Village Coffee and Goods

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Village Coffee and Goods
Location: Kingston, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While everyone dreams of vacations being in far-off and exotic places, sometimes the most relaxing ones exist in your backyard. Recently I had a few days to spend with the family and we decided to keep it local and head north to the Adirondacks.

Broadsheet Coffee Roasters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Broadsheet Coffee Roasters
Location: Cambridge, MA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

No visit to Boston is complete without a stop in Cambridge. While the parking can be difficult and the sidewalks overflowing with a mix of tourists and students, it's definitely a section of the country that offers much in so compact an area.

Congregation Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Congregation Coffee
Location visited: Algiers Point, New Orleans, LA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While the French Quarter is great, exploring the greater NOLA area really rounded out and more fully illustrated the majesty of the crescent city. One such stop off the beaten path involved heading acrosst river to Algiers Point, a charming neighborhood full of colorful homes and a coffeehouse that has long been on my list to visit.

Gracenote Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Gracenote Coffee
Location: Boston, MA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While large, spacious coffeehouses occupy a hallowed place in my heart, I do also greatly enjoy the more cozy cafes of the urban landscape. Carved into city corners and architectural oddities, such a shop doesn't necessarily need to command a certain square footage to be excellent, but more so, it pulls in customers due only to coffee excellence and miscellaneous splendor.

Tucker

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Tucker
Location visited: Easton, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I greatly cherish periodically visiting the towns and cities situated on the Delaware River north of Trenton. With lovely whistle-stops like Frenchtown and Stockton as well as fun activities like tubing downriver, it's a scenic region with plenty of attractions.

Spitfire Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Spitfire Coffee
Location visited: New Orleans, LA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

The French Quarter remains one of the most unique and iconic urban neighborhoods on the North American continent. For hundreds of years it has thrived, known for its jazz, flooding issues and its unique cuisine. Yet for all of its gastro-attractions, until recently the area stood fairly bereft of quality coffee. One place that helped change that is Spitfire.

Kohi Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Kohi Coffee
Location visited: Boston, MA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Sometimes fortune comes easy. Albeit such occurrences are rare, but when they do happen, even small things like finding a free onion ring in your sundae feel just like randomly bumping into Elijah Wood for a rare selfie with the wife (mine, not his).

Giant Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Giant Coffee
Location: Phoenix, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Some people dabble in coffee, but for most people, coffee is a huge part of their routine. So when I stumbled across a place called Giant Coffee in Phoenix, it resonated with me deeply.

Canvas Coffee House

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Canvas Coffee House
Location: Newport News, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

For many years I visited the Williamsburg area and never had much luck finding good coffee outside of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. But finally after years of dearth, a quality establishment called Canvas Coffee House opened its doors in Newport News.

Bolt Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Bolt Coffee
Location Visited: Dean Hotel, Providence, RI
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Waking up before the sun comes easy to few people. There's something about starting your day in the dark that makes getting out of bed that much harder. Fortunately, not all early risings are laborious, and sometimes getting up at 3 a.m. means the start of a multi-state road trip, full of good coffee stops.

Berdena's

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Berdena's

Location: Scottsdale, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Of all the Arizona towns I have visited, Scottsdale struck me as one of the prettiest and walkable. I was only there for a day here and there, but each time it seemed like a great place to reside. Then on top of those selling points, add great coffee into the equation and now I'm looking at real estate.

King Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: King Coffee
Location: Tempe, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

A lot of Arizona days require an indoor sanctuary, cool and shaded from the desert sun. Such was my dilemma one scorching morning in Tempe when I found myself outside the doors of a local coffeehouse near my hotel, a cozy strip mall shop called King Coffee.

Rare Bird Coffee Roasters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Rare Bird Coffee Roasters
Location: Falls Church, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

As I recall it, the DC metro area was one of the few places on the east coast to first spawn (or at least feature) good coffee over a decade ago. Since then, excellent roasters and quality espresso havens have continued to thrive despite the horrid traffic and rising rents.

Solo Espresso

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Solo Espresso
Location: New Orleans, LA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

When I first planned out a recent trip to New Orleans, one of the first Airbnb spots my wife spied sat adjacent to a coffeehouse. Never being too hopeful that such convenience can result in great coffee, I got my hopes appropriately low and googled the shop. Little did I know that said cafe would soon become one of my favorite coffee shops in the city.

Oak Creek Espresso

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Oak Creek Espresso
Location: Sedona, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Sedona continues to be one of my favorite spots in Arizona. My first visit south into the canyon from Flagstaff still gives me chills when I recall the majestic red rocks and towering pine trees.

King Street Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: King Street Coffee
Location: Leesburg, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Growing up, I did not truly appreciate Virginia. To my teenage logic, it was the large state next to DC, home of Busch Gardens Williamsburg and numerous battlefields. But as I grew and the more often I visited, I discovered that Virginia holds a plethora of great stuff to offer.

Futuro

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Futuro
Location: Phoenix, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

There are a few days each year where going out for coffee is more about escaping the heat than getting a cup of joe. These last few days across much of the USA has reminded many of the glory of a great air conditioner, especially when cold air is pumping throughout a great coffeehouse.

Chocolate Moose Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Chocolate Moose
Location: Beckley, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]

For as much as I love mini golf, I am surprised that more serious coffee shops do not abut them. When I have seen such golf-and-coffee combos, a good marriage between two complimentary businesses seems to thrive, especially if they put little tables or cup holders at each hole so walking around with a latte is not a feat of dexterity.

Ironclad Coffee Roasters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Ironclad Coffee Roasters
Location: Richmond, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

As much as I love new structures hot off the architectural presses, there is nothing more rapturous than a repurposed antiquated structure into a beautiful coffee shop. I don't know about the average joe, but joy quickly fills my heart at seeing the old bones of a 17th century haberdashery turned into a high-end cafe or a Victorian London toilet made into a hip coffee joint.

Rise Coffee House

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Rise Coffee House
Location: St. Louis, MO
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Everyone wants a good coffeehouse somewhere in their morning routine, whether they know it or not. There's something transcendently better about grabbing a cup of freshly-made quality drip coffee with an egg-laden buttermilk biscuit from a local coffee purveyor, versus making it at home or work. Fortunately for the folks of The Grove in St. Louis, Rise Coffee House exists to make such AM dreams a reality.

Exo Roast Co.

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Exo Roast Co.
Location: Tucson, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While I quite enjoy the eastern side of the USA, the sudden burst of heavy humidity every year around June makes me pine for drier regions. That's probably one reason I took such a quick fancy to Tucson. Even in the summer, its beautiful landscapes and agreeable climate made it a nice respite from the constant moisture that is the East Coast.

Alchemy Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Alchemy Coffee and Bake House
Location: Lawrence, KS
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Thanks to the great work of several professionals and a handful of coffee establishments, I have come to hold Kansas in high esteem when it comes to specialty coffee. Sure it might be a less-populated state, but through the past decade it seems that Kansas has been continually blessed with a good sampling of excellent coffee. 

Dirtbean

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Dirtbean
Location: Marlinton, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]

Sometimes local roads are the only way to see the country. I know far too many people that cling to the interstate highway, choosing travel expediency over more scenic routes, yet it's often this misguided prioritization that leaves local gems undiscovered and unique beauty overlooked.

Firecreek Coffee Company

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Firecreek Coffee Company
Location visited: Flagstaff, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

My first trip through Flagstaff was a whirlwind detour during my first cross-country road trip back in 2004. Sadly, my entourage had no interest in stopping and thus the city lay unexplored for 15 more years before I could return.

Comet Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Comet Coffee
Location visited: St. Louis, MO
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Coffee, croissants and ice cream create a trio that has few equals. Sure, many cafes can boast at least two of those things, but to forge all three in-house with well-crafted results is a sight one beholds in but a handful of establishments.

Rise 'N Grind Cafe

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Rise 'N Grind Cafe
Location: Rising Sun, MD
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

It always amazes me how most folks don't explore their regional backyards. Whether it's ignoring local tourist sights or avoiding scenic detours, few people seem to fully drink in what their area has to offer.

Taylor Books Cafe

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Taylor Books Cafe
Location: Charleston, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Local bookstores have largely vanished from the landscape, becoming a rare sight in most lands. Gone are the days of literary emporiums being ubiquitous with regular life, with only libraries really remaining as the final bastions of casual literary perusal. Whether it was a place to kill some time looking at new titles or a rendezvous for learning and coffee, such book havens are too few indeed.

Provision Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Provision Coffee
Location visited: Phoenix, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

New construction is often the realm of giant coffee chains, but every now and then a local coffee establishment creates a new space and raises the bar a notch.

Eurasia Coffee & Tea

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Eurasia Coffee and Tea
Location: Springfield, MO
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Many times when looking for a place to crash for a few days, I hope to find affordable-yet-swanky lodging that either offers excellent coffee or has good coffee within a short walk. Often such El Dorados are hard to come by, but every now and then one materializes out of nowhere.

Peixoto Coffee Roasters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Peixoto Coffee Roasters
Location: Chandler, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

With a strong push towards improving the profit due to the coffee farmer, there has been a number of approaches concocted to better accomplish sustainable living wages for the very folks making coffee a reality. Practices like 'Direct Trade' and 'Relationship Coffees' have (partly) given rise to roasters and importers making stronger ties with farmers and the regions from where they import, thus not only establishing better prices, but a better model for return business.

Yet of all the existing practices, family trade transcends it all.

Mea Cuppa Coffeebar

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Mea Cuppa Coffeebar
Location visited: Capitol Market, Charleston, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Every city needs a good local market. Philly has the Reading Terminal, Seattle has Pike Place and Charleston, West Virginia has the Capitol Market. Located in an old railroad terminal, the Capitol Market has been providing excellent food, produce and general good stuff to West Virginia since the late 1990s.

High Voltage Cafe

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: High Voltage Cafe
Location visited: (Downtown) Asbury Park, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

It was about twelve years ago that I made my first visit to Asbury Park. Given the occasion, it was more of a truncated stop than a true visit, and until a few years ago I really never made it back.

McLain's Market

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: McLain's Market
Location visited: Lawrence, KS
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Gorgeous, local markets and quality coffee shops bordering universities are two of my favorite things to visit, so when they're combined into one establishment, my ears perk up and a small pilgrimage usually ensues. Fortunately, my latest encounter with such a rare mash-up found me while traversing the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Having not known about this gem prior to my arrival in town, I stumbled upon a place called McLain's Market one early morning, housed in resplendent glory within the old KU bookstore.

Regroup Coffee and Bicycles

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Regroup Coffee + Bicycles
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While I love a good bike ride, I have never been able to fully get into regular bicycling. Maybe it's the fickle NJ winters coupled with the lack of safe roads in my region, or maybe it's that I tend to drive a lot and when I get home I don't feel like navigating the byways any longer. But I tend to think that if I were to move to a warmer climate with a little more open road, I would lean closer to regular riding.

Quantum Bean Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Quantum Bean Coffee
Location: Morgantown, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

One of my favorite types of coffeehouses are ones blooming deep in residential neighborhoods. There's something oddly appropriate about quality shops nestled in the thick of family dwellings; in my opinion, it puts the coffee in community.

Quay Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Quay Coffee
Location visited: Delaware St, Kansas City, MO
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

My first visit to Kansas City turned out far shorter than I had hoped, lasting but mere minutes. Flying in for a wedding back in 2006, I arrived in KC with family and a few conflicting views on how to best spend the time prior to the nuptials. Unfortunately, going into the city to get a real cup of coffee did not make the cut, and I drove away from the city forlorn and destitute of espresso.

Cafe Brio

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Cafe Brio
Location: Hillsborough, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

New Jersey might be small in size but much like the small intestines or a thrift shop packed with treasure, there's a lot going on crammed into a tiny area. I am often reminded of this fact when I pass through towns and find brand new-to-me stuff overlooked in past travels.

Presta Coffee Roasters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Presta Coffee Roasters
Location Visited: 1st Ave, Tucson, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

One thing that often drops my jaw when I traverse the west is the number of aesthetically gorgeous coffee shops. Whether it's a reclaimed wood shop in Oregon or a coffee bar exquisitely situated inside a shipping container in San Francisco, it astounds me how relatively boring the east coast is by comparison.

Moxxee Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Moxxee Coffee
Location: Charleston, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Everyone remembers their first interaction with West Virginia coffee (right?). For me, it was at a specialty coffee expo booth sampling some coffee for some forgotten reason, but realizing that the roaster was from the West Virginian capital, a place then completely uncharted on my map. It was that day I made the acquaintance of Moxxee Coffee and Charleston became a destination in my world.

PT's Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: PT's Coffee Roasting Co
Location Reviewed: Topeka, KS
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I remember when I first got into quality coffee around 2006 that there were a few names well-known across the nation. One of those roasters of renown was PT's Coffee out of Kansas, a roaster I first sipped (and later reviewed) all the way back in 2008. Through the past decade, PT's has continuously impressed me with their excellent coffees yet a visit to Kansas to try them out on their home turf continuously eluded me.

Press Coffee Roasters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Press Coffee Roasters
Location Reviewed: Tempe, in Nexa Apartments
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

It takes a lot of hard work to get legitimate national repute for excellent coffee. While there are tons of criteria that set great roasters apart from good roasters, I would cite two factors as most important: an adherence to consistent quality and an adaptable ingenuity that rolls and develops where opportunity allows. Having a good eye for design also helps (people do like books with nice covers).