Matcha, Lattes & Laptop Vibes at Verse

Living in Astoria for a number of years, we often take short neighborhood trips to discover new cafés and restaurants. About a year and a half ago, Verse opened its doors in Astoria, and it had been on our list ever since. Known for its thoughtfully curated drink menu, high-quality matcha, small-batch coffee roasters, and a tight but intentional food selection, this Astoria coffee shop felt like the perfect weekend work spot.

Diana suggested we head over early to grab a good table and get some laptop time in. Smart move. Verse is an excellent place to work, but it fills up quickly, so if you are planning to stay a while, aim for an early start.

We ordered at the counter, determined to try both sides of the menu: a hot matcha latte and a classic hot latte, both with whole milk. Naturally, we added a croissant to round things out. Our drinks arrived quickly in thick, shaded glasses, and the croissant was enormous. The latte art was beautifully executed, and we dove in while typing away at our laptops.

The matcha was smooth and balanced, with none of the bitterness you sometimes get from lower-quality blends.

You could immediately taste the difference. The espresso was well roasted, and the milk was perfectly frothed with clean, precise latte art. As for the croissant, it was flaky, airy, and gone within minutes. I could have easily eaten two more.

With very little self-control when something is this good, I finished my coffee quickly and got back to work. As the café filled up, we watched more food come out of the kitchen and immediately felt hungry again. We ordered an egg sando to keep us going, and when a friend joined us, we made room for another round: a horchata latte for us and a black sesame latte for him.

By 9:30 a.m., after about an hour and a half, the place was buzzing and nearly every seat was taken. We packed up to make space for the next wave of coffee lovers.

Overall, Verse is a standout Astoria coffee shop.

The drinks are genuinely high quality, the specials menu deserves further exploration, and the food punches well above average. If you are looking for a place to sip thoughtfully crafted lattes, get some work done, and maybe stay longer than you planned, this is it.