Social media erupts over Mamdani’s silence after Brooklyn coffee shop bans Jewish congressman

Zohran Mamdani announces new members of his team at the Brooklyn Public Library Greenpoint Branch in Brooklyn on Dec.17, 2025.(Shawn Inglima/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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“The café is implementing Mamdani’s wishes,” journalist Melissa Braunstein said.

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�s office for comment but did not immediately hear back.

In a since-deleted social media post,Poetica Coffeesaid it would have declined to serve Goldman had staff recognized him in the store.Goldman has notably declined to characterize Israel’s war in Gaza as a genocide and has received financial contributions from the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, drawing criticism from some on the progressive left. 

“Hey Congressman Dan Goldman, we see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee.Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice?Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?” the post said.

“See, here at Poetica, we don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between,” the post continued.“Too bad we didn’t recognize you right away, or we would have turned you away.We issued you a refund—we don’t need your money (it’s probably coming from AIPAC anyways).Enjoy your loss on Tuesday.Don’t ever come to Poetica.”

The coffee chain has since deleted its Instagram page amid social media backlash.

Mamdani’s silence comes as he is working to unseat Goldman, despite the incumbent lawmaker being a leading Trump critic and embracing an array of leftist legislative proposals.Goldman notably did not endorse Mamdani’s mayoral campaign, citing concerns about how his administration would approach Jewish New Yorkers.

A Brooklyn, N.Y., coffee shop refunded a purchase made by Rep.Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., over the weekend over his support for Israel, saying the company doesn’t serve “genocide enablers.”(Getty Images;Google Maps)

The mayor publicly backed former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander to represent Goldman’s district, which spans Lower Manhattan and deep-blue, wealthy pockets of Brooklyn.

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Democratic voters will decide whether to hand Goldman a third House term during the Empire State’s primary elections on Tuesday.

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Since both men largely hold the same policy stances, the bruising primary battle has revolved around support for Israel — with Lander vowing to elevate the Palestinian cause if elected to the House.

Goldman has notably supported military aid to Israel following Hamas’ Oct.7, 2023, attacks and distanced himself from inflammatory rhetoric used by some on the left to criticize Israel.

Goldman offered a tempered response after the coffee chain effectively banned him from their storefronts.

“I’m sorry to see this post,” he said.“The barista could not have been nicer to my 7-year-old daughter and me—allowing her to use the bathroom even though we had not purchased anything.I made sure to buy a coffee in return for her kindness.I hope you at least make sure she gets the tip that she deserved.” 

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks in support of Brad Lander, Democratic candidate for New York’s 10th Congressional District, in Carroll Park in Brooklyn on June 14, 2026.(Shuran Huang/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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AssistantAttorney Generalfor Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said Tuesday her office has opened an investigation into the matter.

“Federal law prohibits public accommodations such as coffee shops from discriminating against patrons based on their race, religion, or national origin,” Dhillon wrote.“These actions are not only reprehensible, they’re potentially illegal.”