flights. Additionally, the store offers a variety of premium coffee beverages, craft cocktails, and an extended menu of artisan Princi® food.
Level 1: To-Go & Shop
On level one, customers can enjoy their favorite Starbucks beverages like Caramel Macchiato and Starbucks Refreshers®, as well as seasonal offerings like the Peppermint Mocha and Pumpkin Spice Latte, which can all be ordered in advance through the Starbucks app.
The store proudly features the Starbucks Reserve Empire State Building® Microblend, an exclusive coffee paying homage to the iconic skyscraper. Locally roasted at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in New York City’s Meatpacking District, this exceptional blend infuses red and black fruit notes, vanilla, and spice, all wrapped in a velvety, chocolaty mouthfeel. It serves as the cornerstone for crafting the delightful beverages and cocktails offered throughout the store.
Princi, the renowned artisanal boutique bakery and café founded by Italian baker Rocco Princi, complements the beverage menu. Customers can indulge in freshly baked cornetti, focaccia, pizza, avocado toast, brioche, cakes, and tarts—all exclusively available at Starbucks Reserve locations.
Additionally, the ground floor showcases curated local artist merchandise collections, exclusive Starbucks Reserve merchandise, and a rotating selection of whole bean coffees.
Concourse Level: Tasting Room & Experiences
On the concourse level, customers can immerse themselves in the art of meticulously crafted beverages and food. From barista-guided beverage and flight tastings with delectable small bites in the Tasting Room & Experiences lounge menu to intimate hands-on coffee workshops, there’s something for everyone. Notably, customers can indulge in signature table-side flights like the Starbucks Reserve® Espresso Martini Flight and the Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew Comparison Flight.
Also situated on the concourse level, Starbucks Reserve Signature Experiences offer interactive, small-group workshops centered around coffee and beverage craftsmanship. These unique workshops include the Art of the Espresso Martini, Coffee Lab: A Journey of the Senses, and It Started Here First. Customers can reserve tickets for these exclusive experiences in advance.
Level 2: Coffee & Cocktail Lounge
Level two is a vibrant space designed for community and conversation. The Coffee & Cocktail Lounge menu includes a carefully curated selection of Starbucks Reserve cocktails—sip on classics like the Starbucks Reserve Boulevardier, indulge in the signature Espresso Martini, or savor the rich flavors of the Roastery Old Fashioned.
To complement the libations, the menu offers a delectable array of Princi bites. From the creamy Avocado Toast to the zesty Salame Piccante Pizza, and from the savory Parma Meat & Cheese Board to the sweet delights of Tiramisu and Raspberry Cheesecake, there’s something to satisfy every craving.
Private Meetings & Events
From the Coffee & Cocktail Lounge to the Tasting Room & Experiences Lounge, customers have the opportunity to create customized and unforgettable meetings and events in a variety of spaces for their guests. Dedicated on-site event specialists provide expert assistance, ensuring every detail is meticulously crafted.
Store Design: Honoring Iconic Art Deco
Starbucks takes the utmost respect and care when planning and designing spaces for its stores, ensuring the design honors the history of the space while also fostering connection and creating accessible experiences for customers. Throughout the design and construction process, Starbucks worked closely with the team at Empire State Realty Trust (the owner of the Empire State Building) its historic landmark preservation consultant and the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to ensure the space honored the historic building.
The Empire State Building is a New York icon and testament to artistry of the Art Deco style, which is defined by strong geometric patterns, rich colors, and ornamental details. These design elements can be found throughout the store – from the columns and walls to the art installations, glass partitions and furniture – as modern interpretations of the Art Deco style and materiality of the Empire State Building.
The Starbucks design team worked closely with the Empire State Building team to revitalize and restore several elements that were original to the space. On the façade the exterior mullion and revolving door configuration was restored, and the storefront finials were brought back to original condition.
Inside the store, marble was restored and traditional concrete terrazzo stonework was installed at the lobby entrance; and the second-floor windows were restored to their original full ceiling height. To celebrate the history of the building, Starbucks removed concrete covering the original hand-riveted steel columns. The store, in addition to the Empire State Building Observatory Experience, is one of the few places visitors can view the original riveted columns within the building.
Art is omnipresent in the store and all artistic installations within the space were influenced by the Empire State Building’s iconic style, craftsmanship, and optimism. Starbucks commissioned New York-based artists to create the installations, murals, and merchandise that spotlight Art Deco flourishes, the building’s spirit, and the essence of Starbucks and the origins of coffee. Read more about the store’s design and unique, original artwork here.
Starbucks Reserve: Leading in Coffee Innovation
Starbucks began its journey over fifty years ago to make premium arabica coffee accessible to all while fostering a culture of connection. Since the first Starbucks Reserve Roastery opened in Seattle in 2014, the company’s aspirations for Starbucks Reserve remains the same – to spotlight the exquisite Starbucks Reserve coffee and showcase the company’s heritage, expertise, and dedication to coffee through immersive experiences where barista craft is at the center of the experience. Starbucks Reserve locations shine a halo on the brand and serve as a pipeline of product innovation that can then be brought to scale in the broader Starbucks retail footprint. The new Starbucks Reserve Empire State Building provides an opportunity to continue pushing the boundaries on coffee craft and the coffeehouse experience.
The Starbucks Reserve Empire State Building store joins the Starbucks Reserve portfolio that includes six Starbucks Reserve Roasteries located in Seattle, Shanghai, Milan, New York,Tokyo, and Chicago, as well as Starbucks Reserve locations around the world.
Starbucks heritage in New York City dates to 1994 and the company has operated stores in the Empire State Building since 2008. New York City continues to be a place where Starbucks introduces new store concepts and offers a variety of experiences – from the first Starbucks® Pickup store to the immersive Starbucks Reserve® Roastery located in the Meatpacking district.
For more information about the Starbucks Reserve® Empire State Building® store, visit https://www.starbucksreserve.com/locations/empire-state-building
