Visiting Viral: Is Caffe Paradiso Worth The Hype?
Is the famous iced latte from Caffe Paradiso hype-worthy, or just another trend?
Source: Natalie Fitzgerald
Ever since committing to LIM College nearly a year ago, I made my own favorite-folders strictly for NYC to-do’s on TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest. From my arguably boring senior year history class, I’d scroll on my phone endlessly, searching for new things to try the moment that move-in day in August was to come.
With over 200 videos saved, I started to get skeptical: how many of these spots are actually good? After all, this girl is on a budget. Money can’t be wasted.
Source: Natalie Fitzgerald
As soon as I stepped foot into the city, all hopes for unpaid internships and volunteer opportunities flew out the window.
My new mission? To test influencers' millions of views, and see for myself if the hype was real.
What made a location viral enough to investigate, for me, was when it showed up time and time again.
Caffe Paradiso was one of those places. It is located in Lower Manhattan, in a small, quaint shop. The appeal of their cafe is in their viral “Salted Brown Butter & Oat Latte,” flowing straight into your cup from a golden tap.
The latte is known to be perfectly creamy, not overly sweet, and topped with a sea salt cold foam.
Shock factor will almost always encourage “Viral.” However, Viral can also be because of emotional resonance. Something unique—combined with the hype of the Big Apple—will spark attention at every corner.
Caffe Paradiso’s virality? Put simply, even in NYC, it isn’t every day that we see an iced latte on tap.
Source: Natalie Fitzgerald
I went in fully prepared for the ultimate tourist trap. When I left? I was more than happy. In fact, Caffe Paradiso might have my favorite iced latte so far. To get all negatives out of the way, the downside is the seven-dollar price, as charged in most of Manhattan. If you’re visiting or taking a trip downtown, I highly recommend bringing the extra cash for one of these lattes. It’s worth it.
Source: Natalie Fitzgerald
The on-tap latte is buttery smooth, sprinkled with salt, and (by request) topped with a sweet cold foam that balances the entire cup.
As someone who has never enjoyed sweet coffee, Caffe Paradiso’s was perfectly balanced.
Even in the freezing temperature, I was more than happy to walk around and sip this iced latte. Taking the 6-Train down to Spring Street early, to avoid the line that always runs down the block, is more of a reward for my midterm crams than an out-of-the-way adventure.
Virality can often be misleading. In viral, food-based media, people often get caught up in the initial thrill. We can get catfished or scammed out of our money for something that just isn’t as good as it looks. Overall, Caffe Paradiso truly did their big one with this latte. It’s unique to see such an interesting delivery of coffee, but the true prize is the great taste and downtown journey.
Would you try Caffe Paradiso’s Salted Brown Butter & Oat Latte? Leave a comment below.