Here's what we saw at Twitter's Manhattan hub.Sarah Jacobs
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We need more than 140 characters to describe Twitter's Manhattan office.
The social media platform company, which employed 3,860 people around the world as of 2016, first moved to this Chelsea, Manhattan office, in 2015. Today, more than 400 Twitter employees work there. Out of all of the company's 30-plus offices around the world, it's the second-largest office after the San Francisco headquarters.
Recently, Business Insider took a trip to the office to see if it was hashtag-worthy.
Here's what we saw when we visited:
We swung by Twitter's Manhattan hub on a sunny May morning. The company's signature bird logo greeted us in front of the building — which is really two early-20th-century warehouses stuck together.
Our first stop was the lobby, which has a coffee bar ...
... a touch screen that we used to check Twitter ...
... and some potted plants straight out of the Jurassic period.
Next up, we headed downstairs to the private, speakeasy-style café in the basement for employees.
The room has an old-fashioned, Art-Deco vibe, and is a hot spot for employees looking for an afternoon pick-me-up.
"Whenever I need a caffeine boost, I stroll down to the café and ask the barista to make the 'TJ special,'" TJ Adeshola, Twitter's head of US sports league partnerships, told us after the tour. "In fairness, I'm pretty sure the 'TJ special' is just a regular latte, but the barista plays along every time. It makes me feel special."
Any Twitter employee can grab their beverage of choice for $2.50 down here.
The coffee bar also comes with a Ripple Maker, which "prints" designs on your beverage. You can sip on words, emojis, Twitter logos, pictures of yourself, and even an image of CEO Jack Dorsey's face. We swiped through the options and decided to make a coffee concoction emblazoned with Twitter's "compose" symbol.
Coffee isn't the only drink available in this office. There's also beer on tap.
Patrons can listen to some of the classic records we found over by the straws and sugar packets ...
... or they can blast their own Spotify selections here.
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There are also a bright red phone booths for private phone calls and some comfy seats for anyone looking to chill down here.
Employees also make a trip to the basement to take books from the office's library — as long as they leave one of their own, in return. Nola Weinstein, Twitter's head of social and experiential marketing, said the library is a treasure trove for bibliophiles. Visiting authors will often leave several copies of their latest works behind for employees to peruse.
There are also a few conference rooms in the basement, with names inspired by NYC geography.
After heading back upstairs, we passed by Twitter's "Wall for a Cause" mural, which features ever-changing artistic representations of social causes. This particular wall — by artist Debra Cartwright — is dedicated to Twitter movements by people of color, including #BlackLivesMatter.
Another eye-catching piece of art is Twitter's #LoveWhereYouWork sign. The neon artwork originated in the company's London office, but has since become a fixture in Twitter's offices around the world.
Our next stop was Twitter's enormous café, where employees can eat breakfast and lunch for free. It's run by Twitter's in-house chef Mark Gandara, who previously worked as the chef de cuisine at Red Rooster, a popular, southern-style eatery in New York City.
They're constantly mixing things up in the kitchen, which serves new options every day, like kale Caesar salads, a ramen bar, fruit smoothies, avocado toast, and even churro waffles. The pizza station is a big favorite with employees. The kitchen team is also working to recycle food and incorporate more and more local ingredients grown from within 200 miles of the office.
The café also features some vivid screens illustrating Twitter's top trends. Celebrities — like TI and Seth Meyers, just to name two recent visitors — sometimes stop by the café to chat with Twitter employees, too.
Tucked away in the corner of the café, we also saw a floral art installation. It was supposed to be temporary, but Twitter employees ended up liking it too much to take it down.
Next, we headed out of the café to check out the rest of the office. Twitter employs an open office plan, but there are plenty of places to hide away for a private phone call ...
... or even a quiet meeting.
There are also a few spots that are perfect for employees to congregate — like the mini-kitchens on each floor. Here's one with a fridge full of beer and rosé on tap for office happy hours.
"We are so lucky to have a wide range of working spaces that encourage collaboration and creativity," Niketa Patel, Twitter's news partnerships manager, told us after our tour. "From inspiring artwork to rosé on tap, this is the best office I've ever worked in!"
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Can't get enough of our Twitter tour? Check out the Instagram story we shot in the office.
