Café SoL - Niantic, CT

 A Coffee Maven Review

As we prepared for a getaway of a few days in Niantic, Connecticut, my thoughts turned -- as they always do -- to whether I should bring my own coffee. We were traveling by car, after all, so it would not be unreasonable -- by Coffee Maven standards -- to bring some coffee, a grinder, a brewer, and so on. After all, we NEVER find decent coffee in hotels (unless the hotel is part of a coffee farm, which is rare in Connecticut).

But cooler heads prevailed. That is to say, my spouse and fellow coffee fan decided that we should take an opportunity to explore local cafés. We were very pleased to find Cafe SoL directly across the street from our wonderful lodgings  -- all very close to the ocean!

Credit: Shamelessly lifted from
www.cafesolniantic.com

The café opens late by our standards (by 8:00 I am usually making a second pot of coffee), but local fans appear not to mind. Where we found a lone man and his dog at 7:59, we found a small throng by 8:02. 

The coffee and food were both delicious, and the service quite chipper. The café walls are full of local art and positive aphorisms, and even the "order number" system is whimsically artful.

Our breakfast the first morning was filed under "Bunny." 

One down side of not bringing my own coffee was that I had no iced coffee to share with our friends at their house, even though I had brought my iced-coffee brewer.

I noticed that Café SoL does have coffee by the (approximate) pound. When I asked the manager to grind a package of Sumatran dark roast, I mentioned that it was for iced coffee, and I was pleased to hear that she understood that this is ideal for iced coffee. 

About the timing: this café was so good that we returned on our second morning and this time we figured out what to do about the late opening. We did the 2.2-mile boardwalk roundtrip before our coffee and breakfast, rather than after. On a gradually warming morning, this was a particularly good idea.

Access to the local boardwalk (and beach, if one has a permit) is through a railroad underpass known formally as the Hole in the Wall. Note that just north of the café is a great spot for later in the day: La Llorona Progressive Mexican Cuisine. Look for a separate blog post about that incredible restaurant soon!

Decisions, Decisions

 A Coffee Maven Humorous Interlude

Make good choices. Here is a guide.

From our friends at Lucas Roasting in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.

Cafe EZ -- Ellicott City, MD

A Coffee Maven Review

On a recent morning we woke up to home-roasted coffee I brewed in our hotel room, walked past the included lobby breakfast, and set off to meet my sister-in-law at a place we had chosen based on her experiences. 

It is my experience that VERY few places have both an excellent breakfast and excellent coffee. In fact, the Coffee Maven is usually happy to find one or the other. Still fresh from the home-roasted Primos mentioned above, I was ready to go to a diner with great food and perhaps skip the coffee. 

We were very encouraged when the door of  Cafe EZ flung open precisely at the 8:00 opening time, and the owner greeted us with enthusiasm. 

When we entered, my sister-in-law pointed out a lovely bit of coffee wit in one corner.

All you need is love ... and a cup of coffee
With a bird on the cup, reminding me of the terrific flim
Birdsong & Coffee

Next, I noticed something even more exciting: the default coffee that day was a single-origin coffee from what I would discover is a regional purveyor of specialty coffee and tea. 

Colombia La Meseta from Orinoco

When I see the word Orinoco, two thoughts come simultaneously to mind. The first is Mexican playwright Emilio Carballido's Orinoco, which Pamela and I saw while she was in her Spanish-literature graduate program. It was remarkable that a play with two characters and no props could evoke a riparian rain forest landscape so vividly. The second is the river itself: the southern headwaters of the Orinoco are so flat and wet that one can travel upstream from Guayana City in Venezuela, over a divide, and then downstream into the Rio Negro of Brazil into Manaus and ultimately return to the Atlantic at Belém. Have a look on Google maps. As I write this, I am realizing that this river essentially makes the greater Guyana highlands area a huge island, or semi-continent with a forested moat. 

But the Coffee Maven digresses. Back to the café itself. Situated in a small office park and with a very simple, clean decor, the place nevertheless has great atmosphere and great food. The owner clearly enjoys both his staff and his customers -- I heard at least three languages spoken during our short visit and saw great teamwork as some of the food supplies for the day arrived in the opening minutes. 

We each had a terrific meal, and I savored a delicious cup of coffee -- a rare combination.

Lagniappe:

Even the menu had some fun to offer. 

Cafe June - Ellicott City, MD

  A Coffee Maven Review

Today I found myself in the midst of my old haunts just west of Baltimore with two coffee-related goals. I needed a place to do some online work while the housekeeping folks tended to our hotel room; I also needed some good coffee to brew in that room for the remaining days of our stay. We had been here long enough for us to use the pound I had roasted before our trip.

For many years, I would have known what to do: the historic downtown was home to a cozy cafe that was also an excellent roaster. I discovered it before I even started this blog, and wrote about Bean Hollow on the web page that was its precursor. I have written extensively about the flash floods that ultimately led to the demise of that cafe. 

Which brings me today -- out and about in Ellicott City in search of coffee bliss. And I found it in a very unassuming strip mall far from the center. Cafe June is doing many things well -- friendly knowledgeable baristas, a floor plan that is both open and welcoming while providing ample seating for those here with a friend and those here with a laptop. 

Having just had a big breakfast at a diner where I was not willing to try the coffee, I asked only for coffee, and was glad to learn that a pour-over was available.  The Guji is what is fueling this blog post and a bit of writing I just did for my students. Its presentation was as delicious as the cup -- with a clever jukebox motif on the information card about today's blend.

The Ethiopia Guji from Pike Roastery is very delicious and somewhat unusual -- it is an heirloom variety from Ethiopia, but it was prepared with a washed (wet) process more common in Latin America. This brought forth some very smooth, light flavors instead of the earthy fruitiness for which Ethiopian natural-process coffees are known.

Koneko Cafe - New York City

 Koneko Cafe Review

• 9 AM to 9 PM (excluding mon&tues)

• Affordable pricing

• ✩ 4.4 stars ✩

https://www.konekonyc.com/

Koneko Cafe is a cat cafe located in New York City. The first half of its name, “Koneko”, means kitten, meaning a direct translation of their name would be “Kitten Cafe”. Koneko Cafe is described as being a “Bright, upbeat cat cafe offering espresso, Japanese snacks, pastries & sake + adoptable felines".

The cafe has a brick exterior but is outlined in black adding a touch of modernism. It is located in between a smoke shop and a closed shop that used to provide refrigeration services. Across from it is a boba shop and it is overall located on a busy New York street filled with other cafes and restaurants. The interior is well lit and has a modern aesthetic with the primary colors being black and white.

Cat spaces are labeled: The sunlit Upper Cattery, the warm and cozy Lower Cattery, and Catio.

The area that houses the cats maintains the black and white theme but with pink and red accents, adding pops of color and making the environment feel more lively.

 This cafe has a wide variety of customers but seems to skew towards a younger audience. Those who visit the cafe tend to treat it as an outing usually coming in groups or at least pairs. Despite this, there are still those that choose to come alone. The environment is often described as welcoming and the staff is friendly. Though it is often busy and a reservation, which costs $20, must be made to interact with the cats. While on this topic, it is important to mention that this location acts as both a cafe and a shelter and the cats are all up for adoption. Their cats are those who were on the city’s “at-risk” list.

If I’m being honest, pet cafes aren’t really known for their quality coffee. They usually focus mostly on pastries and tea. Koneko’s coffee selection is quite good when compared to other animal cafes. I wasn’t able to identify what coffee they used on their website aside from them saying they source it from Stumptown. They state they change roasts often and encourage customers to come in to see what they’ve got. The reviews seem to praise both their drinks and food with only a few expressing their displeasure. According to the reviews, this location is often busy and quality sometimes does decrease depending on the number of customers.

 Reviewed by Ani Lubin 

Sweet Java, Salem MA

 529 Loring Ave, Salem, MA 01970

Daily 8:00am-5:00pm 

Phone: (978)-306 7369

Sweet Java is a locally opened coffee shop. They opened in the summer of 2019. Through the pandemic they have been able to hold their own. 

The coffee Sweet Java uses is Jims organic coffee. Has been successful for 25 years and was one of the first organic roasters. He turned his company from one to about 18 successful organic growers who help to make the product ethical and tasty. 

Within a mile radius there is two Dunkin's, one Starbucks, and a breakfast/coffee place called Periwinkles. 

They have outdoor and indoor seating. The outdoor seating is perfect for a nice sunny spot. When going to sweet java you will see people going in and out to get their coffees and sweets, while some will come in to set up their computers and stay for hours.  I have been both customers at times and both are an enjoyable experience. There are people of all ages from children coming in with parents to the older customers; everyone can enjoy the space. 

They have a variety of drinks to choose from, including teas and stronger coffees like espresso and nitros. 

They sell speciality coffees with all sorts of flavors. My personal favorite is a Spanish latte with Oat milk. They have an assortment of milk substitutes to meet the needs of their customers. 

They make delicious smoothies that have unique flavors. They make sure to have something for 

everyone with all sorts of taste pallets. The prices are fair for the portion. 

If you are a bit hungry, that is not a concern when going to Sweet Java. They have food too and many

 love their muffins. The s'mores and apple pie flavors are delicious.  

The power bowls are some of the customers favorites; they are one of the main attractions. Within the Swampscott area there are not too many smoothie bowl places, so they have a good location for this 

kind of product.

 On top of everything else they sell ice cream from a locally owned ice creamery! 

Coffee from Jim's organic coffee. 

Their mission statement is to "Use organic foods and sustainable grown ingredients whenever feasible." The workers truly make sure that your needs are meet, as they meet the goal of having the customers happy and comfortable. 

Review by Emma Rand

Kushala Sip Coffee House

  

Kushala Sip Coffee House

Stoneham, Massachusetts

Monday-Friday 6:30am-5:30pm

Saturday 7am-5:30pm

Sunday 8am-3pm

Kushala Sip Coffee House is a small and welcoming coffee shop located in Stoneham, Massachusetts on Main Street. The meaning of Kushala comes from the Hindi language, and it can mean happy, expert, and safe. Because of their location, it makes it easy for people to go in and pick up a coffee if they're running errands to the post office or bank. Their menu offers a variety of coffee, sandwiches, pastries, and salads. If you visit their website, you can see that they offer pick up and delivery services as well.

When you walk in, you follow the arrows on the floor to the cashier where you order. Then, you go to the pick up area where they call out your order when it's ready. Because of COVID, Kushala is using paper cups for extra safety precautions. Once you receive your oder, you can go over to a small table where they have spoons, napkins, and different sweeteners. Above this area, there is multiple paintings and drawings. The drawings are from children who have visited Kushala. This part of the coffee house show that it's a friendly family place and that children love to come here for their hot chocolate. When I visited, I also had a hot chocolate which I recommend!

When I walked into the coffee house, I saw this accent wall with paintings and the year that Kushala opened. Kushala was opened in 2015 by a couple from Woburn, Massachusetts. The wife, Dalia is from Mexico and the husband, Vinod is from India. They both came to Boston in 2005 to get their Master's degree in business. Kushala partnered with Crimson Cup because of their commitment to roasting coffee.

Once I got my hot chocolate, I sat down at one of the tables and observed everything that was happening around me. While I was there, multiple families and couples came to sit down and have a cup of coffee and a sandwich. Because it was nice outside, there were many people sitting at the outdoor tables. Kushala had nice music playing which helped make my visit even more enjoyable.

This is the view of Kushala while I was sitting at one of their tables. They still had the protective barriers up because of COVID. While I was sitting, I was able to see that some of the workers were high school students. On the table, there was a QR code where you could order online and they would bring it to your table.

In the town of Stoneham, there are six Dunkin Donuts. The closest Dunkin Donuts to Kushala Sip Coffee House is four minutes away.

In Stoneham, there is only one Starbucks. The Starbucks is located seven minutes away from Kushala.

This is a picture of Kushala on Google Maps where you're able to see the different stores located in the area.

Overall, if you're ever in the Stoneham area and want to grab a cup of coffee and pastry, I recommend stopping by Kushala Sip Coffee House!

Written By: Emily Daly

The Beanery On Washington

  

The Beanery On Washington is a little coffee shop located on 181 Washington Street in Easton, Massachusetts. 

The Beanery On Washington has a classic 1950's vibe to it's interior with a black and white checkered floor, retro style kitchen/furniture, and the real magazines from the 50's where customers and sit and read while enjoying their coffee.

    The Beanery On Washington offers many dining options. They make in house breakfast sandwiches, order donuts everyday from Donut King (located in Weymouth), blend fresh smoothies, and of course brew coffee. They get their fair trade coffee from farms located in Ethiopia and offer many different flavoring if the customer desire it. Their specialty coffee is called "The Buzz" which is coffee extract mixed with milk creating what is referred to coffee milk.

Slack Tide Coffee, Marshfield MA

 Slack-tide Coffee is established in Marshfield Massachusetts and is located at 1871 Ocean Street. 

It's an amazing coffee shop in the perfect area right by the beach. The smell as you enter the shop is phenomenal and makes you want to try every coffee they have to offer in the cafe. The most popular times when it gets busy are Saturdays and Sundays around 10 AM. Slack tide also has a variety of yummy snacks and breakfast foods such as Bagels, toasts, and unbelievable donuts every Sunday and Tuesdays when there freshly made. 

They recently opened a new slack tide cafe at Derby Street in Hingham Massachusetts. Overall, the cafes are very clean and maintained and run very well, and my experience there was well worth the drive from Bridgewater. 

Review by David Nelson