What's does "CC" mean?Location visited: Amherst, MA
Free WiFi ? : yesRating: 4+ [see key]For a good part of my life, I've only really looked at the coast of Massachusets as a place worth visiting, such as Boston and Martha's Vineyard. Then recently, I've had the distinct pleasure of traveling through the other 90% of the state for various reasons and have found many groovy locales.
Though an obvious pick, Amherst still towers as one of my favorite spots mid-state (though a colleague of my contends Northampton as superior). Aside from nearby U Mass, the town boasts a pretty cool spread with decent parking and seemingly plenty to do.
One such happening destination proved to be the decade-old coffeehouse, Rao's Coffee. The place sits a little off the center streets which gives it a nice secluded ambiance with more than plenty of outside seating amidst a beautiful courtyard and patio. Once you walk inside, the place grabs a lot of natural light from its windows as well as their huge globe lights and has two rooms with more than enough seating.
Rao's roasts their coffee at a seperate location in nearby Hadley and had a good variety available at their cafe. That fine morning of my visist, I had the Tanzanian Peaberry, roasted a little dark for drip, which had a flare of char that added a little spice as well as nice grape presence (not endemic of the roast). The espresso was pulled in two medium shots, had decent crema, a little lime up front, a nice chocolate milk flavor and a tinge of pretzel on the caboose. The tea I noted but right now, I cannot read what I wrote.Given the cool location and the fair coffee, I would say that Rao's adds a nice facet to the town. If nearby, give Rao's a try.
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What's does "CC" mean?
Location visited: Newton, MA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]Since I wanted to avoid some needless morning traffic in a recent stay in Boston, I made sure to make my hotel stay right outside the city. Knowing that I had to head west on 90, I found (what turned out to be) a Super 8 not too far from a reputable establishment called Taste Coffee House.
After checking out of the hotel, I made a quick five minute drive to Taste Coffee House, located on a nice open street accompanied by many other small businesses. Taste has a basic tan exterior with a black and yellow sign and a few tables below it. Inside, the shop proved long and cozy, possessing a fair amount of table and bar seating.
The coffee comes from Massachusetts' favorite coffee roaster (or at least what seems to be), Terroir Coffee. From Taste's assortment of pump pots I chose the Taste Coffee House Light blend, a drip that had the taste of sweet tea, bread dough, and hints of almond. The brew all together made for a nice light coffee, though the batch I sampled proved a bit stale (I guess more people picked the dark blend that morning). I also ordered a double espresso, also from Terroir that day (though they do switch up their espresso offerings from other places). The barista pulled two good shots that held delicious complexity; a tang of lemon, tinges of fig, a smooth body and an overall bright oral presence. As for other drinks, the tea is free leaf and they also serve beer and wine.
Quite pleased with my fortunes of both a good hotel and the nearby Taste, I left the coffee house in a most amiable mood. And to make the morning even better, I found a great whoopie pie at the nearby Bread and Chocolate Bakery (not breakfast food, but oh so delicious).
Whether you're driving on a commute out or into Boston, make a stop at Taste Coffee House.
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What's does "CC" mean?
Location visited: Cambridge, MA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]As much as I love Boston, I've never been good at navigating it. On my first trip there as "captain," I led my party of ten travelers quickly astray and ended up parking a good 20 minute walk away from our destination. Subsequent trips have proven better as I've gotten the layout down a bit more but ever still, I rely on my internal compass and divine intervention.
On my most recent trip, I had plans to make it up to Cambridge to give a hot coffee spot called Simon's Coffee Shop a try. But due to a little lack of reconnaissance on my part, I only gave myself 30 minutes to get from Brookline to Simon's before they closed, amidst a bustling Friday night with not a parking spot in sight. Fortunately, I made it (thank God, as my natural direction did not work as well as I'd hope) and I practically stampeded through their front doors with 20 minutes to spare.
The shop holds nice red walls, worn wood floors and a great deal of furniture (a few pieces outside and many pieces in). Simon's gets their coffee from Terroir Coffee, a company powered by the famed George Howell, as well as from Barismo. For drip I tried Terroir's Matalapa, a coffee that displayed the sweet flavors reminiscent of an apple and the subtle spiciness of tobacco, along with a smooth brightness that made for a grand cup. For the espresso, I had Barismo's Soma. The shots were pulled short with the a Sweet Tart-ish cherry up front and subsequent notes of unsweetened cocoa and black tea. The tea itself is free leaf.
With 1 minute left to closing, I hurried out the door happy for the fortune of making it in time. I would recommend stopping in, but for those not familiar with the construct of Boston, make sure to give yourself some extra time to navigate without pressure.
All in all, a nice gem to the area of Cambridge.
What's a Coffee Commentary?
Subject: Esselon Cafe
Location visited: Hadley, MA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]
Day-long conferences without a drop of decent coffee is a bit of a trial, but very worth it when you stumble across a local gem on the way home.
Traveling west from U Mass Amherst, my fellow colleagues and I had a long road ahead of us and as I was behind the wheel, I was aching for a decent cup of coffee. I noticed a place on our way in that looked like it served coffee (had a coffee cup on the sign) but also noticed that it said "now serving breakfast." The sign as well as the the title "cafe" made me wonder whether it was a legit coffeehouse or one of the many eateries labeled cafe that gives the impression that they serve good coffee, only to shatter my hopes the second I see the old coffee sitting on a hot plate next to the deep fryer.
Fortunately, Esselon Cafe was not an awaiting disappointment. Walking up to the red awnings of the stand-alone building, I could see the expected coffee menu. The inside was spacious and pleasantly arranged, with both inside and outside seating.
Moving on to the coffee, it's all roasted in-house and displays a nice variety. The java sampled held a beautiful body and splendid flavor. Similarly, the espresso was pulled decently by a very congenial barista and tasted bright and lucious. The tea was Oishi.
As mentioned above, the stop at Esselon definitely made my drive home a whole lot sweeter. If you frequent nearby U Mass or happen to be in the area, I would definitely make a recommendation to stop in for a good cup of coffee.
