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.

I.M. Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: I.M. Coffee
Location: Wilmington, DE
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Coffee shops and tall buildings are meant to exist in a natural symbiosis, one where tenants have easy access to great coffee, yet sadly so many skyscrapers exist without a great cafe within stones throw. But each city has its pockets of joy, such as Wilmington's I.M. Coffee in the lobby of the I.M. Pei Building. 

The Breeches Cafe

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Breeches Cafe at Allenberry Resort
Location visited: Boiling Springs, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

I am always struck with how much of Pennsylvania I still have yet to visit. I literally try to take a different route each time I traverse the state and still, I find surprises unsought.

Brown Dog Cafe

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Brown Dog Cafe
Location visited: Audubon, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

It is never easy to hear about long-standing coffeehouses closing their doors, but when I heard of the Treehouse, formerly of Collingswood and then in Audubon, had shut its doors, it hit a little harder than usual. Fortunately, the shop did not remain vacant and a new coffee entity arose out of the ashes of the Treehouse, a shop called Brown Dog Cafe.

Coalescence Coffee Co.

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Coalescence Coffee Co.
Location visited: Norfolk, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

It's not frequent I get to Norfolk, but every time I do pass through, I manage to find a new coffee operation to visit. My most recent visit, I was able to visit a shop doing wonderful things with Michigan's Madcap Coffee Coffee, a place called Coalescence. 

The Cracked Pot Coffee Shop

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Cracked Pot Coffee Shop
Location visited: Mechanicsburg, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

A giant stand-alone coffee shop with plenty of parking is not a common sight, but occasionally one appears on the horizon. The latest one I found in my travels was a shop called The Crack Pot, a cafe in an entire house focusing on providing work for kids who age out of the foster system. 

Stay Golden

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Stay Golden Restaurant and Roastery
Location visited: Nashville, TN
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

A solid breakfast with a good cup of coffee is one of the greatest joys of life, and yet so often hard to find. Good breakfast joints still rarely do a great job with their coffee, and coffee shops usually can't/don't offer solid breakfast options like eggs benedict and huevos rancheros. But every now and then such a rare delight emerges, such as Stay Golden.