According to those of you who read my last blog entry about Epoch Coffee, every coffee shop should be treated individually, according to its own strengths and weaknesses.
So I come to you with a question:
What makes a coffee shop great?
A popular and intelligent coffee blog called Coffee Cup News uses the following criteria to rank the quality of a coffee shop. I’d like to run the list by any coffee gurus who read this blog regularly and get your thoughts. Here is this list with my thoughts on each topic. What do you think?
Environment
- Music – This can make or break a coffee shop experience for me. Music is one of the main determinants of mood and ambiance. It can also determine whether or not a specific coffee shop is a good place for students to study. Music that is distracting or too loud can ruin a study session. However, such music can also help foster a coffee shop’s unique personality.
- Colors – Colors also help set the mood within a coffee shop. Do you think I should pay much attention to the colors in the places I visit? Normally I see shops focus on earthy tones like green, brown and deep red. Perhaps it would be worth commenting on the color within a coffee shop only if it stands out.
Ruta Maya has been complimented for its use of natural light and earthy colors.
- Lighting– This factor compliments the above two. Dark lighting can make conversations difficult, as it makes it harder for people to visually connect with one another. However, dark lights can create a calm and personal atmosphere for people who want to simply drink their coffee alone. Overly-bright lights can become annoying.
- Set Up & Comfort – What kinds of chairs and tables does the coffee shop use? Is there an abundance of cushions? How high are the tables and bars? All these things influence how much a person enjoys a coffee shop.
- Cleanliness – Nothing can ruin an appetite like a pile of dirty dishes behind the bar. Also, doesn’t it gross you out to see food particles and waste on a table you just set your mug on? It grosses me out. There must be a happy medium between filthy and hospital-grade hygienic, I think. I wouldn’t want to drink coffee in a totally sterile environment, either.
Customer Service
Character can sometimes outweigh cleanliness. Just ask this barista from Epoch Coffee!
- Friendly – This is a difficult thing to rank, I think, because it requires ranking people. Friendliness and professionalism should be important, but honestly I enjoy coffee shops that hire unique individuals. They can be soft spoken, curse, tell dirty jokes — whatever. I like variety when it comes to people. I will not necessarily condemn a coffee shop if its employees aren’t completely friendly. That’s just me, though. What do you think?
- Fast – Nobody likes to wait for their food or drink.
- Fun – People can get coffee anywhere. You can buy a second-hand coffee machine and some Folgers for less than twenty bucks and drink coffee at home. People go to coffee shops for a sense of community and involvement. That’s how regular patrons are created. People find their favorite coffee shop by looking for the establishment that caters to their personal definition of a good time.
Products
- Drinks – How do you think I should rate the the drinks found in the coffee shops I visit? Certainly quality should factor in. Should the variety of coffee factor in as well? Personally I will drink any kind of coffee, but I know people who only care about how well an establishment caters to their one style of drink.
- Food – How important is food when it comes to your favorite coffee shop? Some shops like to serve pizza or pie or pastries. Should this become a deal breaker?
The cappuccinos at Cafe Medici have been suggested to me multiple times so far.
Skill
- Accuracy of Order – Baristas should get an order correct consistently. Or should they? How much room for individual creativity should we leave for our drink makers? Much of history’s greatest art was created by bending the rules.
Wi-fi
- Internet — How important is fast and free Internet to you? It’s a deal breaker for me, but it may not be that important to people who would rather enjoy person-to-person communication while drinking coffee. Austin blogs a lot inside its coffee shops, so wi-fi is probably a must.
So there is the list. I want to hear what you have to say about it! Soon I will be formulating a criteria for rating local Austin coffee shops. I want to get the the bottom of what makes a coffee shop good, so let me know your thoughts.
@DustyVegas asks:
What makes a coffee shop great?
Photos courtesy of Brent Schneeman, Jen Gallardo, clarkk and Kaleb Fulgham, respectively. My ranking criteria is derived from Coffee Cup News.
Dusty, normally we meet to discuss this kind of stuff.. but I figured I’d comment with my thoughts so they are out in the open. I’d like you to mention power outlets as well as wi-fi. A lack of power outlets can be a deal breaker for me as a professional blogger. Parking is an issue too sometimes, so a mention of parking is welcome. Also I’d be interested in you speaking to a few of the patrons if you get a chance and it isn’t bothersome. Ask them why they go to the coffee shops you are visiting.
Looking forward to the series.
That’s what I forgot! Thanks for the reminder! Outlets are certainly a must, as they can ruin an experience for me as well. I think any coffee shop in Austin worth its salt is going to cater to the electricity needs of its clientele. I’ll definitely try to talk to a few people at the shops I visit. Perhaps I can try get some interviews in with my podcast software. /MischeviousGaze
I take into consideration all of these factors, some more explicitly than others, but if I’m going to study – like Eric said – outlets are huge!! I also love it when a coffee barista loves coffee. How many times do the people at Starbucks not even enjoy the product? As a huge coffee lover, I shudder that anyone dislikes that sweet brown drink.
I love love love Cafe Medici drinks, and the employees there seem to really know about the sources of the beans of their coffee (while I smile and accept their suggestions I have no idea what high altitude does to the coffee beans!). I also enjoy Flipnotics in South Austin, and coffee shops that give me a discount with my GoLocal card!!
You’re right, Tara. Regardless of location, I think knowledge is very important. One of the baristas at Cafe Medici sat me down for twenty minutes and told me all about coffee (not that I remember much of it). Being able to break down the differences in coffee is a very impressive talent. It adds a layer of professionalism and authenticity to the coffee shop. Thanks for the input!
I always judge coffee shops by their chai tea lattes as well as their coffee.
You do love those chai tea lattes.
My two favorite coffee shops are Jupiter House on the square in Denton and Juan Pelota’s in Austin. They are similar, yet polar opposite joints. Jupiter House is aimed at the students and hipsters of Denton. It’s a large, open space with brick walls and paintings and other artwork by local artists on the wall. There’s couches and tall stainless steel tables along one wall. There’s free wi-fi, and plenty of plug-ins. It’s fairly dimly lit, but the music is always loud. A lot of people hang outside the doors to smoke (both tobacco and pot). That bothers me, but it’s not a huge dealbreaker, because smoking is not allowed inside. I go for the iced integrated mocha, which is a Jupiter original. Having an original menu of drinks is so important to a coffee house! If it’s all the same, then what’s the point of going? The coffee here is a bit more Seattle-based in roast and texture. It has a very local feel, and even if you don’t know the baristas, they will talk to you like they know you. People do go their to study and to have study groups, but I don’t, simply because I must have complete silence to study.
Juan Pelota’s, on the other hand, is aimed at the cyclists and other athletes of Austin. It’s located inside Mellow Johnny’s downtown. Unlike Jupiter House in Denton, Juan Pelota’s is a small, cramped space. It’s loud. It’s fairly bright. The coffee is very European in flavor and, for the most part, very bold. (There are milder and decaf options for those who wish them.) There is wifi, but few, if any, outlets. Most of the seating is outside, simply because of space restraints. The walls have issues of the latest sports and cycling magazines, as well as local news papers, and there is a large flatscreen that is always showing some sort of cycling or other sport. Even though it’s crowded, the atmosphere is always friendly. Cyclists are a pretty close-knit group of people, and many of them come every day to this coffee shop–sweaty, gross, and in full cycling kits. Bike parking, there is plenty of, but finding car parking is a bit harder. The menu not only has coffee of all sorts, but protein shakes (most of Armstrong’s own devising and naming), as well as small pastries and sandwiches. This coffee shop is a bit more health-conscious, so alternative milks (soy, almond, skim, etc) are always available. I love the cappuccinos and the iced mochas. The last time I was in Austin, I was there for 4 days, and had 5 iced mochas.
All in all, it’s a personal choice. It’s all about mood and atmosphere. If you don’t feel good in a place, even if the coffee is great, you don’t go back. If the staff is rude or gets your order wrong all the time, you won’t go back. Sometimes, the best way to find a coffee house is word of mouth. But ultimately, it’s your own personal preference in regards to coffee and ambiance.
Now that’s a description. Thanks for the heads up, Christie. I remember when you took Haleigh and I to Mellow Johnny’s. Is that the coffee shop you are talking about? I recall their coffee being very in-your-face.
I am wary of writing about highly specific coffee shops like a bicyclist’s place. You should come with me so I don’t miss anything! When will you be down again?
That’s the place! Juan Pelota literally means “one ball”. Amusing, right? I don’t know when I’ll be back to Austin. My brother has now moved down there officially, so I could always go to see big bwudder. (Hopefully I’ll get a job this summer!)
Coffee shops are really fun. Good article. I usually would meet my dates in a coffee shop the first time getting to meet them. It’s a good public place to get a cup of java and talk. Sometimes food and coffee is good too. The atmosphere is fun. I also love coffee shops that display lots of artwork in it. Adds to the mix.
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