Drink Coffee Out Of Stunning Antique Teacups At New Midtown East Cafe

MIDTOWN, NY — La Belle Tasse, a new cafe coming to Midtown East this summer, is here to prove that coffee tastes better when it's in a beautiful cup.

The new cafe, which will open on Second Avenue between East 44th Street and East 45th Street on Sept. 1, features a delightfully eclectic collection of mugs, teacups, saucers, and glasses that the co-owner, Pia Bozyel, hand-selected from antique stores and markets all over the world.

Bozyel, who is opening the cafe with her brother, Eyup, is as multifaceted as her cup collection is.

She's an artist, she's the chairwoman of a sustainability advocacy organization called the GREENEARTH fund, and she's a writer chronicling Turkish news at the United Nations, which is just a few blocks from where her new cafe will sit.

Bozyel, who lives in Midtown East, is adding the cafe to her list of ventures because it's close to her heart, she told Patch.

Bozyel grew up in Turkiye, where her parents have a farm and ran a longstanding restaurant, and more than 10 years ago, Bozyel and her brother ran a coffee shop together before moving to the United States.

"We’re patient with our dream, and we’re starting again," she told Patch.

Ultimately, La Belle Tasse is an homage to their mother, who has an extensive collection of unique cups from all over the world, Bozyel told Patch.

"When I was a kid, my mom always used pretty cups to drink her Turkish coffee," Bozyel told Patch, adding that her mother, a beekeeper, always carries delicate porcelain cups for her morning coffee, even when camping in the mountains in Turkiye.

Some of the cups will be from her mother's personal collection, Bozyel said, adding that with vintage cups, the venture is more sustainable for the environment.

The cafe, which will have French and Turkish sensibilities, will open in a ground-floor space once held by the longstanding steakhouse Palm Too.

Inside, the cafe will serve all espresso drinks and pastries like croissants, macarons and madeleines, Bozyel said.

"When I remember my childhood, I remember the smell of coffee. That’s why, for me, it reminds me of a good time," Bozyel told Patch.

La Belle Tasse will open on Sept. 1 at 836 Second Ave. in Manhattan.

Know of a business opening or closing in Manhattan? Email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.