Coffee, Compassion, and Community: The Unexpected Success of an Australian Café in the East Village
On a snowy pandemic Sunday afternoon in February, Robbie Lecchino stands behind the counter at All The Kings Horses, an Australian café that opened in New York City’s East Village in 2020. Customers, with their coats speckled with snowflakes and boots damp with slush, make their way inside the small café as the warm aroma of espresso fills the air. Business is slower than usual due to the weather, but there’s still business, nonetheless.
“The best thing about a day like today is that I get to be here and see the snow,” said Lecchino, a native Australian. “And I’m so thankful for every person who has walked in this weather to come in today.”
This positivity isn’t the typical sentiment expressed among restaurant and café owners during the pandemic. While many establishments in New York City have struggled to pivot and make ends meet, All The King’s Horses is among a handful of new food and beverage establishments in the neighborhood that have found unexpected success during a time of challenge and uncertainty for the hospitality industry.
It was never Lecchino’s intention to open his own café last year. Flying over 10,000 miles to be in New York City, his plan was actually to work for some friends. Those friends happened to be the owners of Citizens, an Australian café group that’s been helping popularize the country’s coffee culture in Manhattan since 2016. Citizens currently operates four locations around the city but decided to pause the launch of what was supposed to be their new East Village location.
“When the pandemic started, I was getting bored,” recalled Lecchino. “So, I asked [the owners of Citizens] if they would let me come in and start painting the walls. They gave me a key and told me to go for it.”
Citizens, which recently raised over $1.2 million in crowdfunded investments to scale their business, ultimately decided not to open in the East Village amid the pandemic. But in that process, Lecchino ended up making a deal with the owners and took over the space as his own. Inspired by the liveliness and creativity of the East Village during the summer, he was determined to bring his new café to fruition even though he knew it would be a challenge. “I went for it because I just had a gut feeling,” said Lecchino. All The Kings Horses officially opened in October 2020.
Just a few blocks down from the café, numerous food and beverage establishments continue to struggle with operations and profitability. Among these challenged businesses is Rosella, a new sustainable sushi restaurant by experienced restauranteur, TJ Provenzano. “Our tasting menu is the heart of our restaurant, where there’s so much curation and opportunity to connect with the guest,” said Provenzano. “It just doesn’t translate the same way through delivery. There’s no conversation, no experience.” Provenzano went on to lament how his sustainable sushi concept ends up being contradicted by the plastic used when preparing takeout orders; a total reversal of the environmental consciousness he aims to practice and preach with his restaurant.
Not only does delivery detract from the overall restaurant experience, it also negatively impacts businesses’ bottom line. When restaurants partner with popular delivery apps such as UberEats and DoorDash, their revenue per order gets cut — sometimes up to 30%. “I never want to deal with a third-party delivery app every again,” said Provenzano. “I look forward to the day I can cancel all of those services.” New York City restaurants have been operating at reduced capacity since the beginning of the pandemic, with periods of indoor dining completely banned over the past year. Current guidelines allow restaurants to operate at 50% indoor capacity.
For owners like Lecchino, it certainly helps that coffee consumers are already accustomed to takeaway. Plus, according to the National Coffee Association, 62% of American adults drink coffee every day. But, All The Kings Horses isn’t the only café in the neighborhood that can provide locals with their caffeine fix. In fact, the East Village had the most sidewalk café license applications out of any other neighborhood in 2020, according to data from NYC OpenData.
So, what makes All The Kings Horses so special? “I listen,” said Lecchino. “I had to let go of what I perceived would be the ideal café.”
When All The Kings Horses first opened, residents repeatedly asked if he sold soup. “I was really stubborn and initially didn’t want to do it, but everyone was asking. Now, I love selling soup,” he said. What began as one pot of soup per day has now turned into three, and it’s part of what helped keep the café afloat during its first few months. Lecchino changes his soup selection daily, including favorites such as chicken dumping, vegan broccoli cheddar, and savory lentil — his mother’s recipe. In a neighborhood where new businesses are often scrutinized for gentrifying the area, listening to what local residents want has proven to be important.
Lecchino listens in other ways too. Within just six months of opening, All The Kings Horses has already amassed a following, which loyal customers attribute to what they see as Lecchino’s personal values of compassion and community.
Josh Pugh, a fellow Australian who runs a website dedicated to helping expats who are new to the United States, praises Lecchino’s desire to make customers part of the café’s evolution and success. “He’s always interested in hearing your thoughts and ideas. It feels like you’re part of the team,” said Pugh. “The conversations are always genuine, and I think that’s why people want to revisit and come back to connect again.”
For Eliza Smith, the café is a place of belonging. “[Lecchino] and All The Kings Horses have done an incredible job at creating a sense of community during such a challenging time for many of us,” she said. “For me personally, I moved across the world without knowing many people, so it’s been amazing to have this café in the neighborhood.”
Recently, as the weather starts to warm up, Lecchino has been hosting pop-up events in the part of the café that will eventually be dedicated to indoor seating. Much like the East Village itself, the line-up of vendors has been eclectic—ranging from organic juice shops, local music bands, and fashion bloggers. While running a business undoubtedly requires self-promotion, Lecchino is happy to create partnerships and help promote others in the process.
Customers also note that Lecchino often even seeks out homeless people in the neighborhood to donate leftovers. While he sometimes takes a loss on these items, karma has shown itself to be on his side.
“People are grateful for me, and I’m so grateful for them,” said Lecchino with a huge smile under his mask, eyes beaming. “I’m so glad that I stuck it out.”
All The Kings Horses is located at 521 E 12th St., New York, NY 10009. Instagram: @atkhcafe
