Jolly Bean Cafe....(the friendliest and the funniest)

I did have an unfair advantage before my assignment to visit a coffee shop.  I knew the owner of a coffee shop.  Amanda Roy is the proprietor and personality of the appropriately named Jolly Bean Cafe.  She literally sells happiness.  Fun is infectious and a welcomed change to some of the coffee snobbery that can be found in other shops.  You really get to enjoy your food and coffee here!!

Review by Gary Parmenter -- posted by Dr. Hayes-Bohanan on his behalf because of technical difficulties.

Blue Fire Coffee Roasters

I had heard from a friend about Blue Fire and was not sure what to expect when I walked in at 4 Rosendale Dr.  What I felt at first was a sense of confusion.  Upon entering the establishment, I saw two couches on the left, a desk and table with carafes atop it to my right, and a warehouse straight ahead.  This lost feeling faded quickly as the VP Bill came out to greet me.  I had a cup of coffee in my hand and a smile on my face in no time as Bill and I chatted about coffee and other topics for the next 30 minutes.  I have been back on numerous occasions, and every encounter with Bill and owner Patrick have been amazing to say the least.  The two were kind enough to cup some samples with them and show me the roasting process firsthand.  Blue Fire operates mainly as a roaster and is not the typical cafe.  That is, to say that you should not visit expecting to get a flashy half-cafe coconut milk latte, but if you are looking for an amazing cup of coffee (black or with cream or sugar) and conversation then this is the place for you.



By: Sean Doherty

Elvera's Cafe Review

When I walked into Elvera’s Café, to say the least they were very welcoming. Walking into the establishment you will find that it is built to look like a mid-fifties café. One would not expect to hear that its beginning year of production was 2015. Getting to the most important part, the coffee that I purchased, which was a “peanut butter bomb swirl”. It was not only highly caffeinated, but extremely good tasting. In my honest opinion way better than any local Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. Overall, the quality of their coffee has increased my expectations highly when I drink coffee from now on. Elvera’s made me realize that there are other coffee shops around us and even though some may be independent, does not mean it is not a better cup of coffee. I highly recommend giving this place a try if you are a coffee fanatic like I am.

Their address is: 132 Main St, Brockton, MA 02301

Coffee Break Coffee

Coffee Break Coffee has been a high quality coffee shop around in Quincy Massachusettes' for 20 years. There is 3 different locations to get this wonderful coffee. One store is located in Wollaston Beach, Quincy Center, and a newer location has just been added to Milton. They have a large menu full of various items besides their gourmet coffee. They are also know for their fresh daily bakery items and bagels. CBC also has yummy frozen drinks and teas for the non-coffee fans. The atmosphere of all the stores are very comfortable and supportive of the community. On certain nights they have live music featuring local artists, with artwork all around the room. This is a great place to get coffee and go, or also a great place to grab a cup and sit in the comfortable atmosphere and enjoy reading a book or newspaper.

Better Bean Coffee Company

Better Bean Coffee Co. is located in the center of Bridgewater. It is directly on the rotary.
The hours of operation are: Monday-Friday 7am-8pm and Saturday-Sunday 7am-4pm

Better Bean is a small, quiet coffee shop with salads, sandwiches, and coffee drinks.
They have a comfy seating area both inside as well as tables set up outside for nice days.

Better Bean has art work displayed from local artists each month and allows customers to purchase the art if they please. They are very involved with the community. They also sell bags of coffee such as dark roast and light roast. They host karaoke nights and open mic nights for the community on Friday nights as a way of bringing people together.

There are several Dunkin Donuts' within 1 mile of Better Bean as well as a Marylous and Starbucks.

Big Bear cafe+espresso bar

Big Bear cafe+espresso bar is cool little coffee shop located in the middle of a popular Dedham Square. The experience I had was very unique because you really don't expect what you're gonna see when you walk in. A wall with a huge painted pair on it as its surface. As soon as I walked in, I was immediately greeted by a very nice guy with a huge smile. At the time I went, it was very early in the morning and it didn't look too busy but it definitely seemed like a very popular place. The coffee I had from their was very well made and fresh. I didn't try one of their specialty coffees but they are always offering new types of coffee and food specials. They have fun with their theme and make it a very relaxing place to go get work done or even just to go hangout. I do plan on going pack as it was an enjoyable experience.

Located at: 3 Eastern Ave, Dedham, Ma 02026

Chris Gemayel

Sip Brew Bar & Eatery

The coffee shop i decided to visit was Sip Brew Bar & Eatery in San Antonio, Texas. I went to the coffee shop when i was visiting there on spring break.

Inside the coffee shop was a pretty standard setup for a coffee shop. There were a few seats around for people to sit at and a couple of couches for people to sit on as well. The people who were mostly coming in when i went were college students and people coming in for their coffee break's. When those people came in they would stay for a while also and not just grab and go. The menu at the shop was pretty standard they served coffee and beverages along that line. Food wise they had a couple of wraps you could get as well as pastries so the shop was mostly a place to get a beverage.

  Overall i thought the coffee shop was a pretty good place it was a very relaxing environment that had a fair amount of people coming in and out of the shop. If you're ever in San Antonio and need a break from exploring the city i highly recommend Sip Brew Bar & Eatery!

Robert Smith

The Better Bean Coffee Company

As soon as I walked into this coffee shop the first thing I noticed was the aroma. It smelled so good, like no coffee shop I have been into before. The workers their were beyond helpful and nice. When I told them I was here for a class they were just so helpful. The workers were telling us all the types of coffees they had and explaining the coffee flavor chart they had. The man working gave us so much information. Best of all the coffee and cookies are amazing! If you never been there you must go now!

Green Bean

 Green Bean!

Green Bean is a cute little shop in downtown New Bedford.












Although it is always very busy, the place has a chill vibe. Being in the middle of downtown a lot of people get their order to go during their breaks, or on their way to work or class. But, a lot of people take a seat too! There are comfy couches to sit and do some work, or tables and a bar to to sit with a friend or even by yourself. The employees are very welcoming, cheery, and are happy to assist you in whatever you need whether it be questions about the coffee (like I had) or just to take your order!





Their coffee is delicious! They get their beans from Coastal Roasters a local roasting/brewing company in Tiverton, RI. They have  a few different options when it comes to how you ant your coffee roasted. Their light roast is from Costa Rica, their medium roast is from Kenya and dark is from Sumatra! They have a wide assortment of tea as well and can't forget about the great assortment of real mugs it it served in.

Not only do they serve amazing coffee, but they are known for their vegan/vegetarian options and healthy fruit smoothies! There is a little something for everyone. 

If you are ever in the area, I would definitely recommend taking the time to stop by Green Bean!

740 Purchase St

New Bedford, MA

02740

By: Mia Pelletier 

Coffee Break Cafe - Wollaston, MA

Coffee Break Café is a local chain of coffee shops, with locations in Quincy Center, Wollaston, and East Milton.  The CBC I visited was the Wollaston Branch.  It is on a side road next to the Wollaston Train Station, located at 12 Old Colony Ave., Wollaston, Quincy MA, 02170.  The shop is a perfect size, and features a kind staff, comfortable seating, and of course, excellent coffee! They offer plenty of different coffee flavors, both traditional and seasonal.  They also make great frozen drinks, like a refreshing frozen strawberry lemonade if coffee is not quite your thing.  The food is good, including a wide selection of fresh bagels and specialty cream cheeses, like spinach artichoke and buffalo chicken. The shop has many promotional campaigns they will partake in all throughout the year, on top of their yearly promos like getting every 11th coffee free, and getting an extra large drink for the price of a medium when you buy the official CBC travel mug.  I highly recommend this Coffee Break Café location!!!

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--- Andrew Johnson

Gunther Tooties

Gunther Tooties is a Massachusetts based cafe with five locations in Pembroke, Hanover, Duxbury, Quincy, and Plymouth. The location I went to was in Quincy located a short walk away from Quincy Center. It was spacious and had big windows that lit up the whole cafe making a welcoming environment.

The menu was rich with options from a standard black coffee to salads and sandwiches to desserts like tiramisu and carrot cake. There were a lot of seating options that let people have the option of staying to enjoy or take their item(s) to go. I got a vanilla iced latte which was okay, not the best I ever had as it was a little too milky for my liking. 

They also had their own flavored beans and merchandise.

 

Here is a map of where you can find it. 

Uncle Jons Coffees

This side wall is full of baskets, shirts, and sweatshirts for sale! 

Uncle Jons Coffees in Marion Massachussets is a quiet and cozy place to enjoy food and drinks alone or with the family! The staff is very friendly and are ready to help
with anything a costumer may need.
Filling the chairs inside of the shop are mostly locals of Marion, everyone is very nice! Click this link to view a map of where Uncle Jon's is located and to get directions!

The shop is covered in interesting wall art and always has music playing!

 Not only do they have amazing tasting coffee, they have smoothies, espresso options, teas and much more! They also do a variety of food choices that are freshly made in store! The last time I visited I ordered a caramel latte with whole milk and a Thai chicken sandwich that was delicious! I highly recommend visiting the Marion or Mattapoisett location!

YUMMY! 

Kiskadee Coffee Company

This Coffee shop is located on 18 Main street in Plymouth, MA. They are in a great location, surrounded by many cute shops and also just around the corner from Plymouth Rock! Been in business for about 20 years now. They get many local costumers along with lots of tourists. The inside of the place is very nice and open with a lot of seating, has a good atmosphere. Very rustic looking on the inside. They have breakfast options along with panini sandwiches to compliment their great coffee. The last time I went I ordered a vanilla chai latte and it was out of this world! If you are ever in the area I highly recommend a visit!

https://www.bing.com/maps?q=18+main+street+plymouth+ma&mkt=en&FORM=HDRSC4

The Better Bean

The better bean is a quiet little café that is located in Bridgewater Massachusetts on 23 central square. The café has plenty of variety when it comes to coffee and that extends to the rest of the menu as well, sandwiches and pastries but back to the coffee. The beans used are from a variety of places and have their own unique flavors. There are many types of coffee a customer can have such as ice, hot, latte hot or cold, and cappuccino. I don’t drink coffee very often, but on my first visit to this café I ordered a latte with sugar and I have to say that it was very enjoyable.  

 
   
 

  

Peekskill Coffee House

This coffee shop is located in New York and is one of my all time favorites. They serve arabica coffee and all there espresso beans come from Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Honduras. They have all kinds of flavors starting with the simple ones like hazelnut and french vanilla to more extreme flavors like blueberry and gingerbread. What really sets this coffee shop apart from others is it upbeat environment. It is always busy through all times of the day and they provide awesome customer service. This cafe has a hipster vibe to it with cozy couches and vintage tables and chairs. . The best time to go, is on Friday and Saturdays because they have live music and trivia for the customers. Lastly, they also have a wide variety of food and desserts to go with there coffee like apple rounds and crepe's. I highly recommend this cafe to people who are huge coffee drinkers.

Rockin' & Roastin' Cafe

I recently visited Rockin' & Roastin Café in North Attleboro, Massachusetts. It was founded by Aerosmith drummer Joe Kramer. He is very passionate about coffee and usually drinks it before he performs on stage. His brand of coffee is primarily from Guatemala. They have coffee from Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Sumatra. The coffee is filtered using Swiss water process. When I went there it was not very busy, but when I talked to the manager he said that sometimes it was busy during the morning but they do get after school rushes. As a first time visitor, I felt out of place. I talked to some of the customers and they said they absolutely love it. There was everything from veterans people with pony tails and tattoos. I will go as far as to say that it is just like a Hard Rock Café but for coffee drinkers. I am not much of a coffee drinker but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has not checked it out.

Cafe on the Common

Café of the Common is a hidden jewel in Mansfield, MA locates at 12 South Main Street and it has been in business since 2001. Their busiest times are on the weekend. When I walked into the cafe on Sunday, I was greeted warmly by one of their workers, and was seated after a brief ten minute wait. I could feel the family atmosphere as soon as I sat down, and always believed this was the best part of the cafe. There were many small groups, of all ages. Everyone seemed to know one another, and had smiles on their faces.  Their menu has a vast selection of breakfast and lunch entrees, including their specialty dish, blueberry French toast which is what I ordered. The blueberry French toast was delicious, and it did not disappoint. The coffee served by the café is a Columbian bean, and our attentive waitress constantly filled our mugs with the aromatic coffee. Overall, the atmosphere and delicious menu options makes a trip to Café on the Common enjoyable every time. 

Mirasol's Cafe

Mirasol's Cafe

439 State Rd, North Dartmouth MA

Hours: Mon-Sat 7 am until 7 pm

       Sunday 9am until 5 pm

This coffee shop is an extremely vibrant and enthusiastic place. There are bright colors on the inside and on the outside to grab your attention. This coffee shop stays very true to it's coffee roots by being a Latino cafe. There are tables and chairs outside as well as many more on the inside. This coffee shop seems to be extremely busy with a lot of people, including myself, ordering their signature secret iced coffee mixture called the "Chippi". It was so good and gave me a serious energy kick which is important to me with my caffeine. They also serve Jim's organic coffee which is a fair-trade brand and very good. Overall, the experience I had there was one filled with color, creative coffees and sandwiches/quesadillas, and many excited people to get their hands on one of those signature Chippi iced coffees!

One thing to add also is that it is located very close to UMass Dartmouth so it seemed to have a big college crowd of people who wanted coffee! Overall, it was an extremely cool and fun atmosphere that many college students including myself seem to enjoy.

The Daily Brew Coffee House

I Decided to go visit The Daily Brew Coffee House. The Daily Brew is located in Cataumet Ma. I decided to visit this place because I always drive by and I have only stopped in once. It is a very busy Coffee shop for people of all ages.
While I was there I notice many people sitting down to eat but, many people took food and drinks to go. The Daily Brew serves all types of sandwiches for lunch and all different breakfast options.
They do all of there own baking in house. They have many different options for hot and iced coffee. They get their coffee from jims organic coffee in Wareham Ma. The sandwich and coffee that I had was very good. I Highly recommend visiting this place.

The Owner Kathy Hickey has been in this location for 12 years. She prides her self in good service and good food. She also likes to support the locals by letting them sell some of their art work and crafts in her shop.



                                          

The Thinking Cup

The Thinking Cup

The Thinking Cup has three different locations around Boston. There are shops in the Boston Common, the Back Bay, and the North End. They are a very wonderful coffee shop committed to providing high quality service, using only the finest coffee beans, and providing a comfortable environment. The Thinking Cup has been busy every time I have gone. It is always filled with students, business workers, medical professionals and all sorts of people. Whether you are visiting to enjoy the company of others, or to get some work done, the shop provides a great environment. There is a large variety of coffee, teas, refreshments, pastries and meals that the customer can enjoy. There coffee is served fresh, and most of their food is made with organic and all natural ingredients. Overall, this is a great coffee shop to visit, and spend some time in, or to get a quick bite to go!

Better Bean coffee Company

The coffee shop stressed knowing their farmer, and making sure they are supporting someone who grows the coffee in the right way, ensuring their customers receive the best quality. The excellent customer service they presented when I visited definitely made my short stay a pleasant experience. The ice coffee and coffee muffin I purchased were great, they were both gone before I left. They also have a variety of sandwiches and muffins they get from local bakeries. Overall the Better Bean Coffee company is a place I would recommend.

Devaughn Senna

T's cafe

T's cafe is unique to Holbrook, MA as it is it's only location. T's has been in business for about 4 years now and has a loyal following. The cafe is within a mile of Holbrook High and the Holbrook/Randolph commuter rail station, so you can find a lot of foot traffic from these places from people trying to get their coffee. T's offers a variety of smoothies, flavored coffees, cappuccinos, teas, hot chocolates, espresso, etc. Not only do they offer a bunch of drink options, but they have a lot of food options as well! At T's you can find: bagels, breakfast sandwiches, paninis, wraps, etc. I highly recommend the El Diablo, it's got sriracha and bacon, what's more to love? :) There's a flavored coffee for everyone, at T's you can find: strawberry shortcake, tiramisu, rolo, minty irishmen, etc. And for all my noncoffee drinkers out there (myself included), the smoothies from here are amazing! The mango one is so good. You won't find a lot of people sitting around enjoying their coffee, as most people take their coffee and go. T's is a great place for adventurous coffee drinkers who are looking to try every flavor of coffee they can imagine. The prices are reasonable and the staff is wonderful!

Hours:
Monday-Friday: 6-3
Saturday: 7-2
Sunday: 8-1

The Nook Gourmet CoffeeShop

I recently visited the Nook in Fairhaven, MA. This was a local coffee shop I have been to a few times previously. I walked in and already knew what I wanted. I ordered a Blue Devil Brew, which is their signature iced coffee. After speaking with the owner Paul for a few minutes, he offered me one of his new specialty beverages on the house. It's called a Root Beer Nitro Brew. This is a blend of iced coffee, root beer, and a vanilla foam placed on top of it all. Although it sounds very interesting, it was very delicious and I would recommend it to other customers. The nook is a very great place to stop in and grab a coffee to go, you won't be disappointed.

The better bean coffee by Madeline Landry

I have had nothing but great experiences at the Better Bean. Its nice being able to walk downtown to a nice little coffee shop off the Bridge water campus. My roommate happens to work there and she loves the environment and the day to day work style of being there. I have to say the coffee is unique and well tasting, they keep it interesting for consumers with different special coffee flavors. They have plenty of goodies from different local shops around town. The menu is very diverse and they have plenty of other options besides pastries and coffee. They obtain the most interesting, well tasting handcrafted sandwiches including breakfast sandwiches. The prices are a bit over priced but its well worth the friendly, peaceful environment.

The Better Bean Coffee Company

Better Bean Coffee Company is a coffee shop located in the center of Bridgewater. It's a very short walk from campus, so I visited on a delightful, 70 degree Wednesday, with my friend. Despite the shop being so close to campus, I had never visited before, so I was excited to stumble upon something wonderful and close. There was some cute outdoor seating, but the wind was very active, so we opted for indoor seating.

Better Bean Coffee Co's proximity to campus. It took us about five minutes to walk there from RCC. Though they do not advertise it on campus, the owner told me that they have poetry nights and open mic nights hosted in the shop on select Thursday nights.

The menu consisted of different coffee drinks, hot and iced, bakery items, and different sandwiches. I ordered a cup of their house blend, hot coffee. My friend tried their dark roast and got a "Californian" sandwich. He highly recommended both, and I was extremely pleased with my coffee. It tasted fresh, fruity, and simply delicious. After I was done observing, I went back to the owner to explain how I had come from class and to express how much I enjoyed my cup of coffee. We chatted and he recommended the "Ethiopian Limu," which is a very fruity single source coffee that they sell as whole beans. They advertised it on a small dry-erase board by the ordering area. He also told me about their open mic nights and poetry nights that they host.

After I ordered, I turned around and was so pleasantly surprised to find this board of information. Information on origin was provided down to the farmers' names. This made me quite happy. 

Inside the coffee shop, local art lined the walls and eclectic tables and chairs added to the warm and inviting, "hip" environment. Some nice, Middle Eastern sounding instrumental music played in the background. Two different women were getting work done while slowly drinking their drinks. One appeared to be a student doing work, while the other woman was in business casual. Two professors drank coffee and carried out a lively conversation about the sociology department on campus, and a young couple appeared to be on an unawkward date. After us came only two more customers. One of the customers took out a hot coffee and pastry, then the other took out an iced coffee and sandwich. 

Though not empty, the place certainly was not booming at 5pm. My friend and I established that Better Bean Coffee Co is the perfect warm and peaceful atmosphere to get homework done in. We will most certainly be back to enjoy the space, the food, and the delicious coffee. 


Better Bean Coffee Co
23 Central Square, Bridgewater, MA 02324

Somethin's Brewin' Book Cafe is a very nice, cozy place in the heart of Lakeville. The building

was built in 1914 as a public library of the town of Lakeville. In 2005, the library moved to a

new and bigger facility right across the street. So the cafe opened its gate in 2007 and doing its

business since then. The inside area reminds me a small, friendly library, where people could

enjoy their coffee and food among a lot of books. Customers can select from a lot

of different types of drinks - espresso, latte, cappuccino, mocha, brewed coffee, tea, hot

chocolate, sodas, smoothies, etc. - and food, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, and

desserts. By the time I got there, 8 AM Sunday, a few local older people were there. It seemed

like everyone knew everyone, so it was like a big family gathered around. They also have free

Wi-Fi, but people don't really use it when they go there. The small, friendly ex-library will catch

your attention right after you step in. 

Somethin's Brewin' has a unique book-lovers atmosphere. It is a great place to meet up with

friends or just sit for a quiet cup of coffee and a sandwich. You can sit in and outside.

The setting here is the real highlight with comfy couches, pleasant decor, books to browse

through.

Somethin's Brewin' Book Cafe, 241 Main St, Lakeville, MA 02347

                                                                                                                                   by: Lorinc Vincze   

The Coffee Exchange in Providence

I've gone to visit The Coffee Exchange at many different times during the day and every time I go its a very bustling scene I love almost every time I've been. The only time I haven't been is earlier in the morning, but I had just realized that it's not that inconvenient of a trip. I may just take it tomorrow!!

The customers that frequent this establishment have the choice of either carrying out or taking a seat and enjoying their brew, there is no drive-thru.  There is a plethora of people that walk through the doors of The Coffee Exchange. Located not too far from downtown providence, it's inhabitants are indicative of the inner city. Students, professors and business professionals that all "Exchange" a tip of the hat at The Coffee Exchange.  Variation in age and group size varies among times of the day. Later in the day, the students are finished with class so they come in droves, but the lunch rush belongs to the business professionals.

The owners founded The Coffee Exchange in 1983 and pride themselves in the organizations they support.  Imported through cooperative coffees, they encourage the ideal all that we've been taught all throughout class; coffee is a universal language that we all should learn to speak.

Teas and Javas

When deciding what coffee shop to visit I tried to find one I never heard of before. I searched online to see reviews on places people liked and that’s when I came across Teas and Javas. It looked like such a cute coffee shop so I knew I had to go visit it. Its located in 199 Wayland Avenue in Providence. Teas and Javas is a very welcoming coffee shop with great employees who are very helpful. They have so many flavors to try and the workers there gave great suggestions on what to try. They have a variety of different types of drinks a long with food to enjoy in a very peaceful enviorment. This coffee shop has something for everyone to enjoy. 

-Madison Duross