The Locavore Market
Click right to take a look around…
“What is the goal of this place,” I overheard the man who entered the shop gently demand. “The concept,” the woman, with Technicolor hair at various stages of fade, at the counter questioned back (just as gently). She explained to him the focus on local products, the side room (where I happened to be sitting) where they host art shows, and the special nature of their coffee: “A fresh grind each time.” At present, mounted in white and hung along the exposed brick wall is a collection by local photographer Leslie Hill, displaying her perspectives of places like Campo de Fiori in Rome and paths through nature. While infusing it with gallery momentum, this seating room has a tranquil attractiveness that is all its own. The magnitude of the windows, chalk white, gridded sliders, lend the space most of its character in the form of light and a dual-view, of the main lateral through town and along an unintimidating alleyway. Fairy string lights entwine some vases of dried bouquets (with prominent craspedia Billy buttons) and drip off of window frames, ensuring that—even with the rain and clouds—it glimmers. Lest it not be forgotten how you got to this place: through a storefront with CHEESE SURVIVAL KIT totes, tin-tied bags of ginger, almond, and chocolate chip biscotti, and jars of SUHEY peppers. Pyramids made from storage wood crates and shelves of small business products make up a market of understated richness. The coffee section—bless them for creating one—matches the crate pyramids with the addition of some wood planks for height. It’s abundantly evident that a local thought all this through, and—with a satisfying suspension of a T-Spoon Desserts neon work on another area of exposed brick—settled whimsically into this landscape.
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Drink: Oat Latte
You get milk options: oat and whole. There’s no upcharge either for switching to oat. I like that. The Jura automatic coffee machine did its best, but a latte off of it is just an invisible target. At first, it’s not great. But, here’s the thing: it ended strong. Emerging with a sweet creaminess at the end, I appreciated more than I liked it. But, with some North River Roasters guiding the arrow, it aims well.
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Food: Strawberry Bar (vegan and gluten free)
On the cafe counter lives a pastry case. The strawberry oat bar was at eye level, and I just couldn’t resist. Not only was it stunning and rich visually, it really impressed me with its flavor given that it was gluten free and vegan. I half expected a rectangular puck—what I got was nothing of the sort. I thought the crumb would be chunks of sugar—what I got rather was the right flavor and sweetness decorating the pastry. I thought the strawberry would be reduced by the dough—rather, it shined through. Not entirely sure if the oat was supposed to be palatable (or just explanatory), but regardless, in my opinion, this T-Spoon Desserts confection was ultimately successful.
Price*: Oat Latte=$3.25; Vegan and gluten-free strawberry oat bar=$3
*They had a 20% Bard student discount through the end of March that was set to shift to Tuesdays in April.