TipTop

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: TipTop
Location: Thomas, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Often I find myself in great towns purely because I heard there was great coffee there. Such was the case with Thomas, WV and the grand repute of local coffee oasis TipTop. I had been traveling northeast from Elkins and had planned a small detour for some mid-morning espresso and instead found a glorious small town full of interesting small businesses. In the midst of the multi-leveled streets dug into the hillside was my quarry, the illustrious TipTop.

TipTop struck me almost immediately as a place worth the stop. The shop sits inside an old brick building complete with large front windows that spill oodles of sunlight onto the wood floors. The interior is a beautiful mixture of a saloon, a general store and an upscale coffee shop, all balanced to offer plenty of seating with an open ambiance. 

I set my stuff next to a kids corner full of toys (which I greatly appreciated as a father of 3) and then got in line for coffee. I ended settling upon a drink each from their two roasters: an espresso of Forty Weight's Myriad Espresso and an Ethiopia Sidama Natural Process pourover from Small Planes. The espresso, pulled short/medium with brown crema, flooded me with notes of chocolate, smoked cherries, lemon, heavy cream, brown sugar and a touch of romaine, proving deliciously complex and nicely balanced. The pourover also made for an excellent infusion, full of bright, fruity decadence including flavors of blueberry, caramel, peeled oranges, blackberry preserves, passion fruit and biscuits.

To put it simply, TipTop easily made it into my top 20 all-time coffee experiences, not only because of the excellently brewed beans, but also thanks to all the myriad of factors that make TipTop a worthy destination for any tourist. If Thomas is even remotely nearby, take a day trip to soak in the unique sights and drink up the refreshing coffee.





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