UPDATE: Cafe Fixe, Washington Square, Brookline MA

Previously I reviewed Cafe Fixe in Brookline and described the owner as "caring more about making good espresso than chatting up his customers." Well, I went there again the day before I left for Colorado and was quite surprised by how friendly and talkative he was (he may not be the owner, but he seems like it... I can verify this next fall). 

I walked into cafe fixe at about 6:30 in the morning and was pleasantly greeted. I was even more excited to find that he was serving Novo drip coffee with a special guest appearance of Novo espresso. I told him how excited I was about the Novo coffee, and we had a nice conversation about coffee. Side note, I probably need to dedicate an entire post to Novo... the company is based in Denver (totally didn't know that until I googled it) and it is probably the best coffee I have had (with George Howell a close second). So there you go, now you can go to Cafe Fixe have a great (and I mean GREAT) cup of coffee or espresso, a great atmosphere, and the company of a pleasant barista!

Dave's Coffee, Charlestown RI

As I was sitting on the porch of my beach cottage in Quonochontaug RI thinking about coffee, I realized that I have neglected to blog about Dave's Coffee. Dave's is one of the few establishments within walking (or running) distance of our lovely cottage, about 3 miles. Dave's has a fantastic setup on a hill surrounded by beautiful landscaping, and connected to an adorable boutique (also owned by Dave's), Galapagos. With free wifi, air conditioning, and a bookstore setup, Dave's is the perfect place to spend the morning before hitting the beach. 

You can take a bag of coffee home and enjoy the deliciousness from your own coffee pot (better yet, your own french press). With blends like Quonnie, East Beach, and Central Beach, you can buy coffee named after your beach or town! If you can't make it all the way to Rhode Island for a taste of Central Beach, you can order it online. Dave's does a great job tapping into the Quonnie culture. The staff is extremely friendly, and in the summer you can always find a happy face in the morning ready to make the perfect latte or to talk coffee with you. 

The coffee shop does not sell sandwiches or lunch items however, fresh baked goods and smoothies are available every day. I should take this time to mention the Monster Muffins which are quite a monstrosity! The flavors change daily depending on the available ingredients and the mood of the barista. But if you are torn between which sweet accompaniment to choose for your coffee, you can't go wrong with monster muffin. I plan to pick one up with a bag of Central Beach blend before I leave today so I can bring the cottage back to Colorado with me. (I should mention that I will be in Colorado for the summer, so you can expect a new state of coffee adventures). 

See you in the West!

Mudhouse Coffee, Charlottesville VA

I recently traveled to Virginia to visit my grandparents. To be true to my blog, I asked around and checked yelp to see which coffee shop I should visit. Since my faithful roomies did not travel to Virgina with me, I was foced to imporvise my coffee company; I took my mom and my aunt. Let me tell you, it is much harder to travel for coffee in Virginia than in Boston... at least under my circumstances. First of all, my grandma had to give us directions (which I then verified and altered thanks to google maps). Then, there is the issue of going with my mom and aunt, who took their time getting ready and had breakfast AND coffee (gasp!). To top it all off, we couldn't walk or take public transportation, we had to drive. However, it was all worth it and after a minor parking garage mishap and some directional confusion, we arrived at Mudhouse.

I was pleasantly suprised when I walked into Mudhouse on main street of the Charlottesville outdoor walking mall. The best part is the setup; the counter is at the very back of the store so you have to walk through the large wooden tables and hipster people to place your order.  It is larger than I had initially expected with pleanty of sitting space - couches, tables, and comfy chairs! When we got to the counter my mom and I both ordered iced drinks (think noon in Virginia in spring... hot), she got a latte and I got an americano. Meanwhile, my aunt ordered a water (another gasp!). The barista served our iced drinks (and the water) in actual glasses, which I don't often see at coffee shops. Where a hot drink "for here" is typically served in a unique mug, a iced drink remains in its clear "to go" cup. 

We sat down with a crossword puzzle and took in the scenery. The whole place is well decorated and has a great atmosphere. It has dark colors and dark wood table, but the floor to ceiling windows in the front of the shop and the outdoor seating brighten the whole place. Giant light bulb lights add flair to the shop.

Our drinks were quite yummy, although my americano disappeared too quickly. I also gave one of the baristas the URL for my blog, so "hello" if you are reading this!

Cafe Fixe, Washington Square, Brookline

Cafe Fixe makes a mean espresso. This place is super modern with clean lines and muted colors. It is small and intimate. Most of the chairs are at high tables for 2-3 people. It is a great place to go for a quite morning or afternoon with a friend, to read a book or paper, or to have a meeting. I wouldn't recommend taking a large group who wants to linger or be loud (there are plenty of other coffee shops listed on my blog that allow for that). I also don't recommend going if you are a speciality drink-a-holic; keep it simple with an americano, a double espresso, or a cappuccino and I promise you won't be disappointed.

The owner is nice but pretty stone-faced. I think he puts his energy into making drinks rather than chatting up customers. I had a blast watching him make his espresso drinks. It is an art and a science, and his technique is near perfect. Sitting in the quiet coffee shop, you can hear him "tap, tap, tap" the steamed milk until he gets it just how he (and the customer) wants it. If you are with a couple of other people, you can order a french press pot and enjoy fresh coffee together. 

Cafe Fixe does take credit cards but the owner made it pretty clear that cash is preferred. It is easy to get there via the Green C line, but Marielle and I chose to take the B line (where we live) outbound to Washington Street then walk over to Washington Square. On a nice day it is a pleasant walk through the residential area of Brookline, so give it a try!