Character Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Character Coffee
Location visited: Utica, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Despite not living far from Utica for several years, I think I only passed through the city once. Sadly, I did not do the area much justice in local exploration but all these years later I am happy to make up for lost time. On one recent jaunt to the area, I was even further motivated to stop in the city when I found a coffeehouse of great repute called Character Coffee. 

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.

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.

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.

The Board and Brew

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Board and Brew
Location: College Park, MD
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

It often astounds me how few board game cafes I have come across in my travels. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough, but I can count on one hand the number of coffee shops and eateries that have boasted copies of Settlers of Catan and King of Tokyo, never mind full shelves of games unknown to even the nerdiest of poindexters. But fortune shined upon me one cloudy evening traveling through Maryland when I found a true diamond in the rough.

The Coffee Bar

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Coffee Bar
Location visited: 1201 South St NW, Washington DC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While seasonal rain is welcome for purposes of irrigation and staving off drought, downpours during a day in the city sure make the day a little more challenging. Fortunately when recently I ran into this dilemma in DC, I had planned a visit to the African American Civil War Memorial Museum and a highly-reputed coffee stop nearby called The Coffee Bar.

Common Grounds

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Common Grounds
Location: Waco, TX
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

When I was a college student, I often yearned for a great coffee spot near campus where I could study, meet up with friends or catch some live music. Now in my older age, I'm not so much looking for acoustic renditions of Everlong but I definitely still appreciate quality coffee spaces that can accommodate open mic nights.