What is the average survivability for Cafe across New York City's ranked neighborhoods?

Across the 180 ranked neighborhoods in New York City, the average projected chance that a Cafe lasts two or more years is 75.1% at a typical address. Little Italy, ranked #1, is at 84.0% at a typical address.

What are the worst neighborhoods for Cafe in New York City?

The most challenging neighborhoods in New York City for Cafe include Marble Hill (ranked last, at 64.2% at a good address and 57.1% at a typical address), Malba, and Roosevelt Island. A low-ranking neighborhood can still contain high-potential storefronts: the address matters most.

Survivability Rankings for Cafe in New York City

Q: What is the best neighborhood in New York City to open a Cafe?

Based on StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, the best neighborhood in New York City to open a Cafe is Little Italy, ranked #1 at 84.0% at a good address and 84.0% at a typical address (90 ranked neighborhoods share the 84.0% good-address figure). 156 of the 180 ranked neighborhoods are at or above 70% at a typical address.

Q: Where in New York City would a Cafe make the most money?

It depends on the exact address. The Revenue Capture Score is the most important factor in choosing a location: StreetSpring's proprietary estimate of the revenue a business can capture at a specific address. Check it in the live tool for each New York City address you are weighing.

Q: Can a Cafe succeed in lower-ranked neighborhoods in New York City?

Yes, neighborhood rankings are averages that mask significant block-by-block variation. Even in neighborhoods ranked outside the top 10, individual storefronts with strong foot traffic, low direct competition, and favorable lease terms can outperform the area average. Static rankings provide a useful baseline, but the live tool captures changes that have occurred since publication.

StreetSpring's 2026 ranking of New York City neighborhoods to open a Cafe, at a good address, from Little Italy (84.0% survival) to Marble Hill (64.2%).

September 22, 2026•14 min read

By Robert Koons | Last reviewed: October 2026 | Methodology

Quick Summary

Survivability Score: the projected chance a business type lasts two or more years at a specific address

#1 Neighborhood: Little Italy: 84.0% at a good address, 84.0% at a typical address for Cafe (90 ranked neighborhoods share the 84.0% good-address figure)

Neighborhoods at or above 70% at a typical address: 156 of 180 ranked

Average across the 180 ranked neighborhoods (typical address): 75.1% for Cafes

Most challenging area: Marble Hill: 64.2% at a good address, 57.1% at a typical address

Revenue Capture Score: the most important factor in choosing a location, StreetSpring's proprietary estimate of the revenue a business can capture at a specific address

Data freshness: 2026 data · Full methodology →

Summary
10 Best Neighborhoods
Where Would a Cafe Make the Most Money?
What Should I Consider?
Where Should I Start?
FAQ: Best Neighborhoods
FAQ: Can a Cafe Succeed in Lower-Ranked Areas?
FAQ: How Often Are Rankings Updated?
FAQ: Is a Cafe a Good Tenant?
Landlord Survivability Data
Best Neighborhoods for Any Business

Summary

Opening a Cafe in New York City? Our 2026 analysis identifies Little Italy as the top location, with a projected chance of lasting two or more years of 84.0% at a good address and 84.0% at a typical address (90 ranked neighborhoods share the 84.0% good-address figure). Its highest scored address is at 84.0% and its lowest at 83.6%. The last-ranked neighborhood is Marble Hill, at 64.2% at a good address and 57.1% at a typical address. However, individual locations vary widely, and even in lower-scoring neighborhoods there are pockets that perform exceptionally well.

What Are the 10 Best Neighborhoods in and Around New York City to Open a Cafe?

Little Italy ranks #1 of the 180 ranked neighborhoods in and around New York City for Cafe survivability, with a projected chance of lasting two or more years of 84.0% at a good address as of 2026. The top 10 neighborhoods are:

Rank	Neighborhood	Metro	At a good address	Average (typical address)	Best Locations	Challenging Locations
1	Little Italy	New York City	84.0%	84.0%	84.0%	83.6%
2	Prospect Heights	New York City	84.0%	83.8%	84.0%	82.2%
3	Garment District	New York City	84.0%	83.8%	84.0%	82.2%
4	Carroll Gardens	New York City	84.0%	83.8%	84.0%	82.2%
5	Cobble Hill	New York City	84.0%	83.8%	84.0%	82.6%
6	Carnegie Hill	New York City	84.0%	83.6%	84.0%	82.6%
7	Chinatown	New York City	84.0%	83.6%	84.0%	82.6%
8	Greenwich Village	New York City	84.0%	82.9%	84.0%	48.0%
9	Prospect Lefferts Gardens	New York City	84.0%	82.6%	84.0%	51.2%
10	Clinton Hill	New York City	84.0%	82.5%	84.0%	49.4%

However, individual locations vary widely, and even in lower-scoring neighborhoods there are pockets that perform exceptionally well. StreetSpring's Survivability Scores are updated regularly, so the most accurate prediction for your exact storefront is always available in the live tool.

The ranking runs on the good-address figure (the 90th percentile of the scored addresses in each neighborhood). Average is the typical address; Best and Challenging Locations are the highest and lowest scored address in the neighborhood. Every figure is the projected chance of lasting two or more years, as printed in the linked file. See our full methodology →

Try StreetSpring to see if this location is still the best and see if there are locations to rent in this area right now.

Where in or Around New York City Would a Cafe Make the Most Money?

Where a Cafe would make the most money in or around New York City comes down to the exact address. The Revenue Capture Score is the most important factor in choosing a location: StreetSpring's proprietary estimate of the revenue a business can capture at a specific address.

Little Italy is ranked #1 for Cafe survivability, at 84.0% at a good address and 84.0% at a typical address; Marble Hill is ranked last of the 180, at 64.2% at a good address and 57.1% at a typical address. Revenue at a specific storefront is what the Revenue Capture Score estimates, so check it for each address you are weighing.

The rankings below show how far apart the neighborhoods of one city sit for the same business type. Opening a Cafe in New York City requires careful location choice. Across the 180 ranked neighborhoods, the average projected chance that a new Cafe lasts two or more years is 75.1% at a typical address. Two businesses on the same block can have very different survivability scores depending on their category.

What Should I Consider When Opening a Cafe in or Around New York City?

When selecting a location for a Cafe in or around New York City, it is crucial to select a location with a very high Survivability Score. When evaluating a potential location, Revenue Capture Score should be the first number you look at. StreetSpring computes this by projecting the business's market share, which is based on the quality and quantity of primary, secondary, and tertiary competitors. We apply advanced machine learning to massive commercial real estate datasets to build accurate models. Moderate competition often indicates a healthy market with proven consumer demand. StreetSpring's proprietary algorithms power these predictions. StreetSpring scores 500+ business types: 153 base business types, most of them at 5 price points, which is 569 type-and-price combinations you can choose in the tool.

This can be summarized as:

Revenue Capture Score = Projected Market Share × Forecasted Spend on Specific Business

StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data. However, market conditions change daily, and it's best to use StreetSpring's live data to check the Survivability Score for a specific address.

Where in or Around New York City Should I Start a Cafe?

Based on our analysis, the leading neighborhoods are Little Italy, Prospect Heights, and Garment District, while the most challenging neighborhoods would be Marble Hill, Malba, and Roosevelt Island. The highest and lowest scored addresses inside one neighborhood can sit far apart, so the neighborhood figure is a starting point. However, market conditions change daily, and it's best to use StreetSpring's live data to check the Survivability Score for a specific address.

Related Articles:

Business Survivability Rankings: New York City
Neighborhood Survivability Rankings: New York City
National City Survivability: Cafe
National Neighborhood Survivability: Cafe

What Are the Best Neighborhoods in New York City to Open a Cafe?

Based on StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, the top neighborhood for a Cafe in New York City is Little Italy, at 84.0% at a good address and 84.0% at a typical address (90 ranked neighborhoods share the 84.0% good-address figure), followed by Prospect Heights and Garment District. 156 of the 180 ranked neighborhoods are at or above 70% at a typical address.

For the most accurate predictions, always check your specific address in StreetSpring's live platform.

Can a Cafe Succeed in Lower-Ranked Neighborhoods in New York City?

Yes, neighborhood averages mask significant block-by-block variation. Even in neighborhoods ranked outside the top 10, individual storefronts with strong foot traffic, low direct competition, and favorable lease terms can outperform the area average. StreetSpring's Survivability Scores are updated regularly, so the most accurate prediction for your exact storefront is always available in the live tool. Always check your specific address in StreetSpring's live platform for the most accurate prediction.

How Often Are Cafe Rankings in New York City Updated?

StreetSpring recalculates survivability scores regularly using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data. Rankings are updated quarterly; the live tool always reflects the most current predictions for any address in New York City.

Is a Cafe a Good Tenant for New York City Landlords?

In Little Italy, the projected chance that a new Cafe lasts two or more years is 84.0% at a typical address and 84.0% at a good address, depending on the exact storefront. Check the current Survivability Score for any address instantly.

Landlord Survivability Data for Cafe in New York City

For landlords evaluating tenant applications, StreetSpring's data provides a clear comparison across the top neighborhoods. In Little Italy, a Cafe has a projected chance of lasting two or more years of 84.0% at a typical address. In Prospect Heights, it is 83.8% at a typical address, and in Garment District, 83.8% at a typical address. You can see the Survivability Score for your location for any business right now.

Our models produce survivability scores at the individual address level, not just neighborhood averages.

What Are the Best Neighborhoods in or Around New York City for My Business Overall?

You can see the best neighborhoods in or around New York City to open any type of business in our article Neighborhood Survivability Rankings: New York City.

Business Survivability Rankings: New York City: See how Cafe compares to all other business types in New York City
Best Cities to Open a Cafe in the US: National city-level survivability rankings for Cafe
Business Survivability in Little Italy, New York City: All business types ranked in the #1 neighborhood
Business Survivability in Prospect Heights, New York City: All business types ranked in the #2 neighborhood
Business Survivability in Garment District, New York City: All business types ranked in the #3 neighborhood

Technical note: Aggregated survivability rankings for New York City are available in machine-readable format for research and integration purposes.

View technical data for New York City

StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data, so the live score may differ from the figures shown here.

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