Category Archives: USA & Canada

Coffee Spots in the United States of America and Canada

Shot Tower Coffee

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Shot Tower Coffee, on the corner of Christian & South 6th Streets.My friend Greg, of Coffee Guru App fame, and my number one source of all things coffee-related in Philadelphia, described Shot Tower Coffee as “one of the best” in Philly. No pressure then. Fortunately I loved it from the moment we drove past along Christian Street on our way to the 9th Street Italian Market. Greg had to do his shopping then head home, leaving me free to wander back to Shot Tower at my leisure, which I did.

Sitting on the corner of Christian and South 6th Streets, Shot Tower is perhaps twice as long as it is deep, and ever so slightly wedge-shaped. Windows run the length of both sides, which, coupled with a high ceiling, give it a bright and airy feel. Well-spaced seating adds to the sense of space.

The coffee is from Counter Culture, with a fairly standard espresso-based menu, the obligatory bulk-brew drip coffee and hand-brew pour-over, with a choice (while I was there) of a Rosales from Columbia, a Kinyara from Kenya or decaf. There’s also decaf available for the espresso and a wide selection of loose-leaf tea and iced drinks. Pastries and oatmeal provide food options if you’re hungry.

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Daily Press Coffee, Havemeyer Street

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From the window of Daily Press Coffee: the words "Daily Press" written in blue in serif capitals.The Coffee Spot has finally made it to Brooklyn and where better to start than today’s Coffee Spot, Daily Press Coffee? Conveniently located on Havemeyer Street near the foot of Williamsburg Bridge, this is the second outpost of Daily Press Coffee, a chain of precisely two. The original, also in Brooklyn, on Franklin Avenue, opened five years ago, with the current location joining it three years later.

It’s a delightful little spot, offering a simple menu of coffee, cakes and pastries, plus an all-day breakfast menu in the shape of breakfast burritos made on demand. The coffee is from New York roasters, Irving Farm, with a concise espresso menu, bulk-brew filter and the house speciality, with a nod to the Latin neighbourhood, Café con Leche.

Although fairly narrow, it’s not quite arms-outstretched-touch-both-sides narrow (it is, perhaps, twice that wide) and since it’s fairly long, with a high, white-washed ceiling, this leads to a sense of space that belies its small size. The interior is beautifully laid out, with wooden floor, bare-brick or whitewashed walls, a sumptuous wooden counter and wooden furniture. The result is very pleasing on the eye, making for a lovely, relaxing place to sit and drink your coffee.

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L.A. Burdick, Back Bay

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A cup of hot chocolate from L.A. Burdick's Back Bay branch in Boston.I first came across L.A. Burdick exactly three years ago after a tip-off from a friend in Cambridge (Massachusetts, not UK). I tried the branch there and loved it, but was a little put off by how busy it was. Even late on a weekday afternoon, I still had to wait 20 minutes for a table, such was its popularity!

On my trip to Boston a year ago, I learnt that there was a branch on Clarendon Street in Back Bay, around 10 minutes from my hotel. Although excited, I nevertheless approached it with some trepidation, expecting crowds. However, I needn’t have worried: it was an oasis of tranquillity in comparison. It might have helped that it was gone six o’clock on a freezing cold Tuesday evening, but I wasn’t complaining.

The main draw of L.A. Burdick is the hot chocolate and the Back Bay branch is no exception. However, there’s also coffee, tea and a range of cakes and pastries. And, of course, chocolate. L.A. Burdick is definitely at the luxury end of the chocolate market and both prices and décor reflect this, making L.A. Burdick one the more sumptuously-appointed cafés you’ll visit.

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Ultimo Coffee, Graduate Hospital

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The Ultimo symbol, a Roman Eagle, here cut out of an iron plate.I’ve saved the first until last, so to speak. On my trip to Philadelphia back in March, Ultimo Coffee was my first port of call, fresh off the train from Boston, whisked there by my generous host for the weekend, Greg of Coffee Guru App fame. It seems appropriate that of the nine Coffee Spots I visited (11 if you count The Franklin Fountain and Jany’s), it’s the last to be written up.

The Graduate Hospital branch on Catharine Street is the second of Philadelphia’s two Ultimos, the westernmost Coffee Spot that I visited (the original, on S 15th Street, is a long way out of town and would easily have been the furthest south had I made it there; next time, maybe). After leaving the Amtrak Station and crossing the river, turn right and it’s a straight run down 22nd Street to Ultimo, making it a logical place to start my coffee tour.

Ultimo serves Counter Culture coffee (with occasional guest roasters) with an emphasis on filter. Chemex is available until 11 o’clock in the morning, with V60 on the go throughout the day. There’s a choice of three single-origins, with single-origin house and guest espressos, plus decaf. There’s a range of sandwiches and cakes too.

December 2016: Ultimo now roasts all its own coffee which it serves in both its stores.

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One Shot

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The One Shot logo, an eight-engined, propeller-driven flying boat, painted on the side of the wall of One Shot.After my recent Manchester exploits (Cup North, Pot Kettle Black, Caffeine Magazine), I thought it high time I returned to Philadelphia, a city with many similarities to Manchester, to finish writing up the Coffee Spots from my trip back in March. So, I present, without further ado, One Shot, which was introduced to me by my host, Greg of Coffee Guru App.

To the north of the centre, One Shot is a lovely spot, best known for its food and, as a result, a very popular brunch spot. Naturally enough, Greg and I went there for Sunday brunch. It’s been serving great food and equally great coffee since 2005 and, in 2011, moved a short distance from its original location to its current premises, spread over two floors on the corner of W George and N American Streets.

A long, thin store, downstairs is dominated by the counter, while upstairs is given over to a wide range of seating options, including a lounge/library area (with its own motorbike) right at the front. There’s also seating outside. The food is varied, with numerous specials, while the main menu changes on a seasonal basis. The coffee, meanwhile, is from Stumptown.

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Caffe Reggio

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An espresso in a Caffe Reggio espresso cup.I’ve been visiting Caffe Reggio, a Greenwich Village institution, for years, almost as long as I’ve been coming to New York City. Like Boston’s Caffé Vittoria and Little Italy’s Caffé Roma, it’s the sort of old fashioned, American-Italian café that I can’t help but fall in love with (although I also have a soft spot for the Anglo-Italian variety). Established in 1927, Caffe Reggio been going strong ever since, trading partly on its heritage, although there’s a lot more behind its success than just nostalgia.

In terms of its coffee, it’s not going to win any third-wave aficionados over, but it serves a decent espresso, while there is an excellent range of cakes, which I’ve sampled before. Like many cafés of its ilk, there’s also a full food menu, which, due to illness, I didn’t get to try on this visit.

It’s a fairly small, busy space, with a sumptuously-appointed interior, which is half the attraction. You can also sit outside at a row of tables on the sidewalk. Full table service is an added bonus. It’s fair to say that while I enjoy the coffee, the main purpose of my (continued) visits is to soak up the atmosphere.

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The Java Room

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The Java Room: cafe, music, espressoWhen I originally started the Coffee Spot, the intention was to write about places where I liked to have coffee. Although it’s evolved a lot since then, this original motivation is still very much at the heart of the Coffee Spot. On that basis, I present today’s Saturday Supplement, The Java Room. Located in a small plaza on Littleton Road in Chelmsford, you might be mistaken for thinking that this represents my first foray into Essex, but this happens to be Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Confusingly, the New England version of Chelmsford is in Middlesex County. Go figure, as my American friends would say.

The Java Room offers pretty standard coffee-shop fare. There are no flat whites and piccolos here, no single-origin beans or micro-lots, just large lattes, cappuccinos and espresso, along with bulk-brewed filter coffee and various iced and blended beverages. Where the Java Room really scores is in its atmosphere. It’s a lovely spot, the perfect, small town, neighbourhood coffee shop, friendly, relaxed and welcoming. I’m kicking myself for having been to Chelmsford many, many times and not discovering it before last year.

March 2015: Correction. I popped in one Monday in March (since I was literally passing by) and there are indeed flat whites to be had at The Java Room. Naturally, I had to have one and it was very fine.

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Bodhi Coffee

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The sign outside Bodhi Coffee. Bodhi's symbol, a leaf, topped by the words "Bodhi Coffee" with the address at the bottom.I can’t believe that it’s been six months since my trip to Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Such was the embarrassment of riches that I found during my visit, especially in Philadelphia, that here I am, still writing up places from the trip.

Today it’s the turn of Bodhi, the first stop on the Sunday Coffee Spot tour of Philadelphia I took with my local guide, Greg of Coffee Guru App, and journalist, Drew Lazor, who was writing about my visit You can read Drew’s piece on-line and also see what Greg’s made of this leg of my trip.

Other than being a lovely spot for coffee, especially on a sunny Sunday morning, Bodhi’s main claim to fame is that, as far as Greg knows, it’s the oldest building in Philadelphia that’s in use as a coffee shop. Situated on Headhouse Square in Philadelphia’s south side in the historic (and beautiful) Society Hill neighbourhood, the building dates back to the 1700s, although Bodhi’s only its most recent tenant.

Serving Elixr on espresso, and with beans from both Elixr and Stumptown available as either bulk-brew or filter, Bodhi certainly makes the grade when it comes to coffee.

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I Am Coffee Update

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The I Am Coffee logo on St Mark's Place, New York CityOf all New York City’s fine Coffee Spots (and there are many), my favourite from my trip in 2013 was the wonderful, tiny and appropriately-named I Am Coffee on Saint Marks Place. So, naturally, I had to go back on my return in March this year and catch up with Giovanni, the inspiration behind I Am Coffee. Equally naturally, Giovanni wasn’t there, having gone on a business trip to Florida. I ask you, the lengths people go to avoid me!

However, I Am Coffee is still there and I was well looked after by the lovely Iker, Giovanni’s newest member of staff. Although the shop itself hasn’t changed much (and given the lack of space, that’s not a great surprise), there are changes going on behind the scenes.

The most important things, the wonderful coffee and the warm welcome, are still there in equal measure though, so I was happy.

March 2015: Bad news. On my return to New York, I found that I Am Coffee is closed, the shop shut up and everything gone…

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La Colombe, Lafayette Street

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A magnificent decaf cortado from La Colombe, 270 Lafayette Street, NYCI discovered La Colombe in its hometown of Philadelphia, visiting the glorious Dilworth Plaza branch. There I was recommended the Lafayette Street branch in New York City (several New York baristas suggested it too). However, they might have meant the flagship store at 400 Lafayette Street, near Union, which I only discovered having already visited 270 Lafayette. Although it looked impressive, there was a line out of the door when I went by, so perhaps I chose wisely.

Although Lafayette Street shares many things with Dilworth Plaza (excellent coffee, splendid crockery, soaring glass windows, high ceilings, interesting mural on the wall, no Wifi or menu, forcing you to engage with the lovely, friendly baristas) in many ways they’re like chalk and cheese. Compared to Dilworth Plaza, Lafayette Street is tiny, although by NYC standards (eg I Am Coffee, Gimme! Coffee, Bluebird or Everyman Espresso) it’s positively huge. However, it lacks Dilworth Plaza’s open spaces, multiple seating options and there’s nowhere to linger at the counter and chat with the baristas. That said, given how busy it is, it wouldn’t be practical if there were.

Despite this, Lafayette Street has more than enough positives to make up for any perceived shortcomings…

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