New York City loves a good plot twist, especially when it involves food. And at On Lab, a Lower East Side coffee shop at 106 Rivington Street, your morning caffeine run can take a decidedly unexpected turn: Japanese-inspired sushi tacos.
Because apparently, choosing between coffee, sushi and tacos is officially a problem of the past.
Meet On Lab: Coffee by Day, Sushi Tacos on the Side
On Lab is playing by its own rules with a concept that combines specialty coffee, creative drinks and Japanese-inspired hand tacos in one neighborhood stop. By day, the café serves coffee, matcha and inventive cold beverages. Later, its bistro side brings the savory surprises.
Among the drinks worth a closer look are yuzu cold brew, orange Americano and orange-guava cold brew. There’s also the Soosoo Latte, a combination of espresso, corn milk, coconut milk and sweet corn sauce. It sounds like your coffee order took a detour through a culinary laboratory — which, given the name, feels entirely appropriate.
Sushi Meets Taco at 106 Rivington Street
The real curveball, however, is the sushi taco.
Rather than a traditional tortilla, On Lab uses crispy seaweed to wrap Japanese-inspired fillings, creating a playful mash-up between sushi and a handheld taco. The lineup includes crab, eel, tempura and a crab-and-tempura combination.
In other words, it’s sushi that has ditched the chopsticks and embraced its inner street food.
The format also makes the menu ideal for anyone who wants something more interesting than the usual pastry alongside their iced latte. Whether you’re exploring the Lower East Side or simply looking for a new lunch destination, On Lab offers a reason to rethink the standard café stop.
The Lower East Side’s Next Food Obsession?
Located at 106 Rivington Street, New York, NY 10002, On Lab is leaning into the neighborhood’s appetite for creative concepts and unexpected flavor combinations.
Coffee first. Sushi tacos next. And absolutely no pressure to explain your order to anyone.
In a city overflowing with cafés, On Lab is making a convincing case that sometimes the best discoveries come with a little seaweed crunch.
