Wake Up and Smell the Coffee!

By: Melanie Sapienza
Posted In: Entertainment

Coffee is the college student’s staple in getting motivated in the morning. Instead of going to the nearest Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, try one of these local Newport coffee bars instead!.

Starting off in the middle of lower Thames, one can stop for coffee at Ocean Breeze Cafe, located in the Wellington Square. I went in for a Carmel Toffee Coffee ($1.27), expecting a rich-tasting coffee with a kick of caramel but was disappointed in the reality. My lips were met with a bland, watery substance that had little to no taste. The only enjoyable thing about this coffee was the price.

My next stop was The Steaming Bean located on Thames Street. In here I sampled the Pumpkin Spice coffee ($1.27) and the Almond Joy Specialty Espresso ($4.50). The Pumpkin Spice drink is festive and although it lacks sweetness it has a rich pumpkin spice that is quite enjoyable. The Almond Joy was my favorite of the two. It’s an expresso with a heavy almond kick and a trace of coconut lingering behind it. You don’t even know that you are drinking coffee.

Next on the adventure was Java Bob’s. There I sampled a Crazy Coconut Latte ($3.85). If you are a coconut lover, then this is the drink for you. A latte made to your request, this coffee had a heavy coconut flavor. This cafe also offers Internet access and psychic readings. An expansion is also in sight for this local’s favorite shop.

With the urge to try something sweet, I wandered into Espresso Yourself, a tiny cafe located in Perry Mill (above the Rhino Bar). I sampled the Apple Pie Chai ($3.25). I felt as though I were drinking a slice of apple pie. This drink was by far my favorite of all that I sampled. Light and sweet, it had a flavor that was phenomenal and was a must-try for the fall season.

With my Chai in hand, I wandered toward the very end of Bowens Warf where I found Coffee Grinders, a quaint little coffee shop open until January. There I ordered a Gingerbread Latte ($4.16), which was very good. It had the taste of a warm gingerbread cookie with a whipped cream and chocolate topping, but was a little expensive for the amount of coffee. (Here a small was 8 ounces where the other shops offered a 12-ounce small). The service was wonderful, though. Get your kick here if you enjoy a warm discussion as well as sugar with your coffee.

Last on my stop was Taste Buds, also located on lower Thames. Here I ordered a Caramel Latte ($3.00). The coffee was good, but there was nothing extraordinary about it, just your average latte.

My overall recommendation would be Espresso Yourself’s Apple Pie Chai. Even if you are not a chai lover, if you enjoy an apple pie taste, this I your drink!

So the next time that you are in the mood for a cup of something warn, try one of these low key places whose coffee is as good, and in some cases better, then Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.