In Defense of a $10.50 Inwood Breakfast Burrito
At G’s Coffee Shop, community comes before business
“I’m never gonna change cause I’m always gonna be the humble guy. Whenever people are in need, I’m gonna help them out.” - Steven Angel, co-owner of G’s Coffee Shop
When I arrived at G’s Coffee Shop early on a Sunday morning, the diner was already packed. Located in Manhattan’s northernmost neighborhood, Inwood, the tiny shop has become surprisingly popular after topping seemingly every list of New York’s best breakfast burritos.
I squeezed inside to place my order before waiting on the sidewalk, listening for my name over the buzz of the chaotic crowd.
I grew up on the border of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juaréz, Chihuahua, where burritos are eaten for breakfast every day. But this was unlike any burrito I had grown up with: a behemoth, layered with egg, homefries (we don’t have those in Texas), cheddar cheese, avocado, and chorizo. It must have weighed at least a pound.
I took a bite. It couldn’t be further from what I’d known or expected, but the salsa—one of the make-or-break ingredients for me—was balanced, spicy, and familiar. The eggs were perfectly cooked, the homefries added just enough crunch, and the chorizo tied everything together.
The burrito didn’t taste like home, but the people behind the counter welcomed me like I’d been coming to G’s my whole life. That’s how they are with everyone that walks through the door.
The price of this celebrated, massive breakfast burrito? Just $10.50. If it were up to the Angel family, who have owned G's since 2005, the breakfast burrito would still cost $8.99. As I learned on many subsequent visits, they have always prioritized people over profits.
