Mudd Puddle Coffee Roasters
It all begins with an idea.
Click right to take a look around…
Whooop, my brain yelped as I made a sharp left away from the “EMPLOYEE ENTRANCE ONLY” door. When you approach from the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, you ascend some cemented stone steps to a porch where the same might happen to you. Nevertheless, you enter what I think can reasonably described as a petite space; a line of just three or four people will have you at the door. Here is where you can look at the black wire rack of British bars—McVitie’s Digestives and Hobnobs, Cadbury Flake and Dairymilk—displayed in their torn-open boxes and catch sight of the tempting Tupperware containers, hand scribbled GARLIC PICKLES. Okay, just me? I can accept that. You can also start figuring out what you want by peering up at the three, grey-framed blackboards often leading with “Tea By Cup or Ounce.” Among the choice coat of white paint, there is an interesting back splash of faux tin and copper-weathered tiling, with any other color dynamics in the form of merchandise and the clientele. They call your name like Starbucks, but it is no copy-cat. Alive and well 21 years, everyone seems to come in and immediately start talking about the last time they were there, saw each other, thought of each other...the mother-and-daughter duo churn the drinks out and answer with corroborations and recollections of their own. They also keep a much straighter face than I ever could, evidenced profoundly when I heard a thick, Italian accent at the counter: “Why do you use Splenda? I should smack you.” The giggles escaped despite me while they just kept on going. This cafe toggles that line between warm and serious. But, stopping in for a cup of caffeine and emerging onto the quaint Water Street Market, your memory—and remark next time you’re in—will be one filled only with warmth.
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Drink: Almond Milk Hot Almond Spice Latte
Interestingly, the almond milk isn’t problematic. It’s actually done really well. It’s very soft and unburnt. A little milk spilled on my hand, and it was hot. So, truly—when I brought it to my lips, and the result was favorably executed—I found myself on the happier side. The almond and spice syrups don’t exactly play nice with the espresso. Yet, my fear was that the almond syrup would overpower the drink entirely. Why get almond milk if that was a fear? Well, their selection of plant milks was only soy and almond, and it seemed a bit strained to add soy to the mix. The reality ended up being quite unexpected. The spice syrup dominated, even with the almond milk. My takeaway: it’s a 12 oz. product, with two shots of espresso and some surprisingly tailored almond milk.
•••
Price: Almond Spice Latte=$5.15
Hours: Everyday {9–17:30}
Extra Notes:
Someone ordered an iced flat white, and they made it. I don’t know if I should be impressed or terrified.
They have a piece of Boleslawiec pottery in their cold case which made me supremely happy. No idea what it’s for, but it doesn’t matter. It’s there.
Krispy Kreme (Paramus)
It all begins with an idea.
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You might not be expecting it off of Route 4, but the locals know it’s there. I walked in to some kind of after-activities scenario: droves of children, accompanied by first-name-basis parents, were climbing on the sunshine yellow cushions and running to the conveyor belt when hot donuts began to appear again. An Asian couple sat in a booth, enjoying the scene, and later a boy in a jersey sauntered in with parental figures. I stood in line listening to Nelly Furtado’s “Maneater” and trying to determine where I best fit in to the bright chaos. Yes, in harmony with the yellow vinyl (which somehow appeared the truest shade), the screaming children in white Krispy Kreme hats, and a staff that kept the place clean and maintained, it was bright. I was particularly impressed with the operation—the 4-5 staff members’ regularity with the way they did their jobs. No table remained hatless for long, no coffee droplet dirtied the sugar and cream area for more than a blinks-worth of time. Even with the steady stream of lunchtime customers, they juggled tasks and stepped in where needed. It might not be the first thing to cross people’s minds, but how a cafe is managed speaks volumes and can add or subtract from an experience. Pure augmentation here. Stay long enough and Janet Jackson’s “Together Again” might also join your donut, rainbow paper lantern, and pastel nisse moment. And, for those that deem this chaos a bit unnavigable, there’s always the drive through. Never a reason to miss out on a donut moment.
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Drink: Freshly Brewed Coffee
Black coffee - It was hot; it also didn’t come off unbalanced. There might be the slightest snap in the back of your palette, but nothing unpleasant. Frankly, it was so smooth that I drank it down pretty quickly.
•••
Food: OREO® Cookies & Kreme™ Filled Oreo Doughnut
Nothing excessively special about this special, but the Oreos crumble was adhered by a chocolate frosting pool on the top—a nice touch. While it looks small, it hits heavy, the result of a fine cookies and creme filling. It was enjoyable. However, my only wish: more Oreo forward.
Price: Coffee=$1.79; Oreo Cookie and Kremeo (as it was listed on the receipt)=$2.99
Hours: Everyday {6–21}
Extra Notes:
Go to the bathroom, first stall. Just trust me on this one. But also, this blog is proof that you will be able to get out. It will all make sense, I promise.
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Wild Pink Cafe
It all begins with an idea.
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Am I even allowed to say anything about this place before mentioning the pink walls? I feel like if I mention the BROOKLYN ROASTING COMPANY neon at eye-level as you walk in, I might be accused of blindness. Well, let me tell you: I see what I see, and if it’s coffee related or color, you better bet that the former wins out. Which piece of marketing caught my eye in the window? The affogato one, of course. I have a type. So, the interior mimics a royal chamber with wainscoting and wall molding, not to mention a chandelier that finds some center in the rectilinear space. The boisterous pink is paired with a forest green ceiling—a combination that would have been susceptible to the watermelon label anywhere else, but here wittily achieves the intended dynamic of wildness. Upon seeing the framed prints of tropical jungles, I immediately recalled the work of Naomi McCavitt. And this recall encapsulates this space’s mechanics: it takes an intense pinkness, infuses it with sophisticated elements, and somehow then bends your brain’s final interpretation with these hung works of art catching the eye mid-track . It could stop here, but were one to walk to the back, it is there that they would find a social media photo op wall of densely packed fake roses inset with an electrified Stay Wild. There is also a ‘life 4 cut’ photo booth where you can snap a photo strip with friend, a novelty compared to the everyday selfie. Lounge or pull up a chair, this spot is a cozier option for those looking to have a wild time.
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Drink: Iced Black Sesame Latte
“Don’t use a straw,” said the masked man as he put my GORGEOUSLY layered drink on the counter. It has been some time since I’ve purchased a drink that also came with instructions. My rustiness must have given something away. “It should be drank without a straw,” he elaborated. My tip to anyone who might not have the same interaction: DO NOT USE A STRAW. Creamy to the lips, like a luscious milkshake, you get the black sesame immediately, and the two shots of Brooklyn Roasting Company beans hits you aromatically. Then, as you drink and wonder whether you intended to sip on something so decadent, the coffee flavor begins to emerge. It’s like a whole experience. I expected my pleasure to fade eventually, but I encountered the strangest phenomenon: no fade. And with that, and only one available size, deciding to get this drink couldn’t be any easier.
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Price: Iced* Black Sesame Latte=$6.50
*Ice costs $0.50. So, the price of the latte is actually $6. I wouldn’t have gotten ice, but I asked the woman at the register what she recommended, and she said iced. While I don’t mind paying for anything, she omitted the fact that it was an upcharge, even when I asked for less ice (it’s on the receipt). So, I paid for nothing essentially. Again, I just wish she would have relayed the added cost of ice.
*CORRECTION: I got the sweetest and most considerate message regarding the above from the cafe, and I want to say clearly and plainly that this kind of care for customers is something I rarely (if ever) see. They read the review, didn’t ask for anything, and just heard what I had to say (even apologizing). I can’t let this responsiveness go unacknowledged. This blog is not my echo chamber. So, in order to give the cafe the utmost respect that it completely deserves, I’m going to cross out the above, to document the effect of my positive interaction, and just say what you should read is Black Sesame Latte=$6 and ice=$0.50. That’s all there is to it.
Hours: Monday–Thursday {9–21:30}; Friday {9–22}; Saturday {10–22}; Sunday {10–21:30}
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Rough Draft
It all begins with an idea.
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Talk about a fusion for the ages: bookstore, bar, and cafe. It couldn’t be enough that the name is an impeccable pun; this multi-talent had to also had to go ahead and be the perfect modern reconfiguration of the Kingston Academy, New York State’s first two-year college founded in 1774. Don’t worry, the history is still there, with a metal plate, slightly arched and wrought with a centered ACADEMY above the entryway. That said, the interior with low ceilings and walls of brick and the widest array of fortifying stones, is aglow with jar pendant lamps and mostly simple wood shelves, on which books are stacked, propped, and sloped for the easy-going and spirited browser. Sprinkle in a cool and attentive barista/bartender (he slid seamlessly over to the register when we approached to order), a French Bulldog skeleton at joining you at the espresso machine, and chalk boards, inset into rounded brick (obviously former portals), scribbled with literary-themed drinks, drafts, and a welcome, and you no longer have a cafe—you have a thesis of place. Go ahead, turn this paper in; it’s the final draft. No more edits needed...or possible.
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Drink: The Jane Hare
Carrots. Wait, it was chalked up a little more aptly: CARROTS. The other ingredients weren’t as questionable—espresso, brown sugar, spices, choice of milk—and you could get it iced or hot. I had to know how they incorporated carrots. So, I pestered the guy. It wasn’t a dose of shredded, cubed, or pulverized orange. Rather it was—as I suspected—a house made carrot syrup made from a start of real carrots, blended and passed through a mesh sleeve or a cheese cloth. On Instagram they call it “real carrot juice,” but that’s not what I gathered from my conversation with the chill counter presence. The Instagram post adds vanilla and makes note of the spices as a “proprietary RD spice combo.” While I’ve detailed the drink here, all that matters is this: Counter Culture’s gradient shines in this drink. And, regarding the carrots? Like drinking the fall that is your warm living room and a carrot soufflé. Incredible.
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Drink: “Orange Dream” Cold Brew
Because I was with adventurous company, I got a chance to try a second drink. A blend of almond milk, ice, orange, cold brew coffee, and vanilla, it avoids registering like a creamsicle, but it is brighter than orange blossom. I make that latter observation thinking back to a drink I once had at Easy Luck Coffee and Bodega in Orlando, Florida. I just couldn’t help comparing this with that Orange Blossom Latte (which I’d had with cashew milk). They’re different drinks for sure, but I’m glad this orange experiment from Rough Draft also goes plant milk. My companion offered that there is some aftertaste with this drink, but I’d argue that that’s to be expected. What is the one drink you should never have before brushing your teeth (I’ll include the answer in the Extra Notes below)? Exactly.
•••
Price*: Jane Hare (Drink of the Month)=$6; “Orange Dream” Cold Brew=$5
*I noticed on the board that there is an +$0.25 fee for paper to-go cup, but they didn’t charge us for it. Not sure about the “Orange Dream” Cold Brew…
Hours: Everyday {8–20}
Extra Notes:
Answer: Orange juice
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black dot
It all begins with an idea.
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An A-frame sign on Main Street announced, each word occupying its own line: CAFE OPEN SHOP. When I pulled around back, the mental 8-Ball read was still Cannot predict now., but then I saw someone exit the building with a white, nondescript coffee cup. Apprehension evaporated. Entering through the back door, past some wire shelving units, a refreshing space of complementing oyster white cement tiling and grey-grained, balmy white wood comes into view. It’s almost as though the La Marzocco Linea Classic has grown out of the bar or the grey wood grains are its roots, implying an organic connection. The black accents—felt board menu, Mahlkonig Grinder, and fantastically arachnid stubby stools—pulse the interior, but don’t push beyond contrast or feign decorum. It summates to a smart twist on the Asian minimalist style, an iteration that keeps things clean without going sterile, coupled with an essence of the underground (can’t beat those stationary pendant amber bulbs). How it’s managed to gloriously juggle these seemingly divergent elements for three years is a delicious mystery. That being said, feel free to peer out the hung windows of this above-ground cavern—sipping on vivaciousness among the aloe and other potted greenery—and set about connecting the dots.
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Drink: Cortado (4 oz. Espresso Double with Milk)
My theme song for this drink? Bring Me to Life by Evanescence. IT IS 1000% DESERVING. Big Mouth is on the hopper, and it slaps harder than any drink I’ve had in a long time. Execution and contrast—all the judges are holding up 10s. That’s it; that’s all I have to say.
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Price: 4 oz. Espresso Double with Milk=$3.50
Hours: Thursday–Monday {8–16}; Tuesday–Wednesday {CLOSED}
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Lumber Jack's Coffee And Snacks
It all begins with an idea.
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Your drive in—if you’re coming from the West—is a chair uprising (Creative Custom Woodcraft’s eye-catching furniture display), followed by red-and-black plaid flags that evolve into OPEN flags and some picket fencing, then finally a turn onto gravel that leads up to a manicured shanty. The window you pull up to has the drink staples on a printed menu and the subject-to-change items chalked up on their own boards. A thrown ceramic vessel reads in needle tool “Good Karma Jar,” and a staff member greets you in—tell me you saw this coming—lumberjack plaid. The staff is kind and chipper, but it does feel a hair forced. “What are you getting up to today,” she inquired with a smile. And, as I took my clipboard and began to drive around to the second window, I got the feeling that the smile was attributed less to my presence and more of me driving away. Make no mistake THE EXPERIENCE WAS LOVELY AND CORDIAL. I just got the sense that customer service is more an exercise rather than a trait. In any event, the last leg, pulling around to the second window on the other side of the log hut isn’t the neatest (very reminiscent of the fumbling old McDonald’s refrain: “You’ll pay at the window”), but you get there and a few moments later you have coffee and pastry. If you need to eat, drink, or simply break from driving, there are plenty of spaces to park. Ready to move on from Hoosick Falls? Take a sip of coffee, pull out onto Route 7 and reverse the order of the introduction: welcome smooth asphalt, wave goodbye to the plaid flags, and imagine the conversation between Creative Custom Woodcraft execs in your head…
“How many chairs should we have in our outdoor display?”
“Yes.”
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Drink: Skim Cappuccino
While technically imperfect, flavor-wise this drink was spot on. My nerves crept in when the woman perplexedly offered: “Any sweetener in there?” But, everything turned out alright in the end as she did—to my relief—ask the milks question. I went for skim (my safeguard on uncertainty: at least if it’s bad, no fats added to my day). I got the regular size, and there were two palatable shots in there. The large apparently has three shots. The regular is the way to go, given that it isn’t your usual 8 oz. cup (I’m bad at measurements, but it was probably 12 oz.). The drink does start to wain after some time, but there’s nothing unforeseen about that. It’s really difficult to maintain flavor to the last drop. This cappuccino gets a little on the muddy side toward the end, but regardless I’m really pleasantly surprised. I have the strangest feeling that the espresso would have performed even more nicely with maple syrup. Because of this hunch, I’d recommend (and if I returned I’d get) one of the signature drinks. That spiel about the apple turnover really rerouted me. Regardless, if they are still pulling shots on their UNIC Tri Mira (as I suspect they are) of their CLEAR CUT ROAST for this drink, I’d say that it is a clear cut victory.
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Food: Apple Turnover
They were out of blueberry muffins and only had chocolate chip. That was fine. I was more interested in the apple cider donuts. Can’t but them singularly...back to square one. The woman who took my order recommended the apple turnover, remarking that it was made fresh in the shack just behind her and it was very popular. While not a huge apple turnover fan, I was starving, so I went for it. I can understand why it’s popular. At a temperature that is a little less than warm (so not warmed up, but an item still in the process of cooling down) and not hard as a rock (aged to some degree), I can believe that they are baked freshly on the premises. It has a buttery smell that delights the olfactory before taste, and it’s one of the few turnovers I’ve had that doesn’t try to break my teeth or is so yeasty that it immediately crumbles in my fingers. It could use more filling, but, all in all, yummy.
Price: Regular Cappuccino=$4.45; Apple Turnover=$4
Hours: Thursday–Friday, Sunday–Monday {7–14}; Tuesday–Wednesday, Saturday {CLOSED}
Ready Coffee (Newburgh)
It all begins with an idea.
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Not only is a staff member walking out to cars for orders, but inside the actual structure there are also four people running about. Running about where, I can’t tell you. But, as the relaxed woman in the emerald chenille fielded all of my questions about the current special, arms shot out from behind people’s backs passing off drinks and reaching for syrups. Any efforts at recognition were futile. There’s really not much more to it than that. The facade is bricks painted white, with some plank paneling, a stop-sign red sign, and a walk-up window (should you really want to stretch your legs). Even here, it’s cement and browned grass. My experience, however, was restricted to the drive-thru, and it was fast. If shots were pulled from the La Marzocco Linea Classic on the counter, it successfully tricked the speed of light. What’s more, it felt like a the moment my “hot” confirmation came out of my mouth, my drink alighted from a hand attached to a plaid sleeve. It was so fast...and, even though I was warned, I just wasn’t ready.
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Drink: Small Skim Milano Latte
The Milano latte was their current special, so I thought I’d take it for a spin. While I hate saying this, I was met with instant regret. The reason? Simply put, it tasted like a watered down hot chocolate. I couldn’t taste any of the coffee in it. The shots per size were two shots per small, two shots per medium, and four shots per large. It should have been a blissful walk in the mocha-ey park. Somehow, it came out in five seconds flat and performed that way too—flat.
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Price: Hot/Iced Sp=$3.75
Hours: Everyday {5–21}
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The Locavore Market
It all begins with an idea.
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“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.
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday {9–19:30}
Arango Café
It all begins with an idea.
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The universe slapped a smile across my face as I sat in a slat-backed, high stool and listened to Pedro Que Necesidad. I must like the song? Oh, well, while that’s true, the catalyst was actually a small child that ran out from behind the counter in his blue snow coat. “Byeeeeeee,” he called back indiscriminately, and then proceeded to throw himself in the snow heaps in the parking lot, which were—it must be noted—mostly black and melted down to about three feet in depth. I drank my coffee and typed; past the window clings, he tumbled, somersaulted, and collapsed repeatedly into these gross remnants of the snowstorm from the middle of the week. Why am I telling you all of this? Because he’s why I rated this Mexican restaurant higher than I normally would. I had been looking around at the clean space, wondering what to say—whether I should comment on the macrame or the poinsettias first—and then he flew in, the perfect, unplanned element imbuing the scene with life. You’ll enjoy it, the stone-style tiles and the deep red, undulated drop ceiling, however my wish to you—and I can’t believe I’m typing this—is that you enjoy it as much as parkour in soiled snow.
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Drink: Latte
I noticed the latte was 25 cents less than the cappuccino. Oh, just bring it. The syrups, which he offered me, also didn’t cost any extra. The man taking my order recommended the French Vanilla. I was absolutely not expecting its presentation. It came out on your grandmother’s loose, flower-touched saucer—well, I should probably say your abuela’s foster saucer. Unfortunately, while it really did present, it was too hot (like please be careful), the French vanilla was nowhere to be found, and it really was completely flat in flavor aside from the sprinkling of cinnamon (which I didn’t really think added anything). It is enormous (and, you know me, I love a warm friend), but it really does end up tasting like a jamoncillo (it even had the same/similar color) in liquid, less concentrated form. An idea? Translate latte to The Jamoncillo Coffee, and they’ll have a hit signature variation on their hands.
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Food: Flautas
The description: “4 stuffed chicken flautas smothered in black bean and covered with lettuce, queso fresco, and sour cream” I’m starting here because yes, yes this is what you get. And, while it also checks out with how flautas are supposed to be, I was left unsatisfied. It felt skimpy. Maybe it was because smothered should have been “topped with a black bean reduction” or stuffed chicken flautas should have read “flautas cleaned wrapped around shreds of white meat chicken.” But, really, I doused it in the spicy sauce I requested (which he warned me was extremely spice—it isn’t), and I still had trouble locating some flavor. Here it is—the moment of truth. Would I get it again? Afraid not.
Price: Latte=$4; Flautas=$12
Hours: Monday–Tuesday {8–20}; Wednesday {CLOSED}; Thursday–Saturday {8–20}; Sunday {9–18}
Rosey’s
It all begins with an idea.
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It forwent the immediate “small town haunt” label, coming across first as a fusion of the ambiances of The Butcher’s Daughter and Boxwood Coffee, recalling the former establishment’s lightness and farm-style tables and the latter’s highness and charms. Toddlers stomp around and parents look at the one-sided menu too long. It’s not that they can’t decide. Rather, it’s food to be decided on with a toddler on the loose. Decisions here seem to be affixed to the goings-on. Those few in one of the chairs in the light of the storefront windows are affected, conversing at wave-tide speed or with eyes closed for the time being. The super enthusiastic cashier in the Rosey’s crew neck, long sleeved and doll pink, talks to everyone who comes in. “Where’s your sister working,” the two occupants of one of the front tables ask him. He sits with them. Once up from this conversation, he introduced himself to the table that claimed the little one in the daisy covered, navy jumper that was causing havoc. Even I had a conversation with him, as he was also willing to gush over the town’s history and the Pine Plains Theater sign that crowned the room. A piece of cardboard with label maker text announced: “SIGN ON LOAN FROM OUR FRIENDS AT THE LITTE NINE PARTNERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY.” “Ay, ay!! The whole gang’s here,” a man bellowed as the peach door clasped behind him. Like I said—only did it immediately not come off as a local haunt. It is. But still, with Prince’s Purple Rain emanating from the kitchen, art of all kinds gracing the walls, and their motto plastered everywhere, it finds a footing interwoven with its roots. What is that motto, you ask? “So good to see you.” Of course—but a puzzle-piece fit into what reads on the side of the Barber Shoppe & Shaving Parlor on your way into town: “good things happen in...Pine Plains.”
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Drink: Black Coffee
It does have hints of...something. I couldn’t get a definite read, I suspect because it was a brew of older beans (and maybe too low a dose). That’s just me. Actually, I found out after a brief conversation with the guy behind the counter that they use beans from No Six Depot Coffee Roasters, a roaster up in the Berkshires. The tasting notes were “Dark Chocolate, Almond, Citrus” with the profile listed as Dark. Here’s the deal: this information makes it abundantly clear why my cup of coffee didn’t strike me so favorably. This coffee is an extremely difficult one to brew and have as their house coffee. Since I took it black, I may have done myself a disservice. That being said, I wouldn’t get it again, but kudos to them on the hutzpah. Also, I want to say that the temperature out of the urn was perfect. Just a note: a few people sitting off to the side got breakfast, and I noticed they still got to-go cups. Best not to go expecting a mug.
••
Price: Coffee=$3.00
Hours: Friday–Monday {8–14}
NU Kitchen (Worcester)
It all begins with an idea.
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Bingo. Driving up to it, the skepticism doesn’t creep in; it washes over you. A nondescript, all brick one-story. If it didn’t used to serve as a warehouse of some sort for a nearby Worcester manufacturing operation (particularly when it was built back in 1917), I’d be surprised. That being said, it’s quiet, it’s removed, and the walk up to it discloses nothing. You still won’t know it yet, but this cafe and health food restaurant is the rarified and precious pearl in the clam’s clutch. You yank the keypad door handle and head on through the gingery wood door frame. The moment is a full-on Timone lifting the leaf out of Simba’s view moment—the “welcome to our humble home” unspoken, yet said. New York City cafes flashed before my memory: the skylight in the center brought me back to MUD on St. Marks Pl, and the aesthetic was reminiscent of the west side’s Natura. But, for what was expected given the exterior, all of this amounted to paradise. Weave in, like lose extra wicker pendant lamp shades, the right kind of base—smooth driving music—and you just get sucked in. It doesn’t feel crowded, but there is so much people activity. Names are being called out for orders, overactive staff comes around and stands up table numbers, conversations are being struck up, and laptops are being closed and opened. People know each other here, and I’m convinced that this cafe must employ half the town. It’s a spot, and everyone knows it. An amazing wall mural and some provocative neon (“EAT CLEAN drink naked”), paradisiacal elements I surely never expected, are here—hallmarks of a cafe that is anything but a product of its environment.
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Drink: Small Coffee
This drink came out in black ceramic ware. While unconventional, this move is praiseworthy. It’s somehow a high-class move; no need to worry about stains at least. For black coffee, this backdrop takes away from the visual, but add cream, and you’ve circled back to visualized coffee. Honestly, the smell and taste are enough for me. On the whole, the cup—of what I believe to be brewed from Acoustic Java beans—is not too too hot and works well as an accompaniment to an açaí bowl. However, I would advise against just ordering this coffee to sit. It is a bit on the small side. For a slow drinker like me at least, it didn’t last very long. As an added motivator to go another route, I saw a lot of people with smoothies. The woman next to me paired hers with a cookie. I think the key here is to order a bigger drink and smaller food or smaller drink and bigger food. I noticed also that my order slip read: “Black.” While this detail might seem trivial to many, it brought me so much joy.
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Food: Maui Açaí Bowl
TRUE TO FORM. Sometimes you see a picture of a product, and then the reality is a balloon pop. In other words, the marketing makes the item look way better than it looks/is in real life. This disappointment is not the case for this açaí bowl. I must say that this açaí bowl is one of the few that I have ever purchased that I actually think is worth every cent. It’s profile: “organic açaí, bananas, topped with pineapple, strawberry, granola, toasted coconut, local peanut butter, and house made superfood fudge sauce.” And, it’s ALL THERE in volume. Also, the pictures that they post on their website and on their socials MATCH EXACTLY what you get (I’ve provided a side by side below). The no frills presentation is so confident and rightly so. This bowl tastes spectacular. While I wish my order slip hadn’t read “**in freezer ask cashier**,” I’ll forgive it because I already know about the steps commonly taken for efficiency, and, if any part of this product is indeed frozen, I’d resolutely pass this down as yet another flex (how can part of this be frozen and it still be THIS GOOD).
Price: Maui Açaí Bowl=$11.49; Small Coffee=$2.49
Hours: Everyday {8–20}
✓ WIFI
Tend Coffee
It all begins with an idea.
Click right to take a look around…
I think that this cafe might be a rare species: a drive-thru turned brick and mortar. While the first instinct is to then worry about parking and space, the former is of no concern. On the latter point, well you might be justified—there are just three circular tables inside. However, I wouldn’t let this deter you from stopping in. There’s a restroom, friendly staff, and an unexpectedly reputable clientele. Allow me to explain. As I sat, listening to a group of three bearded figures, convening in the space’s only corner and speaking what sounded like some Eastern European language, I also overheard the orders of each customer that followed me... “Medium, iced decaf latte, please.” “Cold brew. Black.” “Four shot Americano. Non-fat milk.” “Single espresso,” relayed the woman tending to the phones. Everything about this place points to it being a “fruity” coffee place, a place where the coffee is clouded with syrups and flavors. But, no. Looking from the branded, gingery rug to the robust rows of coffee bags (all reading different roasts and blends, like Winter Harvest, Grass Puppy, and Rhino Chaser), it’s clear that it’s all on brand: they tend to every flavor and desired taste. Obsessively poring over their merchandise (which is so unlike me, but everything was just so enticing. I even caved and purchased a mug...see below) and considering the word valor, their “Weekly Word” written up on a long chalk board right behind the trash bin, I realized that they hit the nail on the head of exactly what I tend to enjoy.
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Drink: Birthday Cake Latte
You’re only 10 years old once. That’s the thought that drove me to get this drink—notable given that it changed everything; I was this close to getting The Fireside. There’s also no cappuccino on the menu, and every fiber of my being doesn’t know what to make of that. The barista quickly listed off the flavors in the celebratory latte (almond, caramel, and coconut I believe). She misunderstood me when I expressed that the choice was a difficult one. “If you tell me what flavors you like, I can get it for you.” No no, no flavors. I was trying to decide whether I wanted to even go there at all. But again, somehow the idea of sprinkles and whipped cream at 10:00 didn’t upset me as much as it normally would. So, with a light ice request, my drink came out a few minutes later. And, honestly? For this black coffee drinker, it was like letting my taste buds hit the bounce house at a children’s party. It was fun; it retained a coffee flavor; and, if I’m not mistake, it earns the “first coffee drink with confetti sprinkles” badge.
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Price: M Seasonal Latte=$5.35
Hours: Monday–Saturday {6–16}; Sunday {7–16}
Laughing Horse Coffee & Tea Co.
It all begins with an idea.
Click right to take a look around…
A sure-fire way to win me over? Turn to page 394, and there you will find “branded, tie-dye hoodie” (citation: shout-out to Hollins University). I too struggle with picking a color. Which color? The question. My answer: “yes.” I saw this item folded over the short ladder display in their small merchandise section, off to the corner. But, of course, Mike (the co-owner) was rocking one too. The space oscillates between farmhouse inspired and the “cool, kids-only back room at home,” somehow landing on an intrinsic congeniality. What undoubtedly helps? How amazingly relaxed and friendly Mike is. Looking around at the black horse sculpture on the counter next to the La Spaziale espresso machine, the snowy white maverick photograph enlivening a far wall, a SIP LOCAL horseshoe figure-eight decal above the condiment cart, I had to ask: “so, who’s the equestrian?”
“No one—goes with the town history.”
So relaxed, so confident, so welcoming—he was definitely former recording industry. We chatted for awhile beneath the high ceilings and pewter dome pendant lights that brightened the counter. Each time another customer came in, he graciously stepped away and then picked the conversation right back up. “See you soon,” he called out reflexively when I did finally go, however he sheared off that last bit of energy. “Actually, well, she never visits the same cafe twice,” I heard him beginning to explain to some customers that had just walked in. Never might be too strong—I’ve been known to horse around from time to time.
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Drink: Cappuccino
I spoke with the co-mastermind, so I know that these are Italian beans (roasted stateside). That being said, the difference in quality is palpable. It stands on the step of comforting cappuccino, which I love for it.
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Price: M Seasonal Latte=$5.35
Hours: Monday–Saturday {6–16};
Sunday {7–16}
✓ WIFI
