Life Returns to Local Café

With indoor dining having a resurgence and New Yorkers getting vaccinated, times are finally starting to feel brighter. While our community has unfortunately witnessed several businesses shut their doors this past year, some temporarily and some for good, the pandemic didn’t stop one of Astoria’s most beloved coffee shops: Kinship Coffee. On the contrary, this local favorite has even opened a new location, now offering patrons indoor seating and a quick walk to Astoria Park.

photo by Allison Kridle

Kinship off 21st Street (also known as K4) opened last April, offering curbside pickups of drinks, pastries, coffee growlers and beans for the past year. The idyllic Astoria Park location is also home to the shop’s roasting facility – it doesn’t get any fresher than that!

“I think a lot of people who are coming to cafés right now are just looking for a place to get out of their house, but I think our customers have been more respectful of the space since reintroducing indoor seating again. I feel like people are reminded that we’re all sharing a space,” says Scott Shedenhelm, Kinship Manager.

On a typical sunny day at K4, coffee lovers can be seen working remotely or socializing with friends with freshly made beverages in hand, joined by K4’s baristas and roasters who are constantly bustling about as if it’s always rush hour. The shop often opens their wide, street view windows to make the space even more inviting and roomy. One catch of a nice breeze paired with the aroma of coffee beans and it feels as if the café is actually breathing life back into itself.

“[Kinship] feels like a café again. There’s something that you kind of miss about having ambient conversation in the background. On a day like this where we can open up our windows is just perfect,” Shedenhelm said.

With tables and space still limited, the shop is enforcing a one-hour limit on indoor seating to keep traffic flowing and give visitors the opportunity to enjoy Kinship’s newly returned indoor atmosphere. Outdoor seating will still be available.

Kinship’s other locations, Broadway Avenue and Steinway Street/30th Avenue are currently open for curbside service. However, they are not open for indoor seating or sipping.

23-92 21st St.

646.512.2106

5 stars on Yelp