One of the perks to going to school an hour north of NYC is that I occasionally get to venture into the city for an adventure or two. The problem is that the barriers to entry are large – logistics of where to stay, how to save money, and who to hang out with have prevented me from getting into the city nearly as often as I’d like. Today is one of those opportunities I rarely have – a free evening in New York City with little on my plate, and a hankering for good coffee.
Today I find myself at Bluebird Coffee Shop in East Village, Manhattan. Good coffee has slowly been seeping into this turf – one that until recently has been heavily steeped in the likes of Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. In March of 2010 the NYT ran an article titled “New York Is Finally Taking Its Coffee Seriously” where it outlined some of the quality coffee that was only then starting to pierce the veil of commodity coffee. One of the coffee shops covered in that article is Bluebird Coffee Shop, where I just ordered a standard latte.
The Snapshot
Bluebird Coffee Shop is small, located on the corner of 1st Avenue and 1st Street in East Village. It has a bar that can be sat at from the inside or outside, and three small tables (they can fit your coffee or your laptop – not both). Half of the room is dedicated to the coffee bar and storage shelves in the back. They serve whatever is in season from Counter Culture, with several roasts for sale by the bag. Their menu is composed of espresso drinks and drip coffee. To my chagrin, no pour-overs are available. Still, the coffee is excellent, and the shots are pulled well. The environment is minimalist, the music is low but enchanting. It’s the type of place to stop while on your way elsewhere, not necessarily ideal to stop and smell the roses.
Since I’ve been sitting here, several locals have come in for an espresso shot and to discuss coffee with the barista. This is a place that depends on regulars.
The Coffee
Lattes are hard to make poorly, but equally as hard to make excellent. I ordered one because, well, I felt like one. That being said, it was excellent. And I don’t use that term lightly. The barista frothed the milk to exactly the right consistency, and the shots were pulled without flaw. The latte art was impeccable (I had already taken a sip in the picture on the right) and from the conversations the barista was having with customers I could tell he loves his craft.
While it was hard to tell the specific notes of the espresso due to the creamy and delicious milk, I could tell that they had light, fruity tones to them. Definitely nice for a summertime latte. I just got into town, and it was exactly what I needed after a day of flights and time change.
Final Thoughts
Bluebird Coffee Shop is worth visiting if you can make the trek to East Village or if you live nearby. A few notes: they have a $10 minimum for card swipes, but gladly accept cash. They have bags of freshly roasted Counter Culture for sale, and they also sell KeepCups (which I can personally endorse having used one for months). Additionally, wifi is free, as is people watching!
It’s rare for me to be blown away by the aesthetics of a coffee shop. Most are more or less the same. The Coffee Parlor in Nashville, TN took these coffee shop tropes and turned them into something functional, beautiful, and visually appealing. And honestly, you wouldn’t know it by the outside; the Barista Parlor is a quintessential case of “don’t read a book by its cover.”
The Snapshot
Located in East Nashville on Gallatin, the outside of Barista Parlor is basically a three door garage. Inside, however, is a different story. The front of the coffee shop is a large island with two bars – one side seems reserved for espresso, the other for manual brew methods. Past the island, and on either side, are long wooden bars to sit at and enjoy your food and drink. Larger tables are in the back for bigger groups of friends. The sides are sprinkled with smaller round tables. The back-left wall displays coffee equipment and beans for purchase, the far wall contains a large pixelated image of a ship being tossed by a storm. Lights are suspended throughout the coffee shop – hanging from the high ceiling, but providing a warm yellow glow to the whole room.
When I arrived at the Parlor, the aesthetically-pleasing inside caught me off guard – it’s beautiful. The second thing I noticed was that there were a lot of people hanging out and sipping coffee. This is obviously a community favorite. The third thing I noticed was the most surprising – the Barista Parlor serves six coffees from six different roasters used for by-the-cup pour over methods and three coffees for espresso. This is more than any other coffee shop I’ve ever seen. Intelligentsia, Stumptown, Handsome, Sightglass, Four Barrel, and Madcap coffees are all available. This means tons of coordination on the part of the coffee shop, and it really impressed me.
The Coffee
I ordered a cup of the Kenyan Gotomboya from Four Barrel made in a v60, and a shot of Bandy espresso from Handsome. I was hungry as well, so I ordered the “Huntsman” – scrambled eggs with pepperjack, bacon, and cornbread.
My coffee was out in a flash, followed quickly by my plate of food. While the food wasn’t quite the portion I would have liked, it was incredibly delicious. I suppose after supping on large homemade southern breakfasts for the last several weeks it’s not quite fair of me for me to dock Barista Parlor points for this; truth be told, their breakfast was scrumptious.
The coffee was up to par with what I would expect from Handsome and Four Barrel. But a bad barista can make even the best beans taste off-kilter. Props to the baristas that work at the Parlor, they gave both my espresso and my pour-over the taste they deserve.
The espresso from Handsome had hints of chocolate, smooth carmel, and provided a lovely spike on the palette. I found myself nodding my head in approval and flicking my tongue to get the most taste out of each sip.
I wasn’t sure I liked the Four Barrel pour-over at first, possibly because of the slightly skunky smell. But as the cup went on I found it to be quite delicious. It had an even profile, not very acidic. I’m used to an acidic cup these days, I think. Still, it tended to have brief spikes of flavor. It was a nice cup to enjoy on a chill day like the one I was having, that’s for sure. By the end of the cup I nearly ordered another.
The Environment
The Coffee Parlor is filled with the chatter of meetings, the laughs of friends, and the sounds of coffee-creation. The music was playing lightly in thebackground – a playlist with some bands I have never heard as well as the Rolling Stones. Everything creates a vortex of background noise that is quiet enough to read a book in, but forgiving enough to allow for normal conversations.
Laptops and tablets littered the bar and tables everywhere, and ample outlets provided plenty of power. That said, a fairly large amount of people were reading paperbacks too. I like this conflux of mediums, and I like that the Barista Parlor is the type of place to let both thrive.
As a coffee geek, I felt right at home. Huge siphons, v60 drip stations, and coffee paraphernalia were out for the world to see at the brewing bar, and it was cool to be able to look over and see coffees being made with ease by the well-seasoned baristas.
Final Thoughts
The wall of products
The Barista Parlor is the type of place that’s good for just about everything. Meetings could be held in the back of the room, small gatherings of friends would be a perfect fit for the smaller tables, and sitting alone while reading a book works perfect at one of the bars. Laptops fit everywhere, and plenty of power means lots of time to get that project completed. It’s a versatile coffee shop space, and I would recommend it to just about anyone.
The wide range of coffees made by skilled baristas means a quality cup and a great experience. In short, I can’t recommend the Coffee Parlor highly enough. It is one of the best coffee shops I have ever had the pleasure of reviewing (and their food is great too!)
My travels have taken me to New Orleans for this 4th of July weekend. Good coffee was on my mind, so I asked Reddit where the good shops in the NOLA area. After receiving several responses, I decided it was time to take a coffee crawl.
A coffee crawl is similar to a bar crawl – multiple locations are hit up for the benefit of sight-seeing and experiencing things that you might not just sitting in one location all evening. I wanted to get a feel for where New Orleans was at in their coffee scene, especially since my time in the south has largely left me with a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to their coffee – literally.
It was a great time! I got the chance to walk all around New Orleans, and my coffee experience ran the gambit from truly great to extremely distasteful. NOLA is well on its way to a great coffee scene. Check out the video I made during my experience, below. I’ve listed out individual observations for the various coffee shops below as well.
Velvet Espresso Bar
Located on Magazine street, Velvet Espresso Bar didn’t look like much from the outside. The inside doesn’t have a ton to offer either: two bars with stools to sit and have a quick lunch is all the seating available. They use square and an iPad to process orders, and their menu is written on the wall in chalk. But a majority of the one room building is dedicated to what actually matters: coffee. A large espresso machine, siphons, and a pour station give way for plenty of ordering options. On the wall opposite the espresso machine the available coffees were lined up. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Velvet serves Stumptown coffee. After spotting the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, I ordered a V60 pourover with a shot of espresso on the side.
There were two other gentlemen in the shop with me, and both were eating sandwiches when I entered. After ordering, I took a seat and admired the local art that amply decorates the walls. One of the gentlemen asked if I wanted half of his sandwich since he wasn’t going to eat it, and I happily obliged. Velvet knows how to make an egg-and-jam sandwich! After sucking up the last bite, my coffee was ready. The presentation was phenomenal, and the barista was sweet.
I found my espresso to be a little flat, and while I’m not sure the exact type of coffee they were using for it, I was surprised. It was smooth on the palette, but had a rocky finish that wasn’t quite to my taste. The pour-over was extremely well made, however. I love a good Yirgacheffe in the first place, and this one exceeded expectations. The sweet, fruity-carmel notes were present throughout each taste. The cup was clean and well balanced – every sip left me wanting another. As it cooled the cup took on richer flavors of chocolate that only got more delicious.
I can’t recommend Velvet enough as a place to pass through or grab a quick sandwich and pour-over. It’s not an ideal place to try and get work done, but the coffee is worth making it a destination spot.
Peaches Records
On my way to find the New Orleans classic Cafe Du Monde, I ran into this record store. They had a sign that proudly proclaimed “cafe” on the outside, and I figured any record store that felt it was worth advertising their coffee was worth me checking out. I’m glad I did! Peaches is filled with character. A store that felt similar to Boise’s Record Exchange, it is as quirky as it is homey. I found myself engaged in a conversation with one employee about the merits of records becoming popular once again – a subject I couldn’t have cared less about mere minutes ago.The staff was engaging, helpful, and in the end they made a killer espresso.
The espresso was much better than Velvet’s – a welcome surprise. It was full bodied and rich, nutty notes throughout. In one employee’s words, “people from other countries come here and say it’s the best espresso they’ve ever had.” I was happy to indulge while listening to great music (Preacher Man played on the speakers overhead).
Peaches is located on N. Peters Street right in the hubub of downtown. If you need a quick reprieve from the hustle and bustle of tourists I would highly recommend grabbing an espresso or latte and taking a seat at one of their several tables. Or, if it’s your thing, talk up one of the employees about records. They sell plenty of those as well!
Cafe Du Monde
If you’re in New Orleans for any stint of time, someone will tell you that you have to visit Cafe Du Monde. While they are probably most famous for their beniegets (a French type of donut), they also boast about their chicory coffee. Chicory is plant which has been used as a coffee substitute/additive off and on for centuries. I had never tried it myself, and Cafe Du Monde seemed like the place to do it.
There are several locations inside and outside of New Orleans, the most famous being the one in the French Market. This location was established in 1862. Open 24 hrs a day, it only closes on Christmas and when the occasional hurricane messes up the daily routine.
I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect at Cafe Du Monde even after hearing so much about it. As I took my seat at one of the many outside tables, I was struck by just how many people were there. There was something about the smell of fried dough, mixed with the 40-something fathers with cameras draped around their necks and young children running around that made me instinctively look around for where my Mickey Mouse ears went.
A small order of beniegets and a small coffee cost me only $5 (cash only). The coffee is really not that good. Unfortunately, it seems as though the chicory is present to mask the burnt coffee taste. An initial sip revealed the presence of a foreign substance immediately – undoubtedly the chicory. It isn’t unpleasant, but it’s definitely not delicious or desired. Akin to eating a skittle and expecting an M&M, perhaps. The beniegets are another matter altogether, however. As someone with a bit of a sweet tooth, I admit that I loved the ample amount of powdered sugar present on each one. They were really delicious.
Cafe Du Monde is worth visiting simply to say you did. If you’re looking for a great place to have a seat and enjoy a conversation over a cup of coffee, look elsewhere. The loud crowds and unsatisfactory brew make this tourist destination worth the pictures, and that’s about it.
The Orange Couch
Desiring to end my day on a high note, I walked through the French Market over to Royal street in the hopes that a cafe named The Orange Couch would give me some relaxation and a good cup of coffee. Situated in a much quieter part of the city, no tourists were fighting to get inside the small doors. The Orange Couch uses white as its primary decorative color, giving the room a fresh, clean feel. Situated in the middle of the coffee shop towards the front is a bright orange couch.
After inquiring and being told that they, unfortunately, do not serve pour-overs, the knowledgeable barista recommended I try their cold brew. Iced coffee did sound good after the hot walk from Cafe Du Monde, so I consented and found a table to sit at. The Orange Couch has plenty of tables, couches, and chairs. Free wifi and plenty of power outlets make this a great location to get school or work done.
The cold brew was quite good. Nothing strikingly original made it stand out, but by the end I felt refreshed and highly caffeinated. The body was tart, and the end was smooth, if a bit watered down from the ice.
While I wouldn’t go to The Orange Couch expecting to be blown away by their coffee, the environment was the best I experienced all day. The staff was friendly, and the peaceful atmosphere made me glad I had made the trip.
Summary
In all, my New Orleans coffee crawl was a success. While it’s clear that NOLA has a ways to go in its coffee scene, there were plenty of options that I wouldn’t mind coming back to. Velvet and The Orange Couch rank up there with some of the best I’ve had, while Peaches felt like a welcome little taste of home.
If you’re ever in the New Orleans area, I’d love to hear about your coffee experiences. Feel free to leave a comment or hit me up on Twitter.
Today I find myself at Bluebird Coffee Shop in East Village, Manhattan. Good coffee has slowly been seeping into this turf – one that until recently has been heavily steeped in the likes of Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. In March of 2010 the NYT ran an article titled “New York Is Finally Taking Its Coffee Seriously” where it outlined some of the quality coffee that was only then starting to pierce the veil of commodity coffee. One of the coffee shops covered in that article is Bluebird Coffee Shop, where I just ordered a standard latte.
