The Tasty Cup: One Woman's Search For The Best AM Brew

Favorite morning beverage: Medium Chai With A Shot Of Espresso
(Otherwise known as Dirrrtay Chai, Chai Charger, or The Hot Nina...only rarely do I go for a Cold Nina...)

Since moving away from the Gayborhood and my daily coffee haunt, Brewhaha, I've had to find a new morning coffee shop to frequent. In the past three weeks, I have visited a handful of coffee shops and was shocked to find that none of them have had the same melange of goodness found at Brewhaha. For someone who used to think Starbucks was great coffee, I had to ask myself, "What made the Brewhaha experience so pleasurable? What am I looking for in a morning coffee shop?"

Here's my list of criterion, in no particular order:
1) They know what I want and how I want it.
2) They taste good.
3) They are laid back and don't rush me to into making decisions or leaving.
4) They make me feel special, i.e. they like to chat me up and know what's going on in my life
5) They seem genuinely happy to see me each morning.
(Chris says whenever he sees me, "Let's get Dirrrtay!" with a grin on his face. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside)
6) They are easily accessible (I don't want to walk too far out of my way in the am).
This one I'm willing to sacrifice a bit, if the other criterion are met.

Here's the list of coffee shops I've tried so far.

La Colombe: Mr. Emotionally Unavailable
I went to La Colombe after reading rave reviews on CitySearch. Their coffee and espresso are supposedly the best in the city. Perhaps the place is different post-am rush, but I have to say I was traumatized by my experience here. I went in around 7am--admittedly prime time coffee rush. As soon as I entered, I was shoved into what felt like a frenzied production line. It was strangely robotic: step up, cash down, small cup taken, exit, repeat. As the line quickly moved along, I started to tense: I have no cash, do they accept cards? Can I order a chai or is it just coffee? Upon frantically scanning the joint for a menu to no avail, I ardently listened to the interactions between the barrista and the patrons to get a clue. Unfortunately for me--an obvious foreigner in a strange land--there really was no conversing. Everyone was getting the same thing and already had the exact cash counted out. Everyone else knew exactly what was expected. My turn approached and I actually contemplated stepping out of line because I didn't want to be a cog in this otherwise smooth and efficient machine. Why hadn't I looked this up online beforehand to become familiar with the protocol?

Anyways, I got to the front, frowned, and hazarded actual conversation with the gorgeous Italian-looking man behind the counter (which believe you me did not help at all with the tenseness of the situation): "Hi, how are you?...Medium Vanilla Latte?" The suave man returned the frown and uttered, "Latte?" Yes, please. I embarrassingly shoved my card at him and shrunk off to the side to wait for the seemingly out of place latte. FYI, they do make lattes, but they have no syrups. Just simple coffee, espresso, and lattes. And there is only one size.

Once I left the intensity of the interior, I breathed deeply and sighed. My God! That was definitely not the laid back and friendly experience I was looking for. I understand that there are plenty of people out there who rush around in the morning and want their coffee experience to be quick and efficient. I like to gab a bit in the morning. I like to take my time and enjoy the aromas and tastes. And I definitely don't want to feel like I should've looked up a protocol just to get my steamed beverage.

Good Karma: Mr. Physically Unavailable
Good Karma ranks up there with Brewhaha in terms of quality of espresso and friendly/laid back service. I usually go there after work or on the weekend when I want to read. See, I'm in the habit of taking the bus to work and walking home in the evenings. And when I walk home, Good Karma is right in my path. However, in the mornings, Good Karma diverges 5-7 blocks away from the bus stop. Factor in my gabbing and slow walking pace and all of a sudden it has taken me an hour to get from my house to the bus stop. An hour that I'd rather be spending elsewhere.

NB: I'm not saying anything bad about Good Karma! I love Good Karma with all my heart. This is the quest for the perfect AM coffee shop and it's just not at all convenient or practical to make it there in the morning.

La Va: Mr. Overrated/Mr. I'm-Too-Cool
People rave about this hipster coffee shop on South Street. Umm, not to be harsh, but their espresso sucks. Big time. And their chai? Gross. It tastes like the chai at Bucks County, now known as Saxby's, which is a chain. Anytime an espresso tastes like a chain-store's espresso...I'm just saying.

I think the real draw of this place is "The Scene" and the tasty snacks and sandwiches offered. Their are a lot of cool looking people there. And a plethora of scrumptious looking pastries. However, I can barely finish my coffee/latte/chai ordered from there, so I'll pass.

Cafe De Miel: Mr. Changed
About 6 months ago, Cafe de Miel went under a change of management. Now they do not offer chai or any syrup-containing drinks. This limits the beverages to simple espresso, coffee, or latte. The quality of espresso is high, but as a sweet tooth, I really need to have the option to get a vanilla latte or a chai with a shot of espresso. Do not worry, the pastry selection is still divine! Just not what I'm looking for in the am.

Beauty Shop: Mr. Real-Potential

This is the coffee shop that most closely fits all of my criterion. It's on the way to the bus stop. Laid back. They make an excellent chai with a shot of espresso. I have had pleasant conversations with the owner, John. He recognizes me when I come in and knows what I want and how I want it. It's a quality establishment.

Nonetheless, no matter how many criterion it fits, it's just not Brewhaha. This is an unfair comparison. I spent two and a half years making daily visits AND I used to spend entire days studying there. That's a long time to form connections and feel a real affinity for a place.

Trust and relationships take time. I need to be patient for the new links to form!

Check them out for yourself:

La Colombe: http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/profile/11352860

Good Karma: http://www.thegoodkarmacafe.com/

La Va: http://www.lava-cafe.com/

Cafe De Miel (awesome pastries): http://www.mielpastry.com/Scripts/openExtra5ca0.asp?Extra=23

The Beauty Shop: http://www.yelp.com/biz/beauty-shop-cafe-philadelphia