A Poetica Espresso location in Manhattan in 2023. New York-based Poetica is underneath investigation by the U.S. Division of Justice after a social media publish saying the corporate would refuse service to Rep. Dan Goldman. “Poetica Espresso storefront, St. Mark’s Place / 2nd Ave, Manhattan” photograph by Eden, Janine and Jim through Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
The U.S. Division of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into New York-based impartial espresso store chain Poetica Espresso after the corporate took to social media to refuse future service to Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.).
In a since-deleted social media publish on Sunday, Poetica shared an image of Goldman, who’s Jewish and extensively described as pro-Israel, at one in every of its places and stated the store would have turned him away had employees acknowledged him, whereas issuing a refund.
Within the publish, Poetica wrote: “Do you see the way it doesn’t style like genocide juice? Or are you continue to having a tough time telling the distinction? See, right here at Poetica, we don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anybody in between.”
Assistant Legal professional Common for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon introduced the probe on X Monday. “Federal legislation prohibits public lodging comparable to espresso retailers from discriminating towards patrons based mostly on their race, faith, or nationwide origin,” she wrote, including that the Civil Rights Division “will deliver an enforcement motion if warranted.”
Yelp appeared to have briefly disabled critiques for Poetica listings underneath its public-attention assessment coverage, which is designed to restrict critiques not based mostly on firsthand buyer expertise. Poetica additionally shared what it stated had been dying threats obtained by means of Instagram earlier than its account gave the impression to be deactivated.
Poetica describes itself as an impartial group of New York cafes, with the unique opened by Uzbek immigrant Parviz Mukhamadkulov on Smith Road in Brooklyn in 2020. The corporate’s web site lists seven places throughout Brooklyn, the East Village and different neighborhoods.
On its web site, the chain says it’s constructed across the Uzbek idea of mehmon — the sacred visitor — and has partnered with native organizations on refugee resettlement and employment. The corporate’s tagline reads “radical hospitality.”
Goldman is going through a June 23 Democratic main problem from former New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, who’s backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in a race formed partly by Democratic divisions over Israel and Gaza.
The case echoes an analogous public-accommodations lawsuit filed by the DOJ in June 2025 towards Jerusalem Espresso Home in North Oakland and proprietor Fathi Abdulrahim Harara. The DOJ alleged that Jewish prospects sporting baseball caps with Stars of David had been ordered to go away the store on a number of events. That case was among the many early public-accommodations enforcement actions introduced by Dhillon after her appointment to guide the Civil Rights Division underneath the Trump administration.
Jerusalem Espresso Home’s lawyer has characterised that case as a political effort to silence pro-Palestinian voices, a cost Dhillon rejected. The case remained energetic after a decide denied the defendants’ movement to dismiss in September 2025.
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Nick Brown
Nick Brown is the editor of Each day Espresso Information by Roast Journal.
