about
Communitea
Communitea was established in 2005, located in the Hunters Point neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens, New York. It was founded by husband-wife partners Kafia Saxe and Lloyd Canning with the intent of creating a casual "third place" to enjoy a really good "cuppa," to share a delicious meal and to gather together for community events!
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Over the past 18 years we served countless lunchess, signature tea-lattes and was the go-to for breakfast in LIC! We offered comfort food and pastries that accommodated a range of dietary needs and appetites including vegan and gluten-free. Our family friendly space accommodated groups, strollers and every occasion for parties! Communitea was the hub for everyone no matter what the preference. It was our pleasure to serve you and be a part of your family and routine~ xo
past
History
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2005, opened our doors on Vernon Blvd and 47th Ave in a corner retail space built in1931 that was originally a family-owned pharmacy. We served the long-time locals, tourists and new residents for nearly a decade in that location, creating lasting friendships. During that time Communitea was featured in many network TV shows and films including Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's comedy "Baby Mama," "Ugly Betty," "Elementary," and "Person of Interest." Notably, it had a reoccurring role in the series "Gossip Girl" as Vanessa's cafe.
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2015, moved to our current location: a former luncheonette dating back to 1934. We kept the skylights and the Mid-Century facade and fashioned the space into a modern luncheonette with a checkered floor, floor-to-ceiling chalkboard walls and "Atomic" double-cone wall sconces. We outfitted our antique Postal Telegraph clock with red neon from Krypton Neon to complete the look.
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The community showed us love by voting us TimeoutNY's Most-Loved Coffee Shop in Queens from 2016 -2018!
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2017, started our event nights: Art Shows, Blood Bingo, Chamber Music, Poetry Night, Craft Club.
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2018, film location for TLC's " I Am Jazz", hosted our first Holiday Market.
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2019, created and hosted the LIC Art District Art Crawl & Holiday Market.
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2020, closed temporarily March - June due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Opened the back patio for outdoor seating; launched our website and online store.
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2021, owner Kafia Saxe receives honor during 11th Annual Black History Month Celebration, partnered with female owned small businesses: Molly Oliver Flowers as a host site for locally-grown seasonal flowers to subscribers on a weekly basis, & Architecty Studio as a host site and stockist for sustainable hand-poured candles in hand-made concrete vases.
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2022, partnered with female owned businesses: For Sea and Oats Soaps and Sheila Ross Art matcha bowls, hosted first annual Valentine Pop-up market featuring local artisans and flowers, film location for BET 2022 Hip Hop awards hosted by Fat Joe.
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2023, closed operations and sold the business to Zaruma Coffee.