Monday, October 22, 2018

Boxwood Coffee




Subject: Boxwood Coffee
Location Visited: Summit, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Despite the immense population density of northeast NJ, the options for great coffee are still fairly sparse in these congested lands. One can usually stand on any main road and spot a coffee-slinging entity, yet nine out of ten times that shop is hardly worth the visit. It's almost easier to find an honest NJ politician than a good cup of coffee.

Fortunately, the presence of quality coffeehouses seems to be slowly improving, with what seems like more local cafes taking root in the diverse suburban landscape. One such local shop that's been going strong these past four years is Boxwood Coffee. Located in Summit and Westfield, I had the opportunity recently to finally stop by their original location for a short respite and a cup of coffee. The cafe resides in a beautiful brick building, with large open windows and tall ceilings. Inside, the cafe is impeccably decorated with an illustrious aesthetic that flows effortlessly throughout. 

As for coffee, they roast their own coffee for filtered infusions but serve Intelligentsia for espresso. The day of my visit, I ordered an espresso of Black Cat and a pourover of a single origin Rwandan. The espresso, pulled short/medium with brown crema, resonated with lemon, chocolate, buttered cracker, ginger, lime zest and a little oregano, proving sweet and solid. The pourover also made for a tasty infusion, with notes of wheat, raspberry, pear, blackberry jam, pie crust and celery in a light/medium body. 

All things considered, Boxwood seems to have the right stuff to make decent coffee in the area a continued reality. If you happen to be in either Summit or near Westfield, definitely make a stop to wet your whistle and keep the NJ coffee scene flourishing. 




These wonderful folks made this visit possible in part. Make sure to check them out!


 

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