A Better Cup of Joe
It can be argued that America can’t function without coffee. For most citizens, it’s the daily kickstarter as well as the afternoon and/ or evening boost. According to the National Coffee Association, roughly two-thirds of U.S. adults drink it daily, for a total national consumption of about 400 million cups per day. Here are a few places in the Gables where coffee takes center stage.
ARTE Y PASIÓN CAFÉ
Down the block from Books & Books, Arte y Pasión takes the coffee obsession to the next level. You start by picking your variety from a menu of locations in Colombia. To help you choose, they have the beans in jars so you can smell them. Then, they prepare your coffee tableside, either through filters or with a Bunsen burner that pushes the hot water through glass tubes as you watch. Nice pastries and Colombian food, too.
Arte y Pasion Cafe: Taking the coffee obsession to the next level
205 Aragon Ave.
arteypasioncafe.com
CAFÉ DEMETRIO
The sign outside says it all: Café Demetrio, The Coffee Experience. Located on the corner of Salzedo and Alhambra, it’s been serving the brew since 1997, when it opened in the historic 1925 building where the Miami News started. The interior is Euro elegant, like its massive copper Italian espresso machines, and it makes exceptional specialty coffees like cinnamon toast lattes, caramel lattes, and The Demetrio, a cappuccino with sweet cacao powder and evaporated milk. Also, great bites and courtyard seating.
Café Demetrio: The coffee experience, serving the brew since 1997
300 Alhambra Cir.
cafedemetrio.com
PASION DEL CIELO
Made for the global connoisseur, Pasion del Cielo offers coffee from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ethiopia, Hawaii, Java, Jamaica, Mexico, Kenya, or Sumatra, each rated for aroma, flavor, body, and acidity. The most popular is Sumatran since it scores high in all categories except acidity. The place itself, on the corner of Giralda Plaza and Galiano, is small and brick-walled, with just a handful of tables outside and in. But Giralda Plaza is perfect for strolling with your cup of java.
Pasion del Cielo: For global connoisseurs, try the Sumatran
100 Giralda Ave.
pasiondelcielocoffee.com
CREMA GOURMET
Crema is the place you go for your morning coffee, since they also serve great breakfast dishes (eggs scrambled with turkey and cheese, for example). They also have plenty of outdoor seating under umbrellas or under the arches of the Hotel Colonnade on Miracle Mile, where they are located on the corner of Ponce. Because they use high-quality Italian Illy espresso beans, the result is a consistent European-style coffee experience. Great heavy cups as well, and all the classic styles of coffee.
Crema: High-quality Italian Illy espresso with breakfast
169 Miracle Mile.
cremagourmet.com