Locally Owned Coffee Shops Set Standard in Columbus

Just like any other American city, you’re guaranteed to find a Starbucks on every other corner, but luckily, Columbus is also home to a few excellent locally owned coffee establishments that arguably, can boast better quality, flavor, and certainly price than the Seattle java-giant can. Coffee-lovers from Columbus flock to Grandview’s Stauf’s Coffee Roasters for their morning pick-me-up and on any summer evening it is nearly impossible to find a seat at one of the many tables that line picturesque Grandview Avenue. While there is the “trend-factor” to being seen out on Grandview Avenue, a majority of Stauf’s patrons come for the unparalleled roasts they offer daily. The micro-roaster got its start in 1988 and ever since then, it has been a Columbus favorite as heralded by both the “Columbus Alive” and “Other Paper” for years. While certainly their house blends and daily roasts attract customers, I must say that you can’t go wrong with any other their espresso drinks. I live a block away and, weather permitting, I make the trek religiously every weekend morning to enjoy my caffeine-buzz, take advantage of the free wireless Internet access, and more generally, to people watch. When friends come from out of town, I always take them down to Stauf’s—and not just because of the coffee. To someone not familiar with the place, it is just as much a local point of interest as it is a mere coffeehouse. It takes up what is equivalent to two storefronts, the first being dedicated to coffee and paraphernalia of all kinds; coffee-makers, espresso machines, tall mugs, short mugs, Stauf’s mugs, etc… In this same section (which you must walk through in order to get to the fifteen-foot long counter to order your java) there are whiskey barrels turned at angle to display their contents: whole coffee beans. Row upon row of whole coffee beans. Anything from Highlander Grogg (my favorite), Love Potion #9 (or is this my favorite? It tastes like tapioca pudding), and the $85 per pound coveted Jamaica Blue Mountain. Never have I seen so much coffee in one place. I’ve heard it said before that the employees at Stauf’s are pompous and “stuck-up”. A friend of mine said once upon leaving “What’s their problem in there? It’s just coffee!” I agreed with her then, but later I learned that to them, it’s not “just coffee”. Their people know their stuff. The owner of Stauf’s puts them through a three week training in which they learn just about everything there is to know about the art of java and java-related skills (how to brew espresso just right, how much milk should go in a proper latte, etc.) So while I still admit they’re coffee shop snobs, (some of them, anyway) they have reason—they seem to take some real pride in being baristas, so I won’t complain about them giving me looks when I ask what comes in a mocha. While Stauf’s prices are more on par with that of Starbuck’s, I feel better about forking my money over to a small business that actively supports the community than giving it to a national conglomerate. This is seems to be the consensus among Columbus’ coffee-loving public and driving down one of the local interstates, don’t surprised if you see one of the popular bumper stickers “Friends Don’t let Friends Drink Starbucks” and at the bottom of the sticker “Follow me to the Coffee Table”. The Coffee Table is downtown and has a more urban, funky feel than Stauf’s. While their coffee doesn’t compare to Stauf’s, their prices are a little less and there is more pizazzazz to the atmosphere. I have two raves to make about this place, and forgive me, but neither has to do with anything I ingest (yes, that means coffee). Number one, I am never bored at the Coffee Table. Why? The location, right on High Street (731 N. High to be exact) is perhaps the best people-watching spot in the entire city. Deny it if you will, but watching people has to be one of the greatest urban pastimes there’s ever been and in the capital city, there’s no better place to do it. Point being, if it’s being a coffee-critic you wish—go to Stauf’s, if it’s ambiance and the social side of coffeehouses you’re after—to the Coffee Table you go. Simple. One of my other raves about The Coffee Table is the décor. Some might it call it eclectic, or even gaudy, but to me, it fits the essence of Columbus perfectly—it’s a complete hodgepodge of cultural cues and styles (consider that Ohio State is only a mile or so away and hosts the largest international student body in the U.S.). At once the décor is Latin, African, All-American, and perhaps even…Martian. It also mirrors Columbus in that it is at once very trendy and urban, but at the same time it harkens back to the small-town diners with its wall of pictures of customers and friendly “How ‘ya doin?” staff. Columbus is just that—an urban epicenter bordered by miles of cornfields and country, urban and rural at the same time and trying to unify the two in some meaningful way. Speaking of urban, I can’t leave Gay Street’s “Skambo” out of my list of the best coffeehouses. Few people know about the place since it’s off High Street and tucked away in a small building, but it is truly a coffee-lover’s paradise. They tend to keep four or five daily roasts to choose from and every one I’ve had is excellent. Here’s the thing about Skambo: they cater to the downtown business crowd, but once they’ve dined and gotten their caffeine and rush back to their cubicles, the place is perfect for writers and readers. This is where to go when you want coffee, want to get out of the house, but don’t really want to talk to anyone or have too much direct contact with anyone for that matter either. Skambo is a little diner/coffee shop with black and white tile floors like any proper diner should have and immediately makes me think “Film N’oir” when I enter. I love it. I generally go when I want to be alone and drink my coffee, and also when I am craving a bite to eat. Aside from the coffee, the paninis are simply awesome and for less than five bucks (chips and pickle spear included) you can have a very fine lunch in relative peace. Oh, before I forget, Skambo’s located at 31 East Gay Street, but come after lunchtime if you want to park. Next on the list of great Columbus coffee: Cup O’ Joe. The reason it’s such excellent coffee? Because it is roasted by the fine folks at Stauf’s. Seems there is a bit of a merger of local businesses brewing, but it hasn’t come to complete actualization yet. The great thing about this co-roasting is that there is only one Stauf’s location and there are several Cup O’ Joes around the city. My favorite location is at the Lennox Center beside the AMC theaters. I never sit inside though because it is very small and there is a lot of “to –go” traffic as moviegoers stop in and out, but sitting outside at one the tables is fun, mostly because of the people watching. It’s difficult to concentrate at this location with so many people milling about, but the other locations, especially the “mother-store” in German Village is great for studying, socializing, or relaxing. Keep in mind then, if you want to try Stauf’s, but can’t get to Grandview, then Cup O’ Joe is the next best thing. Okay, so I’ve named my top four places for coffee—now I feel my list is incomplete without mentioning one more place. I’ll admit, it spills across the border of mere “coffee shop” to eatery but I must mention it for all the daters out there. Mozart’s. A perfect date for coffee-lovers in love: Mozart’s in Clintonville has a live piano player nearly every night. Imagine…you her/him…two double-lattes…a piano gracing the dim atmosphere. You can’t go wrong. Mozart’s is also one of the finest locally owned bakeries in Columbus and anything you order there containing their chocolate is a sure hit. This would make a perfect after-dinner finish to the date (for those wishing to avoid alcohol) and it might not hurt to pick up some butter croissants while you’re there, you know, for the morning after… Honorable mention would go out to Café Apropos and Buckeye Donuts, but I suggest trying the ones I’ve gone into more detail about. While any coffeehouse can have great coffee, ambiance counts as well so I’ve tried to tell you as much as I could about a few with heaps of both. Come to think of it, I feel lucky to live in a city that takes care of their coffee-drinkers (even if they hate their smokers).