The Best Bean in Town

Ever since age 15 one of my favorite places to go is the local coffee shop. As a poet I have written many times about the solace and respite found in such a place as an espresso joint. Even if you don’t drink coffee, a good coffee shop has so much (more) to offer. The essence, the ambiance, great food, a wide variety of hot and cold beverages – these are all, among other things, excellent reasons to visit your local beanery.

Whether you go to write, converse, read the paper, do the puzzles, meditate or just plain be around people, the sweet smell of fresh ground, fresh brewed coffee will delight you. I even spent time working in a coffee shop in Moab as a barista and manager. While I had these jobs, I learned many tricks of the trade, including what the difference is between a breve, a latte and a macchiato.

No matter where I go, I stick my nose out in search of the best place to sit down, grab a drink and open my notebook and write. Now that I live in Cache Valley, the obvious local destination is evidently Caffe Ibis (usually referred to as just “Ibis”). Ibis does not only sell coffee drinks, it also roasts its own beans. The roasting/brewing company touts a wide selection of roasts, including several that are triple certified – organic, fair trade, shade grown/ bird friendly. To the conscious coffee drinker, these are excellent qualities for a bean to have.

Caffe Ibis is also a bustling deli that prepares some wonderful breakfast items for people of all tastes. The walls in the shop are adorned with artwork produced by local painters, photographers and multimedia artists. In every  corner of the store, you can find gourmet chocolates, locally grown produce like apples and garlic, trinkets and other exotic treats. Ibis is just an all-around great place to explore. As I said, you don’t have to be a coffee drinker to find a reason to be there. Several afternoons and nights, the shop is home to musical performances by local singer/songwriters.

If you want the true coffee shop experience, take it from me, Caffe Ibis is the place to be. Devoted fans come from all over to purchase the unrivaled, triple-certified roasts that are offered. Ibis also ships their beans to Moab – a place where I lived for a few years – to supply some of the local coffee dispensaries there. If you are interested in finding out more about Caffe Ibis, you can go online and check out their frequently updated and beautifully designed Web page at: http://caffeibis.com/.  Ibis is also part of the Cache Valley Food Tour so those who are interested can see the magic as it happens behind the scenes. If you stop by, make sure you say ,”Hi.” I’ll be there.