High Voltage Cafe

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: High Voltage Cafe
Location visited: (Downtown) Asbury Park, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

It was about twelve years ago that I made my first visit to Asbury Park. Given the occasion, it was more of a truncated stop than a true visit, and until a few years ago I really never made it back.

McLain's Market

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: McLain's Market
Location visited: Lawrence, KS
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Gorgeous, local markets and quality coffee shops bordering universities are two of my favorite things to visit, so when they're combined into one establishment, my ears perk up and a small pilgrimage usually ensues. Fortunately, my latest encounter with such a rare mash-up found me while traversing the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Having not known about this gem prior to my arrival in town, I stumbled upon a place called McLain's Market one early morning, housed in resplendent glory within the old KU bookstore.

Regroup Coffee and Bicycles

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Regroup Coffee + Bicycles
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While I love a good bike ride, I have never been able to fully get into regular bicycling. Maybe it's the fickle NJ winters coupled with the lack of safe roads in my region, or maybe it's that I tend to drive a lot and when I get home I don't feel like navigating the byways any longer. But I tend to think that if I were to move to a warmer climate with a little more open road, I would lean closer to regular riding.

Quantum Bean Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Quantum Bean Coffee
Location: Morgantown, WV
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

One of my favorite types of coffeehouses are ones blooming deep in residential neighborhoods. There's something oddly appropriate about quality shops nestled in the thick of family dwellings; in my opinion, it puts the coffee in community.

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.

Cafe Brio

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Cafe Brio
Location: Hillsborough, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

New Jersey might be small in size but much like the small intestines or a thrift shop packed with treasure, there's a lot going on crammed into a tiny area. I am often reminded of this fact when I pass through towns and find brand new-to-me stuff overlooked in past travels.

Presta Coffee Roasters

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Presta Coffee Roasters
Location Visited: 1st Ave, Tucson, AZ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

One thing that often drops my jaw when I traverse the west is the number of aesthetically gorgeous coffee shops. Whether it's a reclaimed wood shop in Oregon or a coffee bar exquisitely situated inside a shipping container in San Francisco, it astounds me how relatively boring the east coast is by comparison.

Moxxee Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

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

Everyone remembers their first interaction with West Virginia coffee (right?). For me, it was at a specialty coffee expo booth sampling some coffee for some forgotten reason, but realizing that the roaster was from the West Virginian capital, a place then completely uncharted on my map. It was that day I made the acquaintance of Moxxee Coffee and Charleston became a destination in my world.

PT's Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: PT's Coffee Roasting Co
Location Reviewed: Topeka, KS
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I remember when I first got into quality coffee around 2006 that there were a few names well-known across the nation. One of those roasters of renown was PT's Coffee out of Kansas, a roaster I first sipped (and later reviewed) all the way back in 2008. Through the past decade, PT's has continuously impressed me with their excellent coffees yet a visit to Kansas to try them out on their home turf continuously eluded me.