Farmer and Co

Subject: Farm and Co
Location: Unionville, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

I have driven to Longwood Gardens frequently in my many years living near the giant horticultural display but in all that time, I managed to overlook Unionville nearby. A small bucolic town, it hit my radar with the discovery of a coffee shop located in an old farm house called Farm and Co.

Ebru Coffee

Subject: Ebru Coffee
Location: Audubon, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Driving through the lands west of Philly bring you through a variety of towns. It's fascinating how the landscape shifts between rich suburbs, farms and old towns, but the tapestry always unearths news gems.

Cloud City Coffee

Subject: Cloud City Coffee
Location visited: Seattle, WA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Seattle on a warm sunny day is the stuff of legends. In the few times I have visited, I have been fortunate to experience many a sunny outing in the city known for its rain. On one recent outing I had some spare time to grab some coffee before a trip to the park and made my way to a coffee roaster called Cloud City Coffee.

Mayday Coffee

Subject: Mayday Coffee

Location visited: West Chester, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Driving through the Philadelphia suburbs looking for good coffee is a bit like working a spent diamond mine; there's not much in terms of good coffee but when you find a gem, it's worth it. 

Bar Francis

Subject: Bar Francis

Location visited: Olympia, WA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Washington weather really colors your perceptions. My first trip to Olympia was a soaking wet side quest that put me 2 hours out of my way, giving me a glum and bleak impression of the city. But my second visit proved to be a sunny saunter west with no real rush, fully changing my perspective of the state capitol.

Drumroaster Coffee

Subject: Drumroaster Coffee

Location visited: Cobble Hill, BC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Driving north from Victoria, I found Vancouver Island to be a fascinating part of Canada. The dense forests and unique towns definitely made for a relaxing respite. 

Discovery Coffee

Subject: Discovery Coffee
Location visited: Discovery Street, Victoria, BC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

The early weekend morning of a city is often a blissful landscape. Most still slumber at the usual rush hours, with only folks required to be awake wandering about. One delightful morning in Victoria offered me a delightful experience and my path through Chinatown brought me to the doors of my coffee destination, Discovery Coffee.

Rhythms Coffee

Subject: Rhythms Coffee
Location: Olympia, WA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

The music scene is what originally drew me to coffee houses. I recall back in high school, going to different open mic nights on weekends to hang with friends, not caring all that much for the quality of my drink, just that I could easily afford $1.50 for drip coffee. Sadly, few coffeehouses carry on the tradition of live music these days, never mind stay open past 2 PM on a Friday night.

Collage Coffee

Subject: Collage Coffee
Location visited: Mercer, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

It is not often I get to western Pennsylvania, but when I do I manage to always pass a sign advertising Grove City. Maybe it's that my wife points it out because she visited the town when she was looking at colleges with her father and sister back in the day, but regardless the reason, it wasn't until recently that I was finally able to make a visit.

Habit Coffee

Subject: Habit Coffee
Location visited: Chinatown location, Victoria, BC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Traveling through the streets of Victoria, the city offers a lot of sights and wonderful distractions. As I was wandering through the Chinatown neighborhood, I emerged from Fan Tan Alley and found myself hankering for a good coffee respite. Lo and behold, so stood a Habit Coffee location, offering a perfect respite for me and my party. 

Otherside Bagel

Subject: Otherside Bagel
Location visited: Bellingham, WA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

In my experience, most shops that make their own bagels usually don't have great coffee. Especially when wandering around the east coast, most places that specialize in bagels don't put the same effort into their coffee. But in Bellingham, I found the fabled unicorn of an operation that makes great bagels and offered a solid coffee experience.

Gravel and Grind

Subject: Gravel and Grind
Location visited: Frederick, MD
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Frederick is a town I have seen quite a few times these past few years and much like a lot of cities in the northeast, it has historic charm mixed with newer construction. But of all the sights and shops, one spot I really enjoyed in Frederick was it's bicycle + coffee shop, Gravel and Grind. 

Elysian Coffee Roasters

Subject: Elysian Coffee Roasters
Location visited: Downtown Vancouver, BC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Every time I have been to Vancouver, I swear I see a different city. The most recent visit, I was blessed with a gorgeous day to wander from my parking spot downtown over to Granville Island. 

Hide + Seek Coffee

Subject: Hide + Seek Coffee

Location visited: Fairfield Road, Victoria, BC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Few cities allure me more than Victoria, and one of the reasons is the variety of coffee shops the area boasts. One that is truly tucked away down an alley is aptly named Hide + Seek Coffee. With two locations, both with amazing patios for nice weather, I was in the neighborhood of their Fairfield Road location one beautiful summer day and was able to stop in.

Artbean Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Artbean Coffee
Location: Manhattan, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While one does not easily access NYC from outside the city, once you're in Manhattan, there are few places like it. The odd infrastructure boasts lots of quizzical streets and offbeat nooks that offer lots of gems to those that seek them out. On one such recent visit to Chinatown, I managed to find such a gem at a cafe and roastery dubbed Artbean Cafe. 

Camber Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Camber Coffee
Location: Bellingham, WA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I love taking my family on road trips. With a packed minivan filled to the teeth, I would far rather take a long pilgrimage with my wife and kids versus a solo trip. But on these wonderful excursions, one lovely feature that has grown over the years is a tradition that some mornings, everyone asks to sleep in and I am permitted to wake up at sunrise in order to hit a nearby coffee shop or two. 

Propaganda Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Propaganda Coffee
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

A good late afternoon coffee is sometimes a telling litmus test. While the afternoon is usually slower, so the baristas can take their time more than in the morning rush, the afternoon can be prone to aging coffee in the pump pot, fatigue or simply a desire to get the shop closed a little early. Some shops fare well in this test, and others not so much.

Vibrant Coffee Roasters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Vibrant Coffee Roasters
Location: Philadelphia, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Sometimes it's nice not being invited. My aunt recently treated my daughters to a show in Philadelphia and (mostly for price purposes) did not extend the offer to take me, her grown nephew (the audacity). While some folks would have taken issue with this snub, I was actually delighted to have reason to finally make a proper visit to Vibrant Coffee Roasters. 

General Porpoise

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: General Porpoise
Location: Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Navigating Seattle on a recent visit, I had a great hankering for a curd-filled donut with a good cup of coffee. While such places exist, it's hard to find quality donuts with great coffee. Fortunately Seattle has a few to choose from, with one of the most colorful being a local favorite called General Porpoise.

Equinox Coffee Co

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Equinox Coffee Co.
Location: Norfolk, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

There’s a few coastal cities that don’t really feel a whole lot like a typical metropolitan area, and one of those is Norfolk, Virginia. Whether it’s all the navy ships, the proximity to Virginia Beach or the fact that I only visit once a year, Norfolk just hits different.

The Blackbird Coffeehouse

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Blackbird Coffeehouse
Location: Port Angeles, WA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

For the many wonderful things I have heard of the Olympic peninsula, no words did the place justice. When I visited, I stood in awe at the natural beauty of the park and how shockingly close the town sat to the doorsteps of the National Park. Fortunately, for the brief time I spent in the port wedged between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic mountains, I managed to find a great coffeehouse that added to the beauty.

Grounding

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Grounding
Location: Red Lion, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Every now and then in my travels, I come across a gorgeous coffee shop. But every once in a great while, I meet a cafe that has iconic aesthetics. One of my most recent finds was a shop nestled in an old factory furnace in Red Lion, PA with much of its old construction still intact, a place called Grounding.

Revolver

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject:  Revolver

Location: Vancouver, BC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I have been to Vancouver once before, but my first visit was very much a small foray. After many years, I finally was able to allot some time to give the city a proper tour and boy have I been missing out. From the city's water taxis to it's very alluring neighborhoods, the city truly lived up to its vibrant reputation.

Hey Happy

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Hey Happy
Location visited: downtown Victoria, BC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I have longed to visit Victoria, British Colombia for almost half of my life, and I was finally able to make a pilgrimage happen. I've been nearby in Seattle and Vancouver a dozen times, but the lack of roads to Vancouver Island paired with my east coast apprehension of ferries kept me at bay (pun intended). Finally, after cementing some intentional recreational plans, I was able to experience the beauty of this island gem one sunny weekend. 

Devocion Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Devocion Coffee

Location visited: downtown Brooklyn, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

If people had told me a decade ago that a roaster could have a steady, dynamic roster of excellent coffee from only one country, I would have thought the roaster overly ambitious and foolhardy. But where some roasters have fallen short, Devocion Coffee has succeeded. 

Elm Coffee Roasters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Elm Coffee Roasters
Location: Seattle, WA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Seattle remains one of my favorite cities to wander. Whether it's the heart of the city or one of the nearby suburbs, the city is full of little curious nooks and unique small businesses to explore. 

Buzzsaw Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Buzzsaw Coffee
Location: Williamsport, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

If you look at life in America one hundred years ago, one thing that really stands out is the industrial landscape. Factories and mills used to populate the landscape, much like our current strip malls. But now, it seems that only the ruins and bones of these past edifices remain. 

Realfine Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Realfine Coffee
Location visited: 35th Ave, West Seattle, WA
WiFi?: sure
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Nothing compares to the feeling of getting back to a place you missed. This feeling proved to be a profound experience in returning to Seattle recently. Back in 2019, I had last been in Seattle right before the COVID lock downs, and now that much of that was behind, I was jubilant to return to one of my favorite cities. 

Black Fox Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Black Fox Coffee
Location visited:  550 Madison Ave, Manhattan, NY
WiFi?: not sure actually
Rating: 6+ [see key]

For all of the traffic nightmares I have getting into New York City, I genuinely love the cafes that the city fosters. There are postage stamps espresso bars, old print-shops-now-coffee-shops and sometimes coffeehouses so pretty and idyllic, their existence defies belief.

Decibel Coffee Works

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Decibel Coffee Works
Location: Tucson, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

As someone who grew up within the grip of the New Jersey winter, the concept of a coffeehouse with only outside seating is a foreign concept. I have seen a few places make the concept work over the years, but one of the best iterations I witnessed exists in Tucson at Decibel Coffee Works.

Camellia Coffee House

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Camellia Coffee House 
Location: Lansdowne, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

These days there seems to be more and more coffee shops opening, but not a lot of good ones. A lot of shops are quick to open heavy on aesthetics yet low on the quality of their coffee. Fortunately, there's still great shops to find, as I some time ago found the delightful oasis of Camellia. 

Minch Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Minch Coffee
Location: Clermont, FL
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Everyone loves the idea of interacting with animals, even if only in certain ways. Cat cafes definitely seem like a great idea for the subset of humanity that enjoys hanging out in a closed environment with cats. I always had a hard time reconciling the concept until I visited Minch Coffee and the Orlando Cat Cafe. 

The Kitchen Table Cafe

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: The Kitchen Table Cafe
Location: Callicoon, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

The land along the northeast edge of Pennsylvania that borders New York is both a pretty and curious area. Dotted with many quaint towns, I found the region to be an odd mix of bucolic scenery juxtaposed with herds of day-trippers (mostly) from the surrounding metropolitan centers. 

Boonton Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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

There are lots of towns in New Jersey and New York I don't get to a whole lot purely because my trajectory rarely leads me northeast these days. But sometimes, the busy thoroughfares of northeast NJ must be traversed, and on my most recent such romp I found myself in a charming town at the threshold of Boonton Coffee.

Infusion Coffee and Tea Crafters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Infusion Coffee and Tea Crafters
Location: Tempe, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Trying to get to an off-site coffee shop between business conference sessions is often like a leg of the Amazing Race. Half the time, the targeted cafe is just far enough away that you only have enough time to grab the coffee and get back before you are poignantly missed. 

XO Coffee Shop

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: XO Coffee Shop
Location: Kissimmee, FL
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

There exist many combinations of services I have seen with a coffee shop, but a tattoo parlor would be a first for me. 

Pressed Coffee & Books

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Pressed Coffee & Books
Location: Pottsville, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

People say a lot of things are the perfect ying to the yang of coffee, but for many of the world that grew up before Amazon destroyed bookstores, books have a special place in the evolution of coffee culture. There's something about flipping through a fresh brook while sipping on a hot cup of coffee that just makes one pine for simpler times. 

Sagebrush Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Sagebrush Coffee Shop and Roastery
Location: Chandler, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

It certainly is no indication of good coffee, but there's something about giant coffee shops. There are precious few in the northeast but once the region of super high rents begins to fade in the rear view mirror, the landscape starts to blossom with shops the size of houses. One recent visit to Arizona turned up a fine specimen, a gorgeous, large footprinted cafe slinging out good coffee called Sagebrush.

Persimmon Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Persimmon Coffee
Location: Philadelphia, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I traverse Northern Liberties much less than I used to, but it's always good to see quality coffee shops when I do get over there. One seasonal day, I had some time to squander so I made over to a shop I had heard much good of, a cafe called Persimmon Coffee.

Lit / Monocacy

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Monocacy Coffee Co / Lit Coffee
Location: Bethlehem, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I have fabulous memories of Bethlehem, PA. I recall visiting a distant cousin and going to a Christmas market as a child, stopping by for numerous respites while passing through and recently, a long-overdue tour of the silent steel mill. Sadly not many of these visits had a great coffee stop but that fortunately changed on my most recent visit.