New York’s Iconic Chrysler Building Now Houses a WatchHouse

Howard Bryman | June 26, 2025

WatchHouse Coffee Chrysler Building New York bar

WatchHouse Coffee bar inside the Chrysler Building in New York City. All images courtesy of WatchHouse.

The Chrysler Building in New York City, once the world’s tallest building and an enduring example of Art Deco, is now home to the second United States location of the UK chain WatchHouse Coffee.

The 1,100-square-foot shop’s design embraces the iconic design of the historic building while also blending in WatchHouse’s signature modernity.

High-gloss timber paneling, curved brushed metal surfaces and warm-colored travertine flooring nod to the materials and colors found elsewhere in the building. Despite a nine-foot-diameter oculus in the shop’s ceiling that draws the eyes upward, the interior strikes a relatively subdued tone compared to the lavish flair of the Chrysler lobby.

WatchHouse CEO and Founder Roland Horne described the Chrysler Building opening as a “dream scenario” in which to honor an iconic location while expanding upon the company’s “modern coffee” approach.

WatchHouse worked with U.K.-based interior designer Deidra Hodgson and architect Sarah Carpenter to balance homage and innovation, honoring the landmark while promoting the brand. The Chrysler opening marks the 22nd WatchHouse location overall.

Following a recent acquisition of Orée Boulangeries in the UK, London-based WatchHouse also has seven new sites in development across the pond. In the U.S. the company will continue the momentum that started with last year’s Manhattan opening with a third NYC location in a new but as-yet-unannounced neighborhood.

“What we’re doing at WatchHouse is bringing that European, design-led sensibility to the table, that sense of real consideration,” Horne recently told Daily Coffee News. “The kind of hospitality that’s not just about smiling at the till, but about creating an entire atmosphere that feels good — elegant, efficient and human.”

Coffees for WatchHouse’s New York operations continue to be roasted at the Shared Roasting co-roastery in Brooklyn where production has stepped up from the Loring S15 to the Loring S35 roaster to accommodate growth.

WatchHouse Coffee Head Roaster Nikol Novotná, who oversees quality for the U.S. and UK, works closely with the New York team to match the flavor profiles as closely as possible to those delivered in the UK on the company’s Probat UG-22 machine.

Espresso-based beverages such as piccolos and flat whites are based on WatchHouse’s 1829 Espresso blend, while filter coffee offerings cycle through seasonal single-origin coffees. The Rarities program of exceptional coffees stored frozen in single doses for preparation as manual pourovers is also extended to the new shop.

Cold brew, tea, matcha lattes, chai, and hot chocolate round out the drink options available along with house-made baked goods.