Brooklyn Coffee Shop Poetica Issues Refund to Rep. Dan Goldman, Declares Policy Against 'Genocide Enablers'

Poetica Coffee, a Brooklyn café whose owner built the brand on a stated promise of unconditional welcome, publicly disavowed a transaction with Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., on Sunday, issuing a refund after staff belatedly identified the congressman as a supporter of Israel. The shop said in a Facebook post that it would have turned Goldman away on the spot had employees recognized him earlier, a stance that drew immediate legal scrutiny and accusations of discrimination rooted in Jewish identity.

The Incident and the Post

Goldman visited the Brooklyn location with his 7-year-old daughter. After the visit, Poetica Coffee published a post on Facebook addressing the congressman directly, stating the shop does not serve "racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between." The post referenced Goldman's support for Israel and suggested his money likely came from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The shop added that the decision to refund his purchase originated with the barista, not management, and closed with a pointed reference to Goldman's upcoming Democratic primary against former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

Goldman responded on social media, saying he was disappointed by the post while noting the barista had been "nothing but kind" to him and his daughter — including allowing his daughter to use the restroom before any purchase was made. He said he bought a coffee specifically to reciprocate that kindness and expressed hope the employee would receive the tip she had earned.

Legal and Community Backlash

The post drew rapid criticism from Jewish community leaders and prompted questions about potential violations of city and state human rights law. Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, wrote on X that turning a cup of coffee into a "Jewish identity litmus test is an affront to the law, our values, and every New Yorker who rejects discrimination." Treyger raised the question of whether an identifiably Jewish customer — someone wearing a kippah or Star of David — would be required to disclose political views on Middle East policy before being served.

Fox News Digital reached out to Goldman, Poetica Coffee, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and the city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. A staffer for the shop told the New York Post only: "No comment. We stand against genocide."

A Brand Built on the Opposite Promise

The incident sits in direct tension with the public identity Parviz Mukhamadkulov, an Uzbek immigrant, constructed for the business he opened in 2020. Poetica's website carries his statement that the café is a place "where the door doesn't close on anyone" and that every guest "deserves to be welcomed" — not as a customer or a transaction, but as someone who arrived. A separate line on the site states that whoever walks through the door is treated with "unconditional dignity." Those lines now face scrutiny alongside the Facebook post that contradicted them.