49 - Amethyst Coffee Company, Denver (Broadway Location)

Coffee Shop:
Amethyst Coffee Company
https://www.amethystcoffee.co/
1111 N. Broadway, Suite 101
Denver, CO 80203
*They have a really good address

Date Visited:
Saturday, May 25, 2019
About 3:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

Purchased:
Cashew Milk Chai: $5.25
*$0.75 for cashew milk. Super annoying.
This time I was actually like, "The fact that you charge that much for a cappuccino and a large latte...can you explain why that is acceptable?"
The barista said, "Sure." But the answer was basically, "No."
But the explanation was that it's how they even out the cost. You know, because it costs more to provide larger amounts of milk for larger beverages. But they charge less proportionally on those, so they have to charge more proportionally for smaller beverages.
The answer was that they intentionally overcharge me for smaller beverages.
That's the answer. I don't even need to add anything.

For the record, I am always nice and I just said, "That's super annoying, but it's out of my system now..." It's totally not out of my system, but it was as far as the barista's role in this injustice goes.

So they make their own cashew milk though. That's awesome. I was stoked. I would totally pay $0.75 for that and not be mad if they charged $1.25 for large drinks. I appreciate consistency.

I was debating getting a latte or chai. Mostly because the barista mentioned she liked the cashew milk in chai (but that's because she doesn't like espresso with nut milks, so it wasn't swaying me a lot). But chai sounded good, largely because I already had a latte. Then I saw they house-make their chai also. So obviously I got a cashew milk chai.

Gorgeous.

It was gorgeous.

The soft, creamy look of the cashew milk foam totally got me instantly. And look at that sprinkled cinnamon. That is art.

Upon my first drink I noticed it was really spicy. It was very spicy, but awesome spicy. I have had chai that's too spicy, and this was spicier, but amazing. It has a kick, but in a distinctive way that totally works. But it's spicy.

The barista did also reference that the cashew milk was more watery, so it didn't work for latte art as well and stuff. I thought this might be a bad sign, because cashew milk can be super creamy and awesome (and like...they make it; they could make it less watery). The second thing I noticed about the chai was that it was pretty watery, but it was still quite good. Maybe they think the cashew milk is too strong if they make it less watery.  It may not be the perfect recipe, but it's a good. I do think it would not have been very good with espresso, so I am glad I got the chai. But also because the chai was quite good.

Even though it was watery, I still did note and appreciate the light, fluffy foam. There was a lot to like.

I wouldn't be running back to have another, but it was really good - pleasant and distinctive, and I am glad to have tried it. It also grew on me as drank it. The cashew milk did go really well with the chai and it sticks out as a non-espresso, savory beverage.

They ground some coffee while I was there and it smelled amazing. That is a good sign of a good coffee shop.

They also have an amazing plant.

There is a free parking lot outside the coffee shop. It was pretty full, but there were a couple open spots, one of which I parked in.

No wi-fi issues.

48 - Whittier Cafe, Denver (Whittier)

Coffee Shop:
Whittier Cafe
https://www.facebook.com/whittiercafe/
1710 E 25th Ave
Denver, Colorado 80205

Date Visited:
Saturday, May 25, 2019
About 10:15 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Purchased:
Small Latte (12oz): $4.54
*almond milk was $0.74
That's approaching ridiculous, especially if it was for a smaller cappuccino or something.

This is a pretty cool place because it has character and significantly more purpose than you would expect from a run-of-the-mill coffee shop.  My latte wasn't very special, but the community vibe from this place was exceptional. It's nice when a coffee shop is a good place to hang out or a good gathering space, but Whittier Cafe takes it to the next level.

It says, "This is my happy place!"

First, the latte. It was decent, but not that great. It wasn't bad, but was a little bitter and un-smooth. Both the flavor and texture were just a little off. I could see it aligning more with other people's preferences, but it's still not amazing.

But look at the mug it came in. That's what I'm talking about. Such a nice vibe.

I didn't think it was super cozy or extra comfy, but they had above-average outdoor seating options and it's a nice place to hang out. I was there on a nice day, but most of the outdoor seating was taken and I sat inside, which was mostly my preference anyway. There was a covered area tucked back from the street, and the street was quiet anyway. It had a good layout with some nice touches. Inside was functional and low-key, but I did note their awesome chairs, which all had holes that were latte mug outlines. Nice.

However, the main way this place stands out is that it exudes a community-coffee-shop feel and seems like a place that some people would love to frequent and hang out at. It is unabashedly politically active, with some campaign signs out front for local candidates and issues, and it seemed like a headquarters for activism and activist groups. The overall message I got was that they were really involved with the community and really cared about local people and issues, which is pretty special.

In addition to specific issues they might be targeting at any one time, the vibe was just open and inviting. I felt like they would not get hung up on anything small that would make the coffee experience less good for anyone, and that they would also pay attention to the little things that would ensure all people felt welcome. (With the exception of the almond milk surcharge. I own my personal hangups, okay?)

They also had some simple food options (wraps or burritos), though I did not end up trying one. This isn't an amazing craft coffee destination, but it is a community hangout done absolutely right.

Street parking was easy, with no time limit. I parked across the street, but there plenty of close options.

No wi-fi issues.

47 - Coffee Lab at Denver Museum of Nature & Science

I sooo wanted this to be an amazing and science-y coffee station.

But oh, well. It's a nice thought.

Coffee Shop:
Coffee Lab at Denver Museum of Nature & Science
https://www.dmns.org/visit/plan-your-visit/floor-maps/
That is the closest thing I could find to a web site. See that coffee symbol on level 2? That's it.

Located in the Denver Museum of Nature and Science:
2001 Colorado Blvd
Denver, CO 80205

Date Visited:
Friday, May 24, 2019
About 2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
That's about when I was chilling with the coffee.
I was at the museum from about 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Purchased:
Small/12oz Latte : $3.04
*almond milk was $0.85 (they suck)
And this is weird, because my subtotal was $3.04, then there was $0.00 charged for tax (both retail and food/beverage), and then my total was $3.29. That math literally does not add up.

I'm posting this because I may actually have to investigate this phenomenon.

Museum entry: $19.95
(I just saw that it's a dollar off if you buy it online! I had no idea.)
So this is basically a $23 latte. I'm just saying.
But parking is free!

This is a sketchy addition to my compilation. But I feel like it's less sketchy than when I posted about Sazza. I think I wouldn't do that now, but it's grandfathered in. It totally fits my requirement of "a place you can get coffee that has wifi" (and if it's a legitimate coffee shop it doesn't need wifi), but I now more deeply (at all) consider the odds of someone going to the location and just ordering coffee. Or a cafe-style beverage with some kind of personality, even. It could technically happen, but I think it's a little too borderline.

This is a good time to mention how sad I am that I didn't do my post about "The Groove Subaru waiting area" when I had my oil changed one time a few years ago. I did have coffee and hung out with the wifi. That was hilarious even though it didn't happen. It didn't even really need to happen. I'm not that sad.

Anyway, Coffee Lab is a legitimate coffee shop if you are already at the museum.

And really, I have to hand it to the museum for having pretty cheap coffee that's not bad. The food options in the main cafe are pretty decent and not overpriced either, so that's cool. The food and beverage options are like a legitimate resource and option while at the museum, not a desperate resort. But this is just about the coffee shop.

Museum latte

The latte was your standard almond milk latte. The foam was nicely smooth, as was the latte as a whole. It tasted good. Nothing blew me away. It did not have the gross undertones that almond milk lattes can have at places that are not good.

But let's be real. I was at the museum for seven hours and at at 2:00 p.m. this little latte was great. I sat down for a while, chilled, caught some pokemon, and drank this latte. It was wonderfully rejuvenating and I approve of this life option under these circumstances. And even not under these circumstances if you feel like it.

The temporary/additional exhibit was about Leonardo da Vinci, which I had recently finished going through, and I highly approve of their specials, though I did not end up getting one.

Approve.

Way to be, Coffee Lab. Way to have a legitimate niche at the museum.

I used museum wi-fi on my phone and it seemed totally adequate.

Museum parking right out front (and underground) is free and pretty easy (unless it's really busy and all of it is full).