Little Skips is something of a Bushwick legend. Since its opening nine years ago, it’s made a name for itself as one of the original and still the best community-focused cafes in Brooklyn, with a dedication to top coffee, co-working and local events. Located on the corner of Myrtle and Willoughby, in between the Central Avenue M stop and the Myrtle M, J and Z stops, this cafe is a little slice of tranquility on your doorstep.

Photo: Bushwick Daily

Little Skips is the brainchild of Linda Thach and her best friends, built out of an old carburetor shop and transformed into something wonderful. Outside, you’ll notice the colorful graffiti and posters adorning the doorway and the large window with the white ‘Little Skips’ logo stencilled on and you’ll instantly feel at home. The vibe inside is relaxed and geared towards creatives and co-workers during the day, with speedy Wi-Fi and strong coffee that will fuel you all the way through that first draft. The high ceilings and ample windows means there’s plenty of light and opportunities for people-watching, while the colorful walls will inspire you, as you realize that the pictures are a rotating display by community artists instead of stock images bought from Ikea.

The main focus of the Little Skips menu is the coffee. This cafe serves Counter Culture coffee and puts on a daily rotating menu of different drip coffees for the coffee connoiseur in you. Prices are reasonable, with a small drip coffee starting at just $2.50 and a wide selection of cold brew, lattes and other espresso-based drinks in the $4.00 region. We love the Bomb Latte (a latte sweetened with Condensed milk) and the Jack & Taylor (a latte sweetened with Maple syrup), both for $4.75, and the summer iced drink menu includes the delicious Iced Thai Tea and Iced Dirty Thai. They also serve a range of tea drinks and the counter is always filled with a selection of baked goods to munch away at while you chat or work.

 

Photo: Little Skips

And don’t worry, Little Skips also serves food. With a kitchen that stays open until 7:30 p.m. daily, this includes cheap bagels ($2.25) with a choice of toppings, as well as vegan options and gluten-free substitute bread. There’s also a list of simple but delicious twist-dishes, including avocado toast topped with pickled radish, baby arugula and honey-lemon vinaigrette and a mean grilled cheese that can be made with vegan cheese, as well as sandwiches and salads.

We love the delicious M-Train, made with goat cheese, pesto, sliced turkey, tomato, red onion, hard-boiled egg and honey on multigrain toast and the vegan BLT, made with smoked maple tempeh bacon, tomato, mixed greens and house-made cilantro-lime aioli. The salads are simple, starting at $7, and they come as a base of greens onto which you can then add your choice of a range of toppings, including prosciutto and Granny Smith apples.

One thing that makes Little Skips different is its dedication to the Brooklyn community, which is shown through both the art on the walls and a schedule of regular events. May 10th is the launch of the Spring Art show, where a whole host of local artists will be hung on the walls of the coffee shop for the first time (you can check out the Facebook event here), including M Erazo, Rosalind Watson, Avery Webster-Hobbs and Robin Grant. And every Tuesday, Little Skips holds an open mic night, which includes performances of spoken word, music, comedy, dance and anything else you can think of, where locals and visitors alike can sign up and perform in a non-judgmental atmosphere. They also hold regular live music shows, where you can sip on beer and wine while listening to some up-and-coming local talent.

Photo: Little Skips

By now, you can probably see why we love this place -- and we love it even more because it’s just an 11-minute walk from our South Williamsburg House and a short trip from our Montrose Williamsburg and Bed-Stuy houses. Over the last 9 years, Little Skips has expanded to four locations across New York, so you’re probably not too far from one of the branches, even if the original isn’t in your neighborhood.

 

Little Skips

941 Willoughby Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11221

M-F: 7am - 8pm

Sat/Sun: 8am - 8pm.

Tagged: Brooklyn Community