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Since 1948, the D'Amico family has cultivated a sizable cult with its food shop's coffee. Workers zip around the narrow store, helping shoppers choose from over 70 varieties, most of which are roasted on-site in the gently humming roaster upfront. The selection spans the continents, from a light-bodied Tip of the Andes roast to a dark French Roast Sumatra to a nutty "Carroll Gardens" blend. In addition to its flavored roasts—like tiramisu, southern pecan and Irish cream—the store offers organic and fair-trade beans. Services such as grinding are attended to cheerfully, and ambitious shoppers can even pick up an espresso machine or coffeemaker. The store also carries a large selection of black, green and oolong teas, both boxed and loose, among them a Russian Caravan black and a green Gunpowder. Bulk herbs are sold out of jars in the back, a deli counter serves Boar's Head meat and a basic selection of cheeses, and a smattering of vinegars, oils, cookies and snack foods round out the inventory. There are a few tables in the back for enjoying a cup of joe and a sandwich, but the somewhat cramped store is so bustling (and the coffee so strong), synapses might get overloaded. — Justin Hartung

D'Amico also sells the bulk of its products via its website.