The LA based coffee chain, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, has confirmed that all of its NYC locations, all twelve in Manhattan, have permanently closed, although the brand hopes to come back to NYC. The restaurants all carried kosher sandwiches, meals, and pastries in addition to their coffee & tea drinks.
The following note was emailed to WestSideRag.com:
“International Coffee & Tea, LLC regrets to announce that all of the franchised The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® locations in Manhattan closed on October 1, 2016. We value the brand’s loyal following in the Big Apple and intend to swiftly bring The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® hand-crafted coffees and teas, including the world famous Ice Blended® drinks, back to New York City. It is our hope that when The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® returns to New York, the new store owners will deliver the products and service our customers have come to expect through their experiences at the other 1,000+ company-owned and franchised The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® locations around the world.”
All the NYC locations were managed by a local franchisee and not by the corporate brand.
Thankfully, CBTL locations in Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona (as well as one in Panama’s airport) remain kosher. The availability of kosher food will vary by location.
