survival instincts

I’m at an industry conference in the convention center of a large hotel/resort in central Florida. Long days of programming that I’m enjoying, but no access to coffee other than an on-site outlet of the evil empire and urns of questionable industrial drip coffee. Not ideal for an espresso addicted coffee snob.

Here’s how I’m making it through:

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field report: Georgetown, Washington DC

credit: Elite Image Photography by Chad McDermott

I wanted to do a deep dive on third wave coffee shops in a DC neighborhood, so I picked Georgetown. I didn’t need provisions or a boarding pass for this one, as I can leave home and be at any of these places within 20 minutes. That is, depending on traffic, which is a big caveat.

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mini-review: Huckleberry Roasters (Dairy Block)


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Another Denver roaster and cafe operator, their original cafe on N. Pecos in the Sunnyside neighborhood is revered (and definitely on my list for my next trip). I visited the newer outlet, a stand-alone inside the Dairy Block complex in LoDo.

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mini-review: Novo Coffee (Glenarm)


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Novo is one of the region’s best regarded roasters, and their beans can be found at several quality coffee shops. They also operate four cafes in Denver, including this outlet in a newish multi-use building downtown off the 16th Street Mall and just steps away from an ink! Coffee outlet.

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mini-review: Little Owl Coffee


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This small cafe in LoDo has a very high end, Scandinavian aesthetic. All the finishes feel expensive and cold. Gleaming white laminates, marble, wood in various shades, everything spare, the lighting is just so. I felt like I should have been much taller, much thinner, much blonder, wearing a turtleneck and plain, wire-rimmed glasses, not smiling because life is suffering and my turtleneck is very itchy and Ingmar Bergman is filming me in achingly beautiful yet incredibly depressing black and white.

Or something.

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mini-review: ink! Coffee (16th Street Mall)


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A local chain founded in Aspen in 1994, it feels a little more corporate than indie. This location was bright and airy, if a bit sterile. The barista was friendly enough but didn’t seem to have any level of expertise.  A Rancilio machine is used to make your espresso.

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Field Report: Denver, CO

Concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater


A short travel report from a short, caffeine-fueled visit to the Mile High City. A beautiful city, and a great place to enjoy

locally brewed beer

legal weed

coffee.

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where to find it

last updated 3/15/24

Whenever I travel somewhere, I always google best coffee in <city name>. That and word of mouth are how I’ve found a lot of these places.

Here’s a list of Matty-approved coffee shops. I’ll keep this list pinned to the top of the blog and update it as I visit new places (or remember places I may have forgotten).

If I learn a shop closes I will remove it from the list. But please check ahead before you visit to ensure your destination still exists, given the vagaries of a low-margin business.


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