Sagebrush Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Sagebrush Coffee Shop and Roastery
Location: Chandler, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

It certainly is no indication of good coffee, but there's something about giant coffee shops. There are precious few in the northeast but once the region of super high rents begins to fade in the rear view mirror, the landscape starts to blossom with shops the size of houses. One recent visit to Arizona turned up a fine specimen, a gorgeous, large footprinted cafe slinging out good coffee called Sagebrush.

Persimmon Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Persimmon Coffee
Location: Philadelphia, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I traverse Northern Liberties much less than I used to, but it's always good to see quality coffee shops when I do get over there. One seasonal day, I had some time to squander so I made over to a shop I had heard much good of, a cafe called Persimmon Coffee.

Lit / Monocacy

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Monocacy Coffee Co / Lit Coffee
Location: Bethlehem, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I have fabulous memories of Bethlehem, PA. I recall visiting a distant cousin and going to a Christmas market as a child, stopping by for numerous respites while passing through and recently, a long-overdue tour of the silent steel mill. Sadly not many of these visits had a great coffee stop but that fortunately changed on my most recent visit.

Yellow Brick Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Yellow Brick Coffee
Location: Tucson, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While wandering through Tucson on my last trip, I found myself in a business park looking for great coffee. While this location is no longer present (see the new storefront pictured from their website above), I found myself at the (old) roastery location for Yellow Brick Coffee.

Foxtail Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Foxtail Coffee
Location visited: Hunter's Creek in Orlando, FL
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

About 10 or so years ago, it always shocked me how much the Orlando area lacked great coffee. I then chalked it up to high real estate prices or people not wanting hot beverages, but despite whatever the hurdles, good coffee is far more plentiful now amidst the area strip malls. One particular contributor to the coffee scene is the many locations of one particular coffee enterprise called Foxtail Coffee. 

First Village Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: First Village Coffee
Location: Ossining, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Everyone has heard of Sleepy Hollow, but not many people traverse the once-sleepy-now-insanely-populated hamlet just over the Tappan Zee bridge (and before you correct me, that will always be the bridge name). Dotted with plenty of cute towns, one particular area stood out to me not for its affinity for pumpkin skulls, but instead for its quality coffee.

18 Grams Coffee Lab

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: 18 Grams Coffee Lab
Location: Culpeper, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

How I still wish I liked bicycling! I like the idea of the exercise, I like the idea of being dependent more on my own muscles for locomotion and I love coffee. Sadly the disconnect for me comes into elements of time and terrain, so for now I will just patronize the bike outfits that offer cafes.

Pair Cupworks

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Pair Cupworks
Location visited: Mesa, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Cafes that open for but a few hours have either mastered supply and demand, or they hold defiantly to old convention. And since few shops that have lines wrap around the block for a truncated AM rush, I would postulate that most cafes are letting prime real estate sit unused the majority of the day. 

Grit Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Grit Coffee
Location visited: Elliewood, Charlottesville, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

A great coffeehouse next to a college campus is something that is surprisingly lacking around most universities. Personally, I have attended or worked at several colleges that for one reason or another, had no good shop within walking distance of campus. Sure, it's not the end of the world, but the joy of drinking excellent coffee while you wander a nice campus cannot be easily matched.

Fog & Flame

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Fog & Flame Craft Coffee
Location: Bloomsberg, PA

WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I find that Pennsylvania still has gems unearthed even after criss-crossing the eastern half for the last twenty-something years. One particular new-to-me place was a town called Bloomsburg. Having seen it frequently in pamphlets as the backdrop to the local university, I was finally able to become acquainted with the town and a local coffee shop. 

GrindTime Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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

Traveling for business often means random breaks perfect for coffee shop hunting. Equipped with a car during a recent conference in Phoenix, I had an hour to kill between sessions and I headed over to a new-to-me shop called GrindTime Coffee.

The Walk In

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Walk In
Location: Livingston Manor, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Good coffee rarely exists alongside good food. I know I say it a lot, but it's worth repeating since there is no excuse I'm willing to hear. Most eateries that dish quality meals still, even in this age of great coffee options, serve sad java to their patrons. Conversely, many coffee shops that serve excellent drinks (can) rarely serve a solid full menu. It is the great coffee-food conundrum. 

Mudhouse Coffee Roasters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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

It's not often that one experiences a coffee shop at a trade show, but such was the case with Coffee Fest some years ago. Trying a different form of competition, they tried a Best Coffeehouse competition and it was at such a NYC competition I ran into Mudhouse. Not having been to their native Charlottesville, I was blown away by their coffee and skill and vowed to one day make it to their Virginia shop.

Kream Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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

Combining a coffee shop with another business (or visa versa) has always been a great idea, but what happens from inception to conception can make or break the notion. 

Blackwatch Cafe

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Blackwatch Cafe
Location: Scranton, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Many coffee shops exist in a minimalist, white-walled retail space with some minor charm, but sometimes a unique gem works its way into the mix. Such was a winter visit to Scranton to a stand-alone stone shop at a public park where I found what looked more at home in the Scottish highlands than northeast Pennsylvania. 

La Vida Coffee + Market

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: La Vida Coffee + Market
Location: Lynchburg, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Large coffee shops are not very common in urban areas, yet Lynchburg boasts one of the largest I have seen east of the Mississippi. 

Xanadu Coffee Company

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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

While I have been to Phoenix a few times, I feel that I have only seen small chunks of the area. To that end, each visit I try to scope out new spots to frequent, especially those of the coffee persuasion.

Morgantown Coffee House

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Morgantown Coffee House
Location: Elverson, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Some of my favorite coffeehouses are watering holes that seemingly come out of nowhere. Whether it's an excellent-yet-poorly-marked coffeehouse in the desert or an excellent espresso stand in a random museum, I love a good surprise.

Nancy's Coffee Bar

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Nancy's Coffee Bar
Location visited: Strasburg, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Virginia has been a crossroads for many of my trips, but nearly every time, new spots to visit often show up. One recent road trip due southwest, I came across a cute town called Strasburg with a promising coffee shop, a place called Nancy's Coffee Bar.

The Station on Kings

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Station on Kings
Location visited: Lewes, DE
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Great coffee coupled with an excellent bakery, garden supplies and home goods is a winning combination that surprisingly few places have attempted, never mind mastered. One of the places doing a great job with said facets is located on the coast of Delaware, in a gorgeous establishment called The Station on Kings. 

ThreeBirds Coffee House

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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

Old house architecture so often gets lost to time and private ownership. Sure, that's kind of the point of houses, but when a gorgeous gem of a residence takes on new life as a more public space, its like sharing or learning a beautiful secret.

Driftwood Coffee

 Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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

The more I travel, the more I have found that two things invariably happen. The first is that over time, you see more of the similarities between locations than differences. The second is opposite, that the things that you deeply desire for your home turf will stand out like crystal fountains. 

The Almeta

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Almeta
Location: Cape Charles, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Quality hotel experiences are still rarely paired with superb coffee, even in this day and age where such coffees have become far more common. Granted I have not stayed at many establishments these past years, but in my observations, it seems most hotels are content to offer a k-cup or packet of cheap satisfaction. 

Elementary Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Elementary Coffee Co.
Location: Harrisburg, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I remember the first time I drove past the Pennsylvania Capitol building and was struck with its keystone majesty. As far as capitols go, it's one of the better state structures I've visited, not only because of its impressive architecture but also due to the surrounding city, including multiple coffee shops of great worth.

Golf Park Coffee Co.

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Golf Park Coffee Co.
Location visited: Langhorne Rd, Lynchburg, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Coffee shops have often been accused of looking fairly cookie cutter, with white walls and minimalist design, so when less conventional gems turn up, they shine all the brighter. One of my most recent favorites was the cozy, newest location of Golf Park Coffee Co. in Lynchburg.

Mythical Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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

When visiting far off cities, barista recommendations are usually a solid source of wisdom. I usually have a short list of places to try, but getting verification or a even a surprise qualified suggestion is usually the beacon that helps further light my path unto great coffee, with only occasional mishaps. 

Little Key Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Little Key Coffee
Location: Hightstown, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Hightstown might be the first town that I put on my list of places to visit solely for coffee purposes. The year was back in the early 2000s and I had a good friend that always raved about a local shop and their coffee. Several years later, I finally was able to stop by and found the cafe utterly disappointing. A decade later said cafe closed its doors and Hightstown became but a sad memory of coffee disappointment.

Grounded Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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

It is always fun visiting friends, especially when they live in an area that always seems to have a new coffee shop. On my most recent foray to the Williamsburg area, I was fortunate to meet up with a good chum at a cafe new to me: Grounded Coffee in Newport News. 

Thank You Thank You

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Thank You Thank You Coffee Brewers
Location: Philadelphia, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Jewelers' Row has not been one of my frequent stops in Philly, mainly because I buy very few gems (my wife does not allow me to buy her jewelry anymore), yet nonetheless, I have long loved to visit occasionally. So when I found out a newer coffee shop was brewing up a variety of great roasters in a cozy corner on the row, I made quick plans to visit.