Geography of Coffee Shoppes: March 2024

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Dirt Coffee Shop

Dirt Coffee Bar

By Alex Mayer

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Dirt is a Local coffee shop that I have been to many a few times but never the less is a story that I wanted to tell. What they have done to achieve success is truly impressive. However, what's even more impressive is how they have paved this road to success without comprising their founding principles.

“Littleton Shop.” DIRT, www.dirtcoffee.org/littleton.
Dirt coffee shop started as a mobile truck that would make stops around the Denver area. Their main goal was and still is to "employ, train, and empower neurodivergent individuals." This is the main reason I chose dirt for my project as I think they have an awesome goal that I would love for more people to support it. 

Huckleberry Roasters. “About Us.” Huckleberry Roasters, huckleberryroasters.com/pages/about.
They source all their coffee from the Denver local Huckleberry Roasters. Huckleberry Roasters is a fair trade coffee roasting organization that's goal is to be a "reliable business partner to small farms and coffee co-ops."

“Littleton Shop.” DIRT, www.dirtcoffee.org/littleton. 

My experience going to Dirt was great. I went in the morning when it is always super busy so  I could get the full experience. The atmosphere was great with chatter and a lovely aroma. The staff were awesome and always very helpful if you can't decide what to get.

I ended up ordering something new, which was a the special coffee of the month and gluten free blueberry scone. The coffee had a very sweet taste, I get hints of caramel, honey, chocolate, and above all a nutty flavor. The coffee was pretty good and I would definitely get it again. The scone even though gluten free, was light and fluffy which made it shockingly good.

After I had enjoyed the coffee and relaxed for a while in the shop I went up to have a chat with the manager. I caught her at a less busy moment and asked her about her time there.

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Q/A

How long have you worked here and why? -

“I have worked here for 2 years and I came here because I love coffee and wanted to help make a difference in an environment like this. I love working with and meeting neurodivergent individuals and helping them to flourish in a workplace."

What's your best memory from this place? -

“ My favorite memory is when I met this girl who was extremely nervous to work and thought she would be judged by everyone. We helped her through and by the time she got to her last week she was talking and having a great time with everyone that came in. I loved seeing her get out of her shell and become more confident in who she was."

"Catering." Dirt, www.dirtcoffee.org/catering

I think stories like those are why this place deserves love. They are not only making good coffee but also creating a support network and welcoming community. Overall Dirt is an awesome local shop that if you are ever in the Denver area is a must stop to try. They have amazing coffee and treats along with a fantastic goal to help give a safe space to those who need it.

Here is a map to the closest Starbucks which compared to Dunkin is a bit more popular in Colorado. It is about 3 minutes away but Dirt seems to be doing more then fine on business and is even moving to a bigger location soon.

Monday, March 18, 2024

Café chez Téta

Café Chez Téta

By:Gina Gangemi

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Initially, when I was choosing a cafe to try out in Montreal I chose Cafe Replika however, when I got there they had stopped selling food because they were about to transition into lunch. However, the nice man at the counter recommended the Lebanese cafe diagonally across the street. Café Chez Téta has a warm classic logo on the sign outside yet when you walk in it is completely modernized while still fostering a warm welcoming ambiance.

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The inside of the cafe was bright and simplistic. The menus were in French but they had a QR Code you could scan at the bottom to get it in English which was a courteous touch.I chose to get a simple French

vanilla Latte with light cream and sugar and the

presentation was beautiful. When I tasted it,

cream and sugar aside it reminded me of the

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Yemen Coffee we first tried, it was smooth and had almost a caramel, mocha taste.

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The Dinning Area
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Walking into the cafe, I was greeted by kind and welcoming waitresses who explained to me and my sister how to order and where we could seat ourselves. She also told us where the water station was which was very visually appealing and just added to the welcoming atmosphere. The food I've tried thus far was the Brownie Halva, Poulet & Fromage(Chicken and Cheese).

The Water Station
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On my way out of the cafe, I asked the hostess if she happened to know where the coffee came from. She said showed me the bags that they sell and they buy from 3 different places, a Colombia, Honduras, Brazil, and a small brewer in Montreal all of which are marked as "transparent trade". She went on to explain to me how close she is to the family that runs the restaurant and she explained to me that they sit down multiple times a month and try an assortment of coffees and when they like a particular one they put it on the shelf and see how it does. It is a way of keeping that tradition in their family. Its a bonding experience and the restaurant's mission statement is “To provide Montrealers with a typical Lebanese culinary experience derived from ancestral village practices by allowing them to travel through the flavors and ingredients of the culture.” Doing further research on their website I found their story and their inspiration for the restaurant. The founder states “After several years working in the restaurant and hotel industry in Montreal, the desire to have a project of our own began to take up a lot of space. An idea was born: to open an establishment offering third-wave coffees with a Lebanese touch inspired by our culture. My Lebanese grandmother's cooking has always been a source of comfort. The word Teta means "grandmother" in Lebanese.

The name of our café honors the childhood memories associated with my grandmother's warm and friendly welcome.”

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The founder credits the family as a whole

rather than placing his specific name on the website credited to owning the cafe because it is a group effort to keep their Lebanese culture alive in honor of their “Jadda”(juh-duh).

(PS. All coffee is marked as transparent trade. :)

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Proximity to the nearest Dunkin:

7.1 miles