scottfranklin Senior Member Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 34 Location: Rochester Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Alex Duetto II, Faema... Grinder: Baratza Vario
Posted Sat Jan 19, 2008, 5:20pm Subject: Re: Coffee In Baltimore
onocoffee Said:
Since you're at the Marriott Waterfront, the closest coffee house to you is Blue House on Fleet Street. It's only about three or four blocks away to the East.
Another alternative in the evening might be Vaccarro's in Little Italy. I think it's worth a visit for the pastries and I always seem to enjoy their Vaccarro's Cappuccino - which is an impossibly over-filled Irish mug with lots of whipped cream so that it's impossible not to spill and be messy. But pair that with some gelato or cannoli, and I just love it.
Otherwise, walk a couple blocks up President Street to the Metro and take that to Lexington Market and jump on the Light Rail to the Woodberry stop and Woodberry Kitchen is just another block away in the Clipper Mill project.
Thanks. I looked at Spro and was sorry to see that it looked a bit far away. I probably won't make it out of the Harbor area (conference stuff), so Woodberry will also have to wait. Thanks for the tip on Blue House. I saw references to it, but their website looks like a furniture store (?!?). Can't figure out WHAT that means, but now that I have a personal vouch that they sell coffee, not just coffee tables, I'll definitely try that. High Grounds might be better for evening anyway, when I don't have to rush back for a session.
onocoffee Senior Member Joined: 5 Sep 2002 Posts: 733 Location: Towson, Maryland Expertise: Just starting
Espresso: La Marzocco Linea 2AV, 3AV &... Grinder: 4 Mazzer Major Autos, Compak... Vac Pot: That crazy Bodum eSantos Drip: Bunn CWT Twin, Bunn Water... Roaster: Petroncini The Crumb
Posted Sat Jan 19, 2008, 6:25pm Subject: Re: Coffee In Baltimore
Scott-
Blue House is both a "furniture store" and a coffee shop. I think they term their wares as more of "lifestyle" kind of offerings with a environmental/sustainable focus. If you happen to be there and are interested in furniture/antiques, then just around the corner is a nice antique boutique - unfortunately, the name escapes me at this moment.
Otherwise, if you're going to stay in the immediate vicinity, I do enjoy dinners at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion (the chef Rey is a buddy of mine and does good stuff). Charleston is considered by many to be Baltimore's premier fine dining restaurant. It's sister restaurant Cinghiale offers rustic Italian fare that's a definite departure from the Southern Italian focus of the Little Italy restaurants. Went there in October and found it to my liking.
Glaurus Chocolatier has a wonderful selection of handmade chocolates and the owner Ben is a chocolatier whose family has been chocolate-makers for generations. Bin 604 is a good place to source some wines if you want to avoid the Marriott bar.
If you want to visit Little Italy, I like La Scala for Southern Italian cuisine, Boccaccio for Northern Italian, and Sabatinos for very late night (post 2am) gnoshing with gnocchi.
Quite frankly, I try very hard to avoid the tourist restaurants in and immediately around Harborplace.
If you're willing to walk a few blocks north to Baltimore Street, I really love Patisserie Poupon for French pastries. Heading east on Lancaster brings you to Fells Point where there's an assortment of bars, restaurants and other places. Pitango Gelato has nice offerings and Max's On Broadway has a tremendous assortment of beers from around the world, both on-tap and in bottles. You can also glimpse the "police headquarters" from the tv series Homicide.
And Blue Moon Cafe on Aliceanna Street offers a wonderful Sunday brunch, but you want to go early to get a seat.
scottfranklin Senior Member Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 34 Location: Rochester Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Alex Duetto II, Faema... Grinder: Baratza Vario
Posted Sun Jan 20, 2008, 10:47am Subject: Re: Coffee In Baltimore
Thanks for the suggestions. I first ate at Roy's almost 12 years ago in Hawaii; great tuna and outstanding souffle. It's fortunate that many of my colleagues also try to avoid the "tourist traps" and are willing to walk for inspired food. I'll definitely try to steer a few out to Little Italy and the others you suggested.
HighGrounds Senior Member Joined: 3 Dec 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Baltimore Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: 1 group CMA@Home, 2grp... Roaster: Diedrich Drum Shop Roaster
Posted Mon Jan 21, 2008, 6:56am Subject: Re: Coffee In Baltimore
All of the great mentions of places to visit all over Baltimore, make me want to print this thread, highlight the places, call a baby sitter, and go out this weekend.
Running the shop and raising the little ones keep us busy. Going out seems to usually involve the big chain restaurants near Whitemarsh Mall for a quick lunch after church on Sunday. Well, we did go to Pazo for Valentine's Day last year and loved it. Have any of you been to Pazo? What did you think of it?
Anyway, I wish I had a more free time to try some of the places listed in this thread.
And, the sentence on shiny corporate...famous...etc...I didn't mean any harm. It was my internal struggle surfacing from the effort put into our shop bootstrapping it daily, putting everything we have into it, and thinking that if we had more money or backing, perhaps we would be bigger, better, or that it would be easier, but as I write this....I realize that it's enough to be who we are, and to try harder to improve and grow as we have the resources to do so, and what a blessing it is to have the kids with us everyday. Thank you for helping me to think that through. :-)
Where I am from, success and growth seemed to come really fast. The family/company I worked for went from two coffeehouses to ten, and then went public on NASDAQ all in the span of about five years. But, as I think about it further, that success came as a result of, and was built on a foundation of many years of struggles and challenges that laid the groundwork for the rapid growth that came later. One of the stores, the fourth store, had no chairs for a while after we opened, that was how tight resources were....just thinking of that brings back memories.
I'll close with a question: There seems to be not much ever mentioned about Spoon's, or places that use coffee roasted by Orinoco, or Baltimore Tea and Coffee.....Daily Grind...or really any other roaster retailers or local roasters? Have I missed the posts? Or, are there any other local (Baltimore or nearby) roasters or roaster retailers that you like?
If so, who? Where? And, what do you like about them?
Posted Sun Jan 27, 2008, 6:35am Subject: Re: Coffee In Baltimore
Dear Neighbors 256 miles to the SE...
We've convinced the CG powers that be to include an NE/MidAtlantic representative on the front page poll. As Onocoffee has noted elsewhere, if the SCAA was in Pittsburgh, you could DRIVE here and load up your trunk with goodies. .
A surge of votes for Pittsburgh would reinforce the interest and viability of the MidAtlantic as a viable host for future events, which of course, would include Baltimore as a potential venue (unfortunately, Philly would not be in contention due to its inability to tame its unions, which consistently poll as "worst in the nation" among national exhibitors).
The_Mighty_Bean Senior Member Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 465 Location: Bowie, MD Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: "Beauty" (the gentle and... Grinder: Gi-normous Rossi RR45; 100... Vac Pot: Have my eye on a Yama Drip: French press purist, have a... Roaster: Hairdryer and a wire whisk....
Posted Sun Jan 27, 2008, 11:33am Subject: Re: Coffee In Baltimore
HighGrounds Said:
Baltimore Tea and Coffee.....Or, are there any other local (Baltimore or nearby) roasters or roaster retailers that you like?
subtlepersona Senior Member Joined: 29 Nov 2007 Posts: 5 Location: Baltimore, MD Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Thu Jan 31, 2008, 2:34pm Subject: Re: Coffee In Baltimore
Hi guys just wanted to swing by and say hi to the locals. Yes, I'm starting to consider myself a local after being here eight months.
This past week I checked out a couple coffee shops outside of my usual haunt, I'd noticed lately that I've been leaning on my old xenophobic ways and I'd hate to get back into that. I visited Spro Coffee and was blessed with a cute little heart in a cappuccino. The barista was cheerful but was a bit dismayed when I asked for a to go cup (sorry that was the xenophobe kicking in), besides that, the espresso was yummy. I also checked out the Red Canoe, which I must say, definitely pulls at my heartstrings in all its artsy and home baked cozyness. While at the Red Canoe I feasted on a turkey blt with avocado and a latte, and ran into two of my customers from High Grounds - what a small world :). On the small world bit, I must ask, who's going to the Coffee Fest down in DC this month? I think it would be fun to meet some baltimoreans and fellow coffee aficionados.
shmoocat Senior Member Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 4 Location: baltimore Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Thu Jan 31, 2008, 3:05pm Subject: Re: Coffee In Baltimore
i am new to your forum but ancient to coffee and been in baltimore for twenty plus years. when i moved here i had been drinking coffee from cafe trieste in north beach in san fran. there was precious little coffee here for years, and i bought mine in new york. i hate to be negative but i remain disappointed in the roasts at balt coffee and tea. the beans are good if you roast your own. i think david key does a good job with key roasters (aka daily grind) and i agree with the comments about zeke. the great thing is that over the last several years good coffee has finally hit baltimore, along with better food. i have not yet tried spike and amy's new place but i am willing to bet it is great from years of knowing spike. for those who move and cannot get coffee, the best deal on coffee that i know of is porto rico coffee in greenwich village in ny. they will ship and they roast good dark roasts and their prices are amazingly good. their french-italian roast is a decent espresso and has mucho bang for the buck. i am drinking a double of the lazy persons coffee of joie, incanto machine espresso. thanks for the conversation.
Marc_T Senior Member Joined: 13 Mar 2002 Posts: 94 Location: Baltimore Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: PID Silvia Grinder: Mazzer Mini; Solis Maestro... Vac Pot: Cory 8 cup Drip: Technivorm; Vintage Chemex;... Roaster: Hearthware Precision
Posted Sun Feb 3, 2008, 6:25am Subject: Re: Coffee In Baltimore
Welcome. Even though good coffee is finally hitting Baltimore, the "base rate" of good cafes in Baltimore is so low, making it difficult to predict where a good espresso/coffee may be found! It would be nice to have too many choices.
shmoocat Senior Member Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 4 Location: baltimore Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sun Feb 3, 2008, 8:52am Subject: Re: Coffee In Baltimore
maybe we should ask everyone to post a current list. best places in baltimore and the surround to get coffee. (can we count good boiled diner coffee and good restaurant coffee? for instance, Linwoods has amazing coffee for a restaurant, good enough to sit at the bar and drink)
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