The 1st Coffee House in New York

The King's Arms, established in 1696 by Lieutenant John Hutchins, was the first coffeehouse in colonial New York City. It featured a wooden structure with a yellow brick front imported from Holland and had an observatory on the roof. The coffeehouse, distinct from taverns, served as a business hub where merchants, magistrates, and overseers met regularly. It offered private booths on the main floor and meeting rooms upstairs, and became a central gathering place for New York's early commercial life. The coffeehouse became a hub for merchants and colonial officials, distinguishing itself from taverns by its focus on business.