Full disclosure, we are co-owners of Charming Beard Coffee and Josh is the CEO.  We are big fans of the place, but we’re extremely biased.

Charming Beard Coffee’s concept of co-habitating with Finca (and calling it La Barba) was conceived long before Scott Evans owned the first floor of 327 West 200 South.  When Finca was across the street from Liberty Heights Fresh, Josh and Scott we’re going to rearrange Finca’s dining room and make a place for Charming Beard to have a shop.  Scott put the project on hold and brought it back up after the purchase of the new location was final.Opening a coffee shop in SLC is a fairly unsettling endeavor with the lack of per capita coffee drinkers and presence of other great local shops (we’re looking at you No Brow, D’Bolla and the Rose Establishment).  From the beginning Charming Beard had designs on opening retail space in the heart of downtown but they knew for it to work, a strong synergy was necessary to create buzz and get coffee drinkers in the door.

Along with serving Charming Beard Coffee, they serve pastries and churros from Finca, Mezzo Drinking Chocolate and Tikal Chocolate Teas, The Queens’ Tea, and custom ceramics from Basin Goods.  The place was designed by architect Jared Wright (one of Charming Beard’s 9 investors) and the equipment is serviced by the one and only Gabe Jessop of Keep it Brewing.  Iron work was done by Blackridge Metal with furniture from CG Sparks, flowers from Native Flowers and a few accoutrements from European Treasures.

Charming Beard is always looking for ways to collaborate with other local businesses.  La Barba embodies elements of the ideals, but much more is to come.

327 West 200 South / M – F : 7a – midnight, Sa – Su 8a – midnight / inside Finca

In case, you didn’t know, Alchemy Coffee opened up a second location near the Capitol.   We enjoyed a coffee there pre-brunch at Em’s one morning then have been back a few times since.  A few items to note – Amaretto Green Tea Lattes, Sweet Potato Muffins (served toasted!), and high end coffee (straight up Americanos or Cappuccinos are great here.)  The service is beyond friendly and helpful and the atmosphere is quiet and peaceful.  It’s a new favorite of ours that we had to share here with you!

Alchemy Coffee

271 N Center Street

Josh and I have a new little date spot in Salt Lake, Tea Grotto.  Though we’re not huge tea drinkers at home, besides my new matcha green tea obsession, we do however like to go out for tea. We used to frequently visit the old English tea house, Elizabeth’s, but since it’s been gone, we hadn’t revisited our tea dates.

When I was pregnant we had this ongoing tradition that after every doctor’s appointments we would go out for a little treat.  After one appointment we decided our treat would be tea.  Not knowing any great tea spots, I did remember that there was a tea house next door to Pig and a Jelly Jar. So we ventured over near Liberty Park to try out this new-to-us tea house.

After walking in and then having just a few sips of our selected teas, we already had made plans of returning.  Maybe Tea Grotto would be our new spot for tea dates. On this first visit I kept to my favorite and ordered their Matcha Latte, which was not as hot as I would have liked but the flavor was just perfect.  They also have a variety of sugars and natural sweeteners to add to the drinks, my favorite being the sugar cane cubes. Josh tried a fruit tea which came in a tea kettle with a couple little tea cups.  We both enjoyed the flavor of his tea and felt it went perfect with a little sweet bite.

We couldn’t resist trying their matcha pound cake so we ordered one of these too.  The little green cake was not overly sweet with a perfect amount of sweet icing on top, which we found out was all vegan.  Its always a mystery to me when I find a pastry or baked good that could so easily be disguised as a guilty treat but then is revealed to be more healthy than I thought, though I’m sure there was a decent amount of sugar.

The interior of Tea Grotto is comfortable, as we found it easy to sit and stay awhile as we sipped our teas.  We’re excited to discover a new spot to resume our special tea dates, and with the amount of tea selections we have many new discoveries in store.

Tea Grotto

401 East 900 South
Monday -Thursday: 10am-9pm
Friday & Saturdays:  10am-10pm
Sundays: 10am-6pm

I had the pleasure of hanging around here over the holidays.  My family all traveled across country to have a white Christmas in Utah.  We enjoyed all that the snow and cold weather have to offer, including delicious coffee drinks and baked goods.  If you’ve been reading this blog or the Vintage Mixer for a while now, you know that not only do my husband and I love coffee, but we also are part owners in a local coffee roasting business, Charming Beard.  All that to say, we know good coffee, so when Java Dolce re-launched their business in Sugarhouse we had to go and try it out for ourselves.

Summer Shumway, the owner of Java Dolce and a coffee epicure herself, prides herself in the every detail of her coffee business.  Not only does she import tasty coffee from Italy (hopefully soon she’ll find a local bean she enjoys!) but she also serves up the best pastries in town, from Les Madeleines Bakery.  Together, Java Dolce and Les Madeleines have come up with a signature treat, the Crownie.  The Crownie is a brilliant combination of a decadent brownie and classic chewy chocolate chip cookie.  Their other specialties include a childhood favorite of mine, Cinnamon Toast, and sweet coffee drinks like their  Vanilla Almond Latte (pictured above).  For non-coffee drinkers, or those who just don’t prefer the taste of coffee, Java Dolce also offers Crio Brü, a local hot chocolate drink made from cocoa beans and local Farnsworth apple cider.

In my personal opinion, one of the best parts of Java Dolce is it’s location.  As infrequent blockbuster movie goers, Josh and I find ourselves most often viewing movies either at home or at the dollar movie.  Java Dolce is located right next to the Sugarhouse dollar movie.  Now I know where I’ll be picking up my movie snacks!

Java Dolce
2236 South 1300 East, Sugarhouse

A little secret for you… Nobrow Coffee makes their own vanilla syrup, thus creating this most perfect Vanilla Latte I’ve ever tasted. You must try. Instagram from me (VintageMixer on Instagram).

The owner and pour-over expert of Nobrow Coffee in Salt Lake, Joe Evans, took some time to teach me the steps of making the perfect cup of coffee using the pour over method.  After much picture taking and coffee talk, I sat and savored every sip. Yes, me the one who usually adds a spoonful of honey and steamed milk to even the finest of brews.

Since we live in a state where conversion is a common topic, this morning, I’m giving my best shot to convert you to a straight-up black coffee drinker, pour-over style coffee. So what exactly is the pour-over method? It stems from the idea that traditional coffee brewing doesn’t bring the best flavor out of your beans.  By pouring hot water slowly over freshly ground beans, you’re extracting the best flavor, and thus the trendy drink gets its name, ‘The Pour-Over.’

After heating the water and grinding the beans, you place a coffee filter (disposable or metal) inside the ceramic coffee dripper, which sits on top of a small pitcher or a personal sized mug.

Then, you slowly and carefully use a special kettle to pour the hot water down the center of the coffee grounds. There are two trains of thought here- some pour in a circular movement and others pour straight through the center. Joe made the argument that pouring through the center forces the water to clog slightly and evenly distribute around the beans. The coffee grounds should puff up slightly like a well made souffle, then fall gently and evenly before forming a cone towards the hole at the bottom.  I appreciated the food analogy of course, something I could grasp on to with this new idea. After making chocolate souffles several times I know how gentle they must be made and how, when made perfectly, they rise and fall at their appropriate times.

After all of the water has seeped through the ceramic filter, you are ready to pour the hot coffee into your mug and enjoy. And believe me, you will enjoy it.  This is when coffee tasting is comparable to wine tasting. Every pour-over cup accentuates the nuances of the beans. From floral aromas to hints of nuttiness, the flavors are much more pronounced in a pour-over. I’m talking about rich smooth coffee with a perfectly oily surface and a flavor that is pleasurable and savory.  Did you ever think a cup of black coffee could be that good?!

As the coffee scene in Salt Lake City grows, so does the access to good beans.  Nobrow offers some of the most award winning coffees around the country, including Heart Coffee, Intelligentsia, Handsome, and Ritual, among others. This week Nobrow is offering a special on pour-overs, mention SLC Foodie to receive a handcrafted pour over for just $2.50 this Thursday through Saturday.

Nobrow sells the several of the items you use to make a pour-over at home, as does Williams Sonoma.

Nobrow Coffee
address: 315 E 300 S
Mon-Fri 7am to 6pm
Sat-Sun 8am to 6pm
Nobrow on TwitterNobrow on Facebook

What do other foodies have to say about the Pour-Over Coffee
Amateur Gourmet on Pour-Over Coffee
Bon Appetite on the Merits of Pour Over
The Kitchn on How to Brew Great Coffee

Or at least I’m learning to be. After trying some of the best coffee in the country on our recent punctuated trip to Portland, I’m actually starting to taste the difference between coffees.

Cafe on 1st, is a rather simple coffee shop in the Avenues of Salt Lake serving up some of the best coffee in the city. I’ve learned recently that many coffee shops burn their milk, taking away from the sweetness of a latte. I’ve also learned that dark roast doesn’t mean there is more caffeine in the coffee.

I’ll keep learning but what I can tell you is that Cafe on 1st is doing it right and really caring about the art of a cup of coffee. They are currently brewing Lavazza. They also have some stellar baristas.

Cafe on 1st
39 I Street
Open Mon-Sun 7-9pm

The Rose Establishment is for those really looking for quality, no-frills-just-good coffee.   You might need to learn a few new coffee terms before entering this cafe, like ‘pour over’ (I had to ask the very gracious owner what it was).  But don’t worry too much if you are just entering the coffee scene, the folks at the Rose are very friendly and helpful if you are unsure of what to order.

Sun: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Have you been to The Red Moose yet?

With a dark wood interior and coffee can lighting, you get a Colorado Mountain town vibe right in the middle of a Salt Lake neighborhood. Try out Red Moose and plan to stay a while, because you’ll feel right at home.

The Red Moose Coffee Company

1693 South 900 East

M-W: 7 AM -6 PM
Thurs:  7AM-9PM
Fri: 7 AM-6 PM
Sat: 8 AM-6PM
Sun: 9 AM-5PM

live music on most Thursday nights

My favorite drink splurge is a Green Tea Chai from the Beehive Tea Room in downtown Salt Lake. Yes, parking is atrocious, but every frustrated turn around the block to find a spot is worth it once you have this drink in hand with a few friends around the table. It’s perfectly creamy and sweet with all the flavor and love of green tea. It sounds random, but try it for yourself. Soon.

And starting this weekend the Beehive Tea Room will be the official 2010 Sundance Film Festival Cafe in Salt Lake. From January 22 through January 30, the small cafe will feature live music, from 7PM to 9PM nightly. This posh tea room is the place to be and be seen this week.

The Beehive Tea room is a great place for a lot of teas and small bites, but, for today, I will just leave you thinking of this special concoction that keeps me motivated to navigate downtown parking.

Beehive Tea Room
12 West Broadway
(801) 328-4700