We parked in the cute little office suite that houses the coffee shop, a Pilates studio, and an architecture firm – it has a great retro feel – and stepped into Humble Coffee.
The first thing we noticed as we opened the door was the incredible smell. Not first of coffee, but a luscious warm spiciness. When the smiling barista asked for our order, I had a question first: “What is that amazing smell?”
As we had hoped, it was the chai. Arne immediately ordered a dirty chai, lightly sweetened (the chai is served unsweetened unless otherwise requested); I asked for a mocha. We also ordered a maple scone from the pastry-filled glass cloches on the counter.
We looked around and listened to the baristas’ cheerful conversation as we waited for our drinks. The shop is adorable, from the distressed teal boards fronting the counter to the simple tables in the eat-in area. The wall facing the counter sports rows of shelves holding t-shirts, mugs, and brown bottles for taking home the shop’s “toddy,” which I assume is cold-brewed coffee. Today’s was made from Ethiopia Sidamo.
Our drinks came up in short order. Arne’s chai was everything he’d hoped: spicy with a strong peppery note. It had a full, round flavor with real bite; Arne says it was so good he might try it again without the espresso. (Arne almost never has a chai without ordering it dirty.)
The mocha was excellent, beautifully balanced, not too sweet or too bitter. (And they even made a little heart on top, though it was a to-go cup!) I think next time I might try a plain latte so I can taste the coffee better. I suspect it will be fantastic.
Talk to me!