Cruising along interstate-70 west, we decided to take a detour and stop in the ski-friendly town of Breckenridge. It sits at an impressive 9,600 feet and is surrounded by breathtaking mountains. Walking through the quaint town - which prepared for the Pro Cycling Challenge that passed through later that afternoon - we discovered Cuppa Joe.
Top-rated of the Breckenridge coffee houses on Yelp, this small neighborhood shop was located in the top right section of a two-story building. Upon entrance, we instantly noticed the regulars engaging with the baristas and a few residents reading newspapers while sipping their coffee.
Although we were on a “coffee tour,” we decided to branch out by tasting two of their tea blends. The relatively warm weather prompted us to ask that the teas be placed over ice.
I ordered the Tulsi Infusion and Ashley chose to try the Num Nectar. Both teas were black but boasted different flavors. We both actually decided that the Num Nectar tasted better than the Tulsi because it featured a stronger taste.
However, the iced teas were perfect for the warm August day. We sat and absorbed the atmosphere of the shop, which notably favored its regular customers.
That being said, the baristas still welcomed us into the shop. But we simply did not enjoy the same type of intimate conversation that we experienced at Paramount Cafe, for example.
The furniture and details of Cuppa Joe provided color and character to the shop. We sat in heart-shaped metal chairs at a bright, adorable lavender table. We noticed the full window sill right next to us which held unique bottles and jars of colorful glass pieces.
The bar - where all the magic happens - mixed metal elements with wooden countertops and floors. Chalkboard menus displayed the coffee and tea choices - a common trend we noted in a majority of the shops we visited on the road trip.
In fact, new independent coffee shops seem to keep popping up in every major city and state, which is one reason why we held such an interest in embarking on this coffee tour. According to a blog titled, “Next Hipster trend”:
While we are still recovering from the whole Starbucks craze, smaller and more specialized shops are beginning to take their place on the thoroughfares and in the empty storefronts of emerging Americana, selling Americanos…and it’s become such a trend that even Starbucks has taken notice.
This local shop - in the middle of the gorgeous mountains and along an adorable main street - refreshed us with flavorful iced teas but did not impress us in the same way other shops had.
We tried to not lose heart.
Little did we know, but our favorite shop of the day was still to come. An unplanned stop brought us our third and best coffee house of this particular day in swanky Vail, Colo.
-Allison
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