By: Iain Wilson
Posted In: Entertainment
Photo credit: Kostic, Christina
On a typical day, the pre-class line at Jazzman’s Café in O’Hare stretches eight or nine deep. Satisfied students strut off to class with their coffee, tea, bagel or muffin, quietly knowing that the purchase they’ve just made will serve as the fuel needed to propel them through a snooze-inducing lecture. The convenience of Jazzman’s is unparalleled, but if you have a few extra minutes during the day, Newport
possesses a wealth of unique coffeehouses to help you satisfy that inner java junkie. America may run on Dunkin’, but here in Newport,students and locals alike can run on exceedingly funky coffee and pastry experiences while helping local businesses in the process. EMPIRE COFFEE AND TEA Although much of Newport’s tourist allure lies in Thames Street and the surrounding water, Broadway is a historically rich area that consists not only of great dining and shopping, but great coffee as well. A must-visit, Empire Coffee was introduced to me by a former English professor. The funky interior of Empire evokes flashes of the New York City café scene. Real Intellectual. Scattered throughout the spacious interior are chic chairs and tables of all shapes and sizes. Square tables sit by the windows, allowing visitors the perfect perch to partake in some serious people watching while nodding their head to the transient house music drifting through the shop. If you’re in the mood for studying, Empire’s comfy couches and loveseats adorn the back part of the room. Oh yeah, there’s also coffee. A medium house blend and a toasted bagel will run you $3.10, but the funky menu offers everything from classic lattes and espressos to house specialties like Mexican Hot Chocolate and Pumpkin Pie Latte. A big hit with the picky coffee drinker, customers add cream and sugar on their own. Empire is Wi-Fi ready, but if you don’t have a computer, three bucks will get you twenty minutes of internet. Channel your inner Bobby Fischer and check out Empire’s Chess Night Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. Must Try: Pumpkin Pie Latte OCEAN COFFEE ROASTERS Located on Washington Square, Ocean Coffee Roasters serves up robust, delicious cups of coffee. If you’re not in a rush, grab a seat at one of the counters that wrap around the front of the building. If pressed for time, step in line and order a medium house blend to go, you won’t regret it. Check out the old album covers adorning the top level of the walls. See if there’s any you recognize, it’s the perfect thing to do while standing in line. Coffee Roasters offers all sorts of pastries, including muffins, cookies, bagels and cakes. A medium coffee and a muffin will cost you $3.67, but it’s a small price to pay for a coffee cup of unparalleled quality that will serve as the perfect fuel for that long walk down Thames. If you make it down there while it’s still warm, grab a seat at one of their outdoor tables on Washington Square and get absorbed in the bustle. It lacks the intellectual vibe given off by Empire, but different doesn’t necessarily mean bad now, does it? Businessmen flip through newspapers while locals converse underneath local artwork hanging on the walls. Must Try: Sticky Bun HENDRIKA’S Hendrika’s is nestled on the corner of Farewell St. and Broadway, across from the Fastnet Pub. The first room in the shop is tiny, housing five tables, a few stools and a window counter. The off-yellow walls and white-pained windows, coupled with unusually low ceilings give off an Alice and Wonderland feel. There’s no Mad Hatter, but there will be a friendly employee or two behind the counter ready to serve you. The menu is scratched on a head high chalkboard spanning the width of the room. If you decide to sit, you’ll get table service, including your own little saucer of cream to add to your piping coffee. A medium coffee costs $1.75, and if you decide, you can add a muffin or bagel as well. The drink menu offers traditional hot chocolate, Macchiato and Café au lait. Henrika’s front is almost entirely glass, and the natural light flushing through the room does not go unnoticed. Must Try: Café au lait THE COOKIE JAR Stepping within ten feet of the tiny sweets shop on Bowen’s Wharf will result in one of the most pleasant aromas known to man: the smell of freshly baked cookies. Cookies, brownies and other sweets are baked all day at The Cookie Jar, daring passerbys to step into the shop and indulge. The perfect complement to these sweets is a hot cup of coffee. The Cookie Jar is known for its baked goods, but the coffee is tasty as well. Visitors pour their own coffee and add cream and sugar separately. On a cold day, nothing will beat a warm chocolate chip cookie and a steamy cup of coffee. The store offers hot chocolate and tea in addition to coffee. Peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, sugar and M & M cookies taunt customers from underneath the glass case, and all are well worth a try. There is only outside seating at The Cookie Jar, so unless you enjoy sitting in the cold, grab a coffee and a cookie to go, it’ll cost you under three bucks, and it’s the perfect snack to warm up with on a blustery fall day. Getting lost on the way to The Cookie Jar is near impossible, since your nose will pick up the tantalizing scent as you get closer. Must Try: M & M cookie Breaking routine is difficult, but next time you want to spice up your day or week, think of the alternative coffee shops in Newport. Whether it’s Empire, Ocean Roasters, Hendrika’s or The Cookie Jar, you’ll leave satisfied knowing you’ve helped a local business, and not to mention enjoyed a pretty good cup of coffee in process.
