Drinks »Victrola

photo411 15th Avenue E
Seattle, WA (and other locations)

While admittedly, I have lots of coffee options still to explore in what is known as a coffee heaven, I hadn’t yet met anything iced quite as satisfying as my old Blue Bottle… until we came across Victrola.

A bustling cafe with beards and laptops that made me feel at home, this Capitol Hill favorite delivers lovingly poured exceptional lattes. Happiness.

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Posted on July 20, 2013

Drinks »Zoka Coffee and Tea

20130512-182957.jpg2901 NE Blakeley Street, Seattle, WA (as well as other locations)

While there are many, many local roasters and shops to try in the coffee Capitol, so far we’ve been quite happy with Zoka. Whether using their beans (I like their darkest roast, Tuscan Blend) to make at home or having a latte at their large, comfy, and welcoming shop in the University District, it’s consistently good stuff.

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Posted on May 12, 2013

Drinks »AeroPress

aeroCoffee and Espresso Maker

The AeroPress was my birthday present to myself and like everyone who has one, I love it. I mean, have you seen anything else on Amazon with over 1700 reviews and nearly five stars?

It makes a great cup of coffee in minutes with ease.

Add a frother (I recommend the Cuisinox) and good beans (luckily we’ve moved to the epicenter of local coffee roasters) and delicious lattes in the comfort of your own home are yours.

Thanks, self, for such a useful thoughtful gift!

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Posted on May 5, 2013

Drinks »Colombian Supremo French Roast

cfrFrom Fresh Direct

For those we leave behind in NYC: I think I’ve finally found Fresh Direct’s best every day coffee before we left!

I give you Columbian Supremo French Roast!

So enjoy it. And cherish your FD. I miss it terribly.

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Posted on March 6, 2013

Drinks »French Press

fpBodum

Daily coffee shop visits are an expensive habit. Ultimately I had to be reasonable and fulfill my needs with a nifty Bodum French press.

We like to get beans from Upright but am trying to find the best fresh direct has to offer (any advice?).

It’s such a simple device that I can operate it on few hours sleep without anyone getting hurt. Hard to imagine life before it.

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Posted on January 3, 2013

Drinks »Stumptown Cold Brew

Available at The Meat Hook

If anyone’s going to jump on the cold brew concentrate band wagon, it may as well be Stumptown, who offer some of the best beans around.

I found a small bottle of this refreshing stuff at The Meat Hook (where I still can’t leave without at least one impulse buy).

It’s smoother and milder than Grady’s with less of a chicory taste but they are equally delicious.

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Posted on July 13, 2012

Drinks »Beaner Bar

20120421-084715.jpg447 Graham Ave

Do you miss the mid 1990’s? Like really, really miss them? If so, there is a home for you and you don’t even have to travel to Austin Texas to find it.

Beaner Bar will welcome you with Beck and Nirvana blasting and dia de los muertos murals, but most importantly you’ll be welcomed with friendly service. It is forgotten so often, but really kind and warm service is golden.

The few times I’ve been I found a host of regulars called out by name, smiles that greet everyone, and I know it may not seem like much, but there’s even a ramp to make getting a stroller in easy.

Plus, the iced lattes are good.

Word has it that the mochas are made with ground Mexican chocolate and that the tamales are incredible – will have to try both next time.

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Posted on April 27, 2012

Desserts,Drinks »Bouchon Bakery


One Rockefeller Plaza

Creamy lattes and sweet macaroons the size of sand dollars; there’s much to love about the popular Thomas Keller Bouchon Bakery.

The environment is all about civility and the baked goods taste fresh and delicious so you don’t even mind walking out thirteen dollars poorer.

We tried the vanilla and passion fruit macaroons- both recommended.

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Posted on March 20, 2012

Drinks »Caffe Capri

427 Graham Ave

Imagine this: iced coffee, filled with crushed iced coffee that’s been run through a gelato maker, topped with milk. Mmmmmmmmm… Sounds delicious and it is.

Caffe Capri has been boasting about their coffee since 1974 and it’s truly excellent.

Caffe Capri is one of those old school neighborhood gems that make you happy to live in Brooklyn and that you just couldn’t find anywhere else.

I am just kicking myself that it took so long for me to come here.

 

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Posted on March 18, 2012

Drinks »Konditori

167 N 7th St, Brooklyn

Konditori, the new spare but inviting coffee shop just outside the Bedford L makes one nice latte. Less intense than other local favorites, it’s also incredibly frothy and creamy.

Not sure if ingredients, the machine, or the dude working the latte are to praise, but it was very satisfying on a dreary day. Even if it was decaf.

Swedish sweets can also be found here as well as tea.

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Posted on February 17, 2012

Desserts,Drinks,Restaurants »Crema

3403 Lyndale Avenue South Minneapolis MN

Two of the most lasting memories to my taste buds from a recent Minneapolis visit come from the cute, comfy cafe, Crema.

The namesake beverage, crema, was stunningly delicious both in hot and cold form – think of the creamiest coffee ever and add a perfect sweetness.

And if that’s not enough endulgence, you simply can’t leave this place without a scoop of Sonny’s small batch homemade ice creams (yes, even if it means you’ll be having ice cream after brunch).

I went for it and sampled their wildest flavor – pesto – and found it remarkably refreshing and nice in that the herbal taste balanced out the sweet. So yummy I got a big scoop of it.

The backyard is romantic, the staff ultra friendly, and oh yeah, the food here is tasty too.

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Posted on August 26, 2011

Drinks »Upright Coffee

860 Manhattan Avenue, Greenpoint, Brooklyn

I know Greenpoint doesn’t need another great place to buy coffee, but we’ve got it with the Manhattan Avenue sliver of a spot Upright Coffee.

The lattes are great and they sell their own beans as well as various baked goods.

A stroll down nearby lovely Milton, Greenpoint’s loveliest street is a nice accompaniment to an eye opening treat.

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Posted on July 16, 2011

Drinks »Veronica People’s Club

105 Franklin St, Greenpoint, Brooklyn

In this day in age, in this neighborhood, you can’t turn a corner without running into a good cup of (usually) Intelligentsia coffee. (You can still get a really bad cup, but the place is so tiny, cute and friendly, I’ll just leave it unnamed, but it’s bright green FYI).

So, as a late comer to the good coffee party, Veronica People’s Club is probably most exciting to those who live closest to it.

While I wholeheartedly welcome it to the neighborhood, it only garners major enthusiasm from me for two reasons:

1. the Ovenly baked goods. A small but dizzying display of goodies great you with tiny hand written placards reading such intriguing words as “blue cheese, pistachio, cinnamon, fig…”

As it was morning time, I went without the chocolate chip cookies and chose the equally delectable but slated for breakfast treat of a fig and thyme scone. yum.

2. During the day the place is empty, as in I startled the sole employee when I walked in, empty.

If you’ve ever been to Cafe Grumpy at the height of I-am-writing-my-first-novel-but-actually-just-checking-facebook-over-and-over hour or are smacked in the face with the reality that you are far from being the only unemployed person who thought they could just waltz into Five Leaves, you know how appealing a quiet, easy going spot with a decent i-pod selection playing can be.

Now I just need to find people who are either willing to trek to my area or want to quit their jobs to hang out over a long, scone filled coffee break with me and Van…

While I am writing up the coffee bar, I am lead to believe that VPC, opened by the people from Heather’s (the bar, not the movie, though the movie inspired both bar names) functions primarily as a bar bar.

And by light of day, I can see how it could be a nice place to drink. Just the right amount of nonchalance in the decor and a sign listing house cocktails let me know it’s heart is in the right place.

While I am not able to bar hop at the moment with little one in tow, you might want to check it out. Or maybe I’ll head back on the early side (unlike many places, they start serving around 3 on weekdays, 1 on weekends) some day soon for an afternoon beer before the hip young things who (understandably) don’t want to be drinking with a baby in the room invade.

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Posted on February 17, 2011

Drinks »Blue Bottle Coffee

160 Berry Street, Brooklyn, NY

I’ve been hearing raves about the California transplant, Blue Bottle Coffee for some time, so it seemed like the perfect destination for baby’s first stroller outing. Being prematurely judgemental, I was expecting a staff of snobs, maybe because the coffee is taken so seriously here (they have several preparations and types which can be read about in great detail at their website), but was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by very chipper, courteous people who didn’t even scoff when I tried to order an iced tea for Jim (which they don’t serve FYI).

We both tried the New Orleans, a light, sweetened iced coffee that still has me majorly buzzing hours later (a very strange feeling after being strictly decaf for months and months). This beverage is way strong and way delicious but if you don’t want the jolt that hard core coffee can give you, you might want to opt for a weaker neighborhood option. However, if you long for the kind of coffee that coffee lovers rave about, this is your place. It’s super pet friendly too, so you can sit with lots of local dogs as you take advantage of the outdoor benches while the weather continues to please us.

There are several locations in San Francisco, but so far, Berry Street is the first in New York.

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Posted on November 13, 2010

Drinks »Milk and Roses

1110 Manhattan Ave, Greenpoint Brooklyn

Greenpoint boasts plenty of good places to grab some coffee (with Grumpy and Five Leaves, one might even say it’s the best neighborhood to grab some coffee), but another spot that’s as relaxed and lovely as Milk and Roses is always welcome. Located in the upper Acapulco regions of the neighborhood, it stands apart with it’s impressive and unique food menu that includes my obvious pick – an anchovy and cheese sandwich. Breakfast staples and desserts are also available. Coming from the manager of the yummy Cacio e Pepe, I shouldn’t be surprised that the food is great (coffee’s very nice too).

A wall of colorful hardbound books, a piano, and dark aged wood floors make for an elegant atmosphere supported by an easy sound track of jazz which makes lounging with a book quite pleasant. There’s a nice backyard while the good weather lasts. For all you winos, most importantly, it will soon also be a wine bar (license pending).

Click here for the rest of Milk and Roses

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Posted on September 12, 2010

Drinks »Cafe Grumpy

193 Meserole Avenue

Cafe Grumpy (or as my friend and subsequently i pronounce it “caf-ay grum-pay”) has become a nice part of my new life as a freelancer. Morning iced decaf americanos have been a welcome start to many days, and recently a rare treat of caffeinated coffee made me pretty much bonkers all day (not in a necessarily bad way – I got tons done) even die hard coffee drinkers I know have agreed that the iced coffee is beyond the normal dinky caffeine injection. I also recently discovered another spectacular treat that Grumpy does like virtually no one else: a gourmet mocha that is to mochas what those fancy ten dollar organic handmade chocolate bars are to a Hershey’s kiss.

Once a local Greenpoint special spot, the Grumpy empire has expanded to Park Slope and Chelsea and was one of the forerunners of high end espresso spots invading the city.

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Posted on June 20, 2010

Drinks »Five Leaves Coffee

18 Bedford Avenue, Greenpoint, Brooklyn

I officially vote for Five Leaves coffee, which you can enjoy in the ever popular hot spot over the neighborhood’s best chicken sandwich, or at the moderately speedy to go window, as the best in Brooklyn. They get their espresso from Intelligentsia, (but use to purchase from a Seattle company, whose name I can’t currently recall, but was equally great – I ordered a pound of their beans for my dad for his birthday a couple years back).

You can expect a strong brew that is smooth rather than bitter and one of the best perks of Greenpoint mornings.

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Posted on May 2, 2010