No problem. Yes it is the same. It looks like I will have to plan a trip to Chicago to try Intelligentsia on its home turf http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif

In Buenos Aires: Cafe Tortini and La Biela.

In Vienna: Cafe Landtmann

If you're in Indianapolis, add Stanton Coffee to your list. Tim Stanton is a very good small roaster with a nice but small cafe and a loyal neighborhood following. Open 6 a.m. or so to 5 p.m. most days and convenient to I-65 or I-465 on the west side. Espresso and espresso drinks are extremely good. (Visit www.stantoncoffee.com)

Hubbard & Cravens is another fine option in Indy with several locations but good but not the most amazing coffee I've ever had. Their cafes are very nice, though. (Visit www.hubbardandcravens.com)

Add La Colombe and Cafe Caribou in Philadelphia. La Colombe, imo, has some of the consistently best coffee I have ever had.

:::slaps head:::

I durned near forgot all about World Cup Coffee in Northwest Portland, between the Pearl District and Nob Hill on N.W. Glisan St. It's an exquisite sanctuary and in a lot of ways preferrable to the two Torrefazione outlets in Northwest Portland, which can sometimes get crowded.

1369 Coffeehouse on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, MA (Central Square). Great atmosphere to sit and lounge while hanging out with grad students/[ex-]dot com entrepreneurs/artists/Cambridge intelligentsia/some combination of the preceding. It's nothing fancy, but the coffee is great, the staff is friendly and cares about how one likes his/her coffee and how their coffee tastes, and the baked goods aren't bad (and made on-site). I just about lived there through law school, up to 10-12 hours per week--and there were many who were there far more often.

In Columbus, Ohio, a microroaster named Stauf's operates two really good coffeehouses. One location is in one of the upscale urban neighborhoods and the other is in a suburban area inside an office park neighbohood strip mall. The suburban location is on the north side, not far from I-270 and across a parking lot from the Sheraton Suites. It's worth staying in this area - or driving from another part of the city - to have a morning cup here.

http://www.staufs.com/

Also, I visited the newer Intelligentsia location in downtown Chicago on West Jackson Street - talk about superb espresso. The drip coffees of the day were excellent on my vists. Intelligentsia is a wonderful roaster, and lots of cool coffee and tea stuff is available at the shop.

www.intelligentsiacoffee.com



[This message has been edited by Pietro (edited Jan 06, 2004).]

Frankly being a NOLA native I think PJ's s*cks. they use this funky machine to make latte's and espressos. They can't control the temperature that they steam milk which really aggravates me. If you are looking for a local chain coffee house check out CC's Coffee. The coffee is much better.



[This message has been edited by prncess674 (edited Jan 08, 2004).]

Thanks for the PJ's feedback -- I should add that I've never had espresso or espresso-based drinks (lattes, etc.) at PJ's...I've only had various brewed coffees, usually in a french press. There are very few coffeehouses where I've had espresso since so many places use sub-par espresso equipment or employ "baristas" who don't know their stuff (IMO).

Sorry to hear that about PJ's, but I'll be sure to try CC's on my next trip. Thanks.

Edited to add: Is CC's a coffee roaster as well? It seems like very few coffeehouses in most cities roast their own beans.

[This message has been edited by Pietro (edited Jan 09, 2004).]

Pietro, get outta my head! I'm going to Chicago next weekend and was planning on visiting intelligensia. I think I'll hit the Monandock location after a corned beef at Manny's. Thanks for the review.

CC's stands for Community Coffee which is one of the oldest names in coffee around New Orleans. It's the unofficial coffee of Louisiana. I always bring a bag of New Orleans roasted coffee to my client sites, and most people love the rich taste. 9 out of 10 times if someone makes coffee for you in their home in Louisiana it's Community Coffee.

http://www.communitycoffee.com/

Thanks -- I knew the "Community" name but didn't make the connection with the CC's cafes. (Really, I'm not usually so slow.) Now that I think of it, I believe I have had a few cups at a CC's in the garden district or somewhere around Loyola. (?) Regardless, I definitely know the Community Coffee name.

Noticed CC mentioned in a couple of posts; I live in Dallas and always enjoy Community Coffee. Our family has enjoyed CC for over 35 years as far as I know, and maybe longer. As for coffee houses here in Dallas, Cafe Brazil (they have 3 or 4 locations in metro Dallas)is great. They also serve great food, so it is a cross between a classic coffee house and a restaurant. They have a wide selection of good coffees, by the pour or by the bean.

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Excellent choice! Although, usually in Madison I go to the Ancora Coffee. I can't get enough of their organic Sumatran! I am more regular brewed coffee type, but their cappucinos are out of this world too. They have several outlets around Madison -- I like the one on King St., just off Capitol, the best.

http://www.ancora-coffee.com/

Ewww, Finland leads coffee consumption stats, but it is some crappy, bitter liquid they sell here... I am not a fan of Charbux, but oh boy, was I happy to even get their Sumatran in Frankfurt recently. (No Charbux at these latitudes yet, and even Mac is deeply in the red.)