Appalachian Coffee House

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Appalachian Coffee House
Location: Mt Nebo, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Few mountainous places on the east coast rival the Rocky Mountains of the west, and one of the more breathtaking eastern vistas worth beholding lies in West Virginia's New River Gorge. Full of rugged beauty, interesting history and small town gems, the area should be a must-see for anyone even remotely close.

The Monkey and The Elephant

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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.

The Mine Cafe

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Mine Cafe
Location: Jerome, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Not since watching the aerial shots of Minis Tirith in the Lord of the Rings have I seen a town as married to a hillside as Jerome. In the high places of Arizona exists a curious municipality with levels instead of avenues and winding streets exceedingly fun to navigate (except when there's ice). Yet despite its unorthodox layout and engineering challenges, Jerome still stands pretty much the same as it has these last hundred years, albeit a little less populated now then in its heyday.

The Grind

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Grind
Location: Morgantown, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

A college town without an excellent caffeinated haunt strikes me as a country without a capital or a whale without a blowhole. What good is college if you lack a great coffeehouse from which to grab an early AM red eye or a late-night chamomile latte?

Boxwood Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Boxwood Coffee
Location Visited: Summit, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Despite the immense population density of northeast NJ, the options for great coffee are still fairly sparse in these congested lands. One can usually stand on any main road and spot a coffee-slinging entity, yet nine out of ten times that shop is hardly worth the visit. It's almost easier to find an honest NJ politician than a good cup of coffee.

Travellers House Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Travellers House Coffee 
Location: Springfield, MO
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

In my experience, too few coffee shops are open past supper. Yes, for the most part I get the economics as to why most shops close up around four, but man does an evening meet-up over well-crafted coffee hit the proverbial spot.

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.

Green Engine Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject Green Engine Coffee Co.

Location: Haverford, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Sometimes it amazes me how many coffee shops fall short on the basics, whether it be the quality of their coffee beans, the skills of their baristas or the lack of atmosphere. In traveling through different towns, I aim to try out as many different shops as I can afford, and in my experience there are approximately three subpar coffeehouses for every great one.  

Roast Rider

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Roast Rider Coffee + Tea
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Many people love their local coffee shop for no other reason than it provides a pleasant place to congregate. Sociologically coined the "third place" by Ray Oldenburg, all people naturally yearn for a communal gathering spot, and in locales possessing a beautiful, somewhat-spacious coffeehouse, it's no wonder that townspeople flock to such spaces to enjoy their coffee.

Trenton Coffee House and Records

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Trenton Coffee House
Location: Trenton, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Having passed through Trenton many times, I have often yearned for a well-placed coffee shop to afford me a cafe worthy of braking. Finally at some point in the past year or so, Trenton Coffee House and Records opened their doors on Cass Street and my longing finally came to an end.

Void Coffee Company

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Void Coffee Company
Location: Charleston, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

I have had my eye on the area around Charleston, West Virginia for several years now. Along with the progressive revitalization in the city itself, the surrounding countryside adds plenty of beautiful scenery and bucolic towns perfect for recreational detours. I finally found a perfect window to head west and arrived in the capital one sunny afternoon, tired from the drive and thirsty for a good cup of coffee. Hearing about a newer establishment in the West Side neighborhood, I landed at Void Coffee Company ready to try out their wares. 

The Coffee Box

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Coffee Box
Location: Plainfield, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

The thick suburbs of northeast New Jersey possess countless places that peddle coffee, but surprisingly offer few shops where the coffee is worth the stop. Fortunately for many North Jersey-ites, great coffee has become more readily available each month, with new spots slowly emerging in the lands surrounding New York City.

Talking Irons Coffee Saloon

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Talking Irons Coffee Saloon
Location: Pearce, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While most excellent coffeehouses reside in cities and heavily-populated regions, occasionally there exists outstanding coffee a little off the beaten path. I found myself in one such instance as I was driving through Arizona, from the storied Tombstone streets to the old mining boomtown of Pearce. Heading northeast, my journey began typically enough on a rural road through the desert, until I found myself being directed by Google Maps onto a road called Ghost Town Trail through Dead Mexican Canyon. After making the turn I soon realized the word "trail" was not just a linguistic flourish, as the empty dirt road seemed better fit for a wagon (or at least a four-wheel drive truck) than my tiny sedan. Nonetheless, I persisted for a solid half hour, watching torrential storms a mile to the right and every mile or so, a road sign warning that the trail floods heavily in rain.

Rustic Cup

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Rustic Cup
Location: East Prospect, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

The more I drive around the country, the more I appreciate small towns. While cities still cradle a chunk of my heart, there's nothing like a tree-lined boulevard, easy parking or finding a great coffee shop on a country road.