New Art-Focused Coffee Shop Rhythm Zero Brews Up Upper East Side Location

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Rhythm Zero, a specialty coffee shop that doubles as an art space, is bringing its high-design aesthetic and rotating exhibitions to the Upper East Side with a new café slated to open this fall.

The new outpost will mark the brand's third location, joining its existing cafés in Greenpoint, Williamsburg and the West Village.

The new café will be located at 1339 Madison Ave. on 94th Street, taking over the space previously occupied by Mademoiselle.

Co-owner Ivana Somorai told Patch she chose the Upper East Side for its proximity to Museum Mile and Central Park, hoping to create a space that reflects the neighborhood's quieter pace and deep ties to arts and culture.

"We've always admired the Upper East Side for its unique combination of culture, history, and neighborhood character," Somorai told Patch. "Being near Museum Mile and Central Park felt especially meaningful to us because of our ongoing interest in art and design."

Somorai told Patch that the name for the café was inspired by Marina Abramović's 1974 performance "Rhythm 0," though the owners say the café has taken on its own identity.

"We wanted to create a place where great coffee, art, design, and community could exist naturally together," Somorai said. "We were drawn to the idea of creating a space shaped by the people who enter it."

The Upper East Side café will serve specialty coffee alongside rotating seasonal drinks, including signature beverages such as the Coco Americana and Blackberry Pie Matcha.

Beyond coffee, Rhythm Zero has built a following through artist collaborations and installations that blur the line between café and gallery.

The Upper East Side location will continue that approach, though with a slightly different feel.

According to the owners, the new café will feature more historical architectural references inspired by the surrounding neighborhood while maintaining the brand's design language.

Personal items from the founders' own home — a hallmark of previous locations — will also be incorporated alongside vintage furniture, custom pieces and artwork by artists from Serbia, where both owners grew up.

The goal, Somorai said, is to make the café feel lived-in rather than staged.

Rhythm Zero is currently targeting an early fall opening, though the owners noted that construction timelines could shift.

More details, including the exact opening date and menu additions, are expected closer to launch.

Know of a business opening or closing on the Upper East Side? Email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.