After more than a decade of ups and downs, Round K, a specialty coffee destination on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, has completed a major renovation and reopened under founder Ockhyeon Byeon. The redesigned cafe marks a significant moment for the independent coffee community and offers lessons for anyone who cares about where their coffee comes from and how it’s prepared.
The Journey Back to the Original Vision
Byeon first opened Round K in 2015 at 99 Allen Street, where it quickly gained a loyal following. The shop became particularly famous in 2017 for its Matte Black Latte, a striking beverage made with espresso, cacao and coconut ash that helped put the cafe on the map nationally. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the original location to close, a longtime employee took the concept forward as Round K by Sol at a nearby location on Canal Street.
Round K by Sol operated successfully for several years but closed last August to make way for a complete redesign. The space has now reopened as Round K under Byeon’s leadership again, signaling a return to the founder’s original coffee-focused philosophy. According to marketing partner Fung Cheung, the renovated cafe represents a deliberate shift in priorities. “We want to be a simple and classic coffee shop,” Cheung explained. “Even though we kickstarted a trend with our Matte Black Latte back in 2017, we’ve come to realize what matters most is the coffee itself.”
What the Redesigned Space Offers
The renovated cafe puts coffee experience front and center. The design features an exposed brick wall behind the espresso bar facing a clean white wall, leading into a quiet lounge area with oversized speakers and artistic wavy wall pieces. This minimalist approach reflects the shop’s commitment to letting the coffee be the star.
Round K sources green coffee beans through Cereza Coffee, which supplies coffees from Honduras, Colombia and other origins. The team also purchases seasonal lots through direct relationships, including beans from a farm in Huehuetenango, Guatemala that Byeon’s family has connections to. “At Round K, every coffee we roast has to feel connected to the farmer, to the importer, to our neighborhood, and to the cup we serve here in New York,” Cheung said.
All roasting happens in Brooklyn using a restored 5-kilogram electric roaster manufactured by South Korean company Imex. The machine uses halogen heating and bidirectional drum rotation, giving Round K’s coffee roasting a distinctly personal identity. For brewing at the cafe, baristas use a Victoria Arduino Black Eagle espresso machine along with Hario V60 and Kalita pourover brewers. Those interested in exploring specialty coffee at home might consider quality drip coffee makers that deliver comparable results.
Innovation in Coffee Extraction
Beyond traditional brewing methods, Round K is collaborating with a South Korea-based equipment manufacturer to develop an experimental pressure-driven coffee extraction system. This technology aims to deliver thermal energy more efficiently and with greater precision than conventional methods. According to Cheung, the system is designed to highlight the distinctive character of specialty coffee instantly to customers, bringing out fruit notes, aroma, texture and origin characteristics with particular effectiveness for natural-processed coffees and specific bean varieties.
The extraction system also targets improved flavor stability over time, potentially extending how long extracts maintain their quality. While the technology remains in development, it reflects Round K’s commitment to continuous innovation within the specialty coffee space.
Simplified Menu and Community Focus
The renovation brought a streamlined approach to food offerings as well. Round K no longer serves the extensive food menu that Round K by Sol featured. Instead, the cafe focuses on daily pastries, keeping the emphasis on coffee. For those seeking convenient brewing solutions at home, single serve coffee makers offer flexibility for different budgets.
Beyond serving specialty coffee, Byeon and Cheung view the renovated space as a gathering place for the neighborhood. “Our goal is to make specialty coffee easier to understand, enjoy and memorable without losing the personal, local and human feeling that Round K values,” Cheung said. “We are slowly building a space for our community to gather and showcase their creativity.”
What This Means for Coffee Shoppers
Round K’s reopening demonstrates how independent coffee shops can maintain their identity while evolving with changing times. For shoppers in New York, it signals a renewed commitment to transparency about coffee sourcing and quality preparation. Byeon’s background in electrical engineering, combined with barista training in Italy and hospitality education, has shaped a uniquely thoughtful approach to coffee culture.
The cafe’s philosophy centers on the idea that coffee serves as a catalyst for people to savor their daily lives, even if just for a brief moment. Cheung emphasized this approachable yet quality-driven vision: “Coffee is a catalyst for people to enjoy their life. We want to build a better understanding and appreciation for coffee itself that’s more approachable and not too serious.”
Round K is located at 78 Canal Street in New York and is open to the public as a cafe experience showcasing specialty coffee at its finest.
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