Showing posts with label Square One Coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Square One Coffee. Show all posts

Friday, June 25, 2021

Whole and Grounded Cafe



Subject: Whole and Grounded Cafe
Location: Woodbury, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Ever drive by a shop and wonder why in the world a quality coffee shop has not opened within? I have had that phenomenom happen many times, but none more often than on the corner of Delaware and Broad in Woodbury. The space had all the trimmings for over twenty years(!) but never had a quality tenant hile I have traveled by until finally this past year.

Monday, April 29, 2019

Rise 'N Grind Cafe




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.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

The Monkey and The Elephant



Subject: The Monkey and The Elephant
Location: Philadelphia, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I have a fond place in my heart for coffee shops truly meeting a need beyond the morning americano. I've seen all different types of configurations and causes, but the first cafe I've visited that aims to help older foster youth is The Monkey and The Elephant in Philadelphia. While the cafe is only able to employ so many folks at one time, they're making big strides in individual lives and serving good coffee while doing it.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Scout and Co.



Subject: Scout and Co.
Location Visted: Scout O.N.E in Burlington, VT
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While I tend to shy away from rankings (mainly due to their subjective nature that gets passed off as empirical data), I must put Burlington as one of my favorite locations in the USA. I have been to many centers of population, and none combine the majesty of local nature so well with the amenities of a slightly urban area. I can say with utter surety that there are few things that rival a sumptuous cup of coffee sipped along the shores of Lake Champlain. 

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Folklore Coffee and Company




Subject: Folklore Coffee and Company
Location: Elizabethtown, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Dotted throughout the eastern Pennsylvania countryside exist many pleasant towns. Once places of industry, these villages exist now as centers of local culture and gathering hubs for lunch dates. Fortunately many such towns also have a rising occurrence of quality coffee, a fact that makes passing through small town PA a very pleasant journey.

Tuesday, December 01, 2015

Cafe Volan



Subject: Cafe Volan
Location: Asbury Park, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

There are two things all Jersey residents agree upon: a deep loathing for the NJ Turnpike and a noticeable respect for the musical heritage of Asbury Park. Once recognized only as a quiet beach resort, the town now tightly holds a landmark reputation for producing stellar rock acts. Today many triumphant musical acts still frequent its bars, and thankfully a similar thirst for excellence has finally spilled into the local coffee community, specifically at a joint called Cafe Volan.

Monday, October 14, 2013

CC: Jersey Java



Subject: Jersey Java and Tea
Location: Haddonfield, NJ
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]


Haddonfield contains tons of rich history, ranging from it's gorgeous colonial architecture to the discovery of the first almost complete dinosaur in 1858. And with the manner in which New Jersey constantly seems to wreck and redevelop, the town has fortunately maintained a picturesque stratigraphy of the past few centuries.

In regards to coffee history, for as long as I can remember, the town has always had a local coffee spot on Haddon Avenue, just outside the main street. In elder days it was called 3 Bean, but for the past five years it has been known as Jersey Java and Tea. The building itself is a gorgeous single-level establishment with a fantastic patio, huge bay windows and a cute fireplace, but Jersey Java has also made excellent use of the space, equipping it with a fancy array of furniture and color.

The coffee comes from Square One Coffee out of Lancaster, a roaster becoming more common in the regional coffeehouses. In my most recent trip, I ordered an espresso (I believe it was a custom blend) and a drip of Burundi Teka. The espresso, pulled short with a light brown crema, distributed notes of ginger, beef bullion, birch beer, a little sage and some pipe tobacco, proving to be hearty, bright and a touch sour; overall not a bad pull. The drip blasted out blueberry, caramel, slight minestrone and nutmeg amidst a medium body, proving to be a lusciously rich and juicy coffee. 

Jersey Java has certainly been a coffeehouse growing in forward progression, having developed greatly in quality through the past five years. As one of the only good coffee spots of the southern portion of NJ, definitely make a stop in when you're in the area.


Sunday, January 23, 2011

CC: Square One Coffee




Subject: Square One Coffee
Location visited: Lancaster, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

*UPDATE 02/15/17*
In combing through old posts, I realized that I had not updated this coffee empire since 2011. They have risen greatly in quality and influence, and can be found in numerous locations. The below review does indeed represent an anomaly and Square One ranks amongst the best shops.
---end update---

Out in the area of Lancaster, the Amish reside, smorgasbords thrive (like here, there or here) and a lot of interesting sights remain overlooked (ever been to Dutch Wonderland?). Of all the places I have been to in the Philadelphia region over the years, Lancaster remains as a place that continues to surprise me.

My latest marvel was that in my absence of some years, it seems Lancaster got a bit of a coffee scene. In the past, of the two cafes I had visited in Lancaster, one was fairly mediocre and the other was truly odd (it consisted of one room with a lady serving coffee out of a home coffee maker who considered your blood type before taking your order). But now, it seems that there are places of repute.

On a nice night amidst a hopping crowd, I made landing at my first discovery, a place called Square One Coffee. A roaster and cafe housed in a brick building downtown, the crowd seemed to speak for itself. The innards of the cafe delighted my senses with a well-laid flow of furniture and design, including old wood floors, lots of earth tones and various areas to dine (including an exterior courtyard).

Of their coffees, I sampled their house blend via drip and had an espresso (in which used their espresso blend). The drip produced a strong cup, with notes of heavy cocoa, cherry, shredded wheat and a tinge of spinach all amidst a heavy body. While I didn't find the potency to my liking, I felt the flavors favorable (probably more so if toned down). The espresso, pulled short with a thin crema, held notes of sugar, orange, milk chocolate, lemon rind, pepper and a little smokiness. I also thought my shots were tasty though I felt that the pull was a bit off. The tea is free leaf.

Regrettably, it seems I came on a night where the bustling crowds overwhelmed or where weary staff were at the helm (or something like that). Either way, I will definitely be stopping back as I felt that my experience was not par for their course (alas the nature of rating a single experience). When in town, give Square One a solid visit.