Bucks Coffee & Beyond

Where to unwind after your daily grind.

By Neil Harner

As I begin this article, I can’t help to feel a little jittery over the excessive amounts of caffeine and sugar flowing through my body as a result of visiting the nine best cafes in the Bucks County area.  Whether ordered hot or cold, it is undeniable that in our Starbucks culture, coffee is not the morning cup of Folger’s to start the day, but rather a craft beverage prepared in hundreds of combinations that people can enjoy anytime.  Not to mention the huge variety of teas available.  This month, I had the unique opportunity to explore a little bit of everything including a delicious cup of the roaster’s best, delicious coffee concoctions more reminiscent of a dessert, and of course, exotic and floral teas.  Although I recommend each and every one of these locations, I have to warn you not to trek to all of these sophisticated mom-and-pop coffee shops in one day, or you’ll soon find yourself in a bit of a grind.

Coffee & Cream

6 E. State Street, Doylestown, PA
(215) 348-1111

Coffee & Cream is nothing less than delicious.  This little café has all of the standard coffees, and an assortment of milkshake-styled coffee beverages, but what I appreciated the most was the affordability.  If you are spending the day in Doylestown shopping, ending a long day of work, or just finished a meal at one of the many fine local restaurants, you may find yourself in need of a treat.  Coffee & Cream offers a great selection of snacks and desserts including an assortment cakes, cookies, and my personal favorite, Rice Krispies Treats.

Cupteavity
88 S. Main Street, New Hope, PA
www.cupteavity.com; (215) 862-9031

Nothing is more soothing to me than a nice cup of Earl Grey.  As the name of this fine café suggests, guests can come here to get themselves a tasty cup of tea.  If you feel threatened by the idea of voyaging into uncharted territories different from your normal cup-o-joe, the friendly staff here will ease you into a scrumptious blend of tea that will hook you into a whole new world.  Not to mention, tea has many holistic properties which can help improve personal health, detoxify the body, and even promote weight loss.

Lambertville Trading Company
43 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ
www.lambertvilletrading.com; (609) 397-2232

Right across the river from New Hope sits this awesome little, award-winning coffee shop which has been a destination for coffee lovers since 1982.  Upon entering the business, the first thing you will note is the warm, family-like greeting you get when you walk through the door, along with the sweet aroma of fresh coffee, which travels far beyond the county’s limit.  And truth be told, the scent lives up to the flavor, as their coffee will caress the taste buds of any coffee addict.  Lambertville Trading Company also has an incredible selection of porcelain mugs, gourmet treats and baskets, which are the perfect gifts for any coffee or tea enthusiast in your life.

Langhorne Coffee House
102 S. Bellevue Avenue, Langhorne, PA
www.langhornecoffeehouse.com; (215) 757-6070

This has been a longtime favorite of mine.  More than just a coffee house, this bistro offers a little bit of something for everyone.  There’s a great breakfast and lunch menu if you’re hungrier than just having an everyday muffin.  And if you want to embark on a nice Friday night out, be sure to check out their Artists on the Avenue on the first Friday of every month, where local artists are showcased throughout the café and often times paired with local musicians.

Lynn Coffee Bean & Teas, LLC
32 S. State Street, Newtown, PA
www.lynncbt.com; (215) 860-5655

Lynn Coffee Bean and Teas, operated by the husband and wife duo Leopold and Rebecca Ntab, is an ideal stop in the historic district of Newtown. The shop carries an astounding variety of fresh roasted coffee beans and teas from all over the world. The boutique is stocked with massive sacks filled to the brim with coffee beans, a collection of loose teas offerings and a large assortment of prepackaged coffees and teas showcasing flavors from around the world that aren’t easy to find in most shops. The store also offers a vast variety of dried fruits, nuts, chocolates, cocoa, gift baskets and housewares.

Milkboy Coffee
2 E. Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA
824 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA
www.milkboycoffee.com

Milkboy Coffee has one of the most interesting stories a coffee house could have—they started out as a recording studio and quickly grew to become a multi-location string of coffee houses, featuring regular performances by indie musicians and unique artwork from emerging talent in the area.  Their coffee is delicious, but this trendy, modern destination is not just for the morning pick-me-up—check out their website for an up-to-date calendar of performances. Be sure to stop by for an espresso and unique tunes; perfect for a great date or to just hang out with your friends.

The Organic Coffee Bar
115 S. Main Street, Suite D2, New Hope, PA
www.theorganiccoffeebar.com; (215) 862-1073

Nothing is tastier than green coffee.  Of course, I don’t mean the beverage that accompanies your daily dose of green eggs and ham, rather coffee brewed from certified organic fair trade beans.  The Organic Coffee Bar is the area’s chief green coffee business—from the coffee, the milk and the sugar, to the cups and cleaning products, The Organic Coffee Bar proves that it’s easy being green in their echo chic environment.  On my visit here, I enjoyed one of the most mouth-watering cups of Chai I have ever experienced.

Rojo’s Roastery
243 N. Union Street, Lambertville, NJ
www.rojosroastery.com; (609) 397-0040

Owner and coffee connoisseur David Waldman uses a vintage, gas-fired roaster that has been in continuous use by the same family in a small village in Northern France since 1956. Rojo’s Roastery, named after Waldman’s previous long red mane, has been winning over the community by operating as a dual business as both a café and a seller of a prestigious line of equipment, which Waldman tests himself. By the time Rojo’s offer their specialty beans to customers, they have passed through a meticulous analytical and roasting process that optimizes the sensorial experience for the coffee drinker—fragrance, aroma, flavor, balance and overall taste.

Saxby’s Coffee Shop
1140 Old York Road, Abington, PA
Ardmore Farmer’s Market, Ardmore, PA
22 N. Main Street, Doylestown, PA
www.saxbyscoffee.com

The last coffee shop that is worth mentioning is the acceptation to my rule of only discussing local cafes.  However, it is not the corporate nature of this coffee roaster that inspires me to include it in this list of independent coffee shops but rather the history behind the coffee.  If you recall, a few years ago there was a quickly growing brand of coffee and coffee house stores that originated in Yardley, PA and named in the true spirit of the community.  This was none other than the Bucks County Coffee Co.  In late 2008, the Atlanta, GA based Saxby’s acquired the local coffee company and relocated their worldwide headquarters to Conshohocken, PA becoming a Pennsylvania based brand that can be found throughout the entire country.  When learning all of this at the Abington location, I enjoyed a basic cup of coffee from their selection of Fair Trade and Organic coffees.  You can truly taste the difference.