Someone recently asked us, “The Fork? You seem like you know things, so what do you know about a good cup of coffee? WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN YOU NEED TO GET CAFFEINATED, THE FORK?” The short answer is that we have a kind of mental ranking of our favorite spots, and where we end up quaffing phases with the winds (and business hours). Still, we drink more coffee than anyone and have our favorite spots around town. So here, buds, is The Fork’s definitive list of the best coffee spots in Santa Fe (in our opinion, which, around here, is law).
With multiple locations around town, an absurdly affordable cup, a barista who recognized our cool shirt the other day and one of the more delicious series of flavor profiles we’ve ever encountered anywhere, this is our bar-none/absolute top pick for best cup of coffee in town. “It’s too dark for me,” some of you are probably whining without realizing they offer light roasts from Mexico and Peru. Even better? You can do the drive-thru at one of them. Actually, that’s not, like, better, per se. It’s just another element.
The project of the Erwin and Walfre—the brothers Sagche—this is the spot where we often buy beans when we can’t get over to Ohori’s for whatever reason. The breakfast sandwich slaps, too, and we can’t say enough nice things about the crepes. Note that they’ve changed service hours recently, so you’ll need to get in before 3 pm most days.
3. Java Joe’s
When we’re in Midtown or closer to Rodeo Road, this is where we’ll go. Part of it is because where the hell else are we going over there? Starbucks?! Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck no. But also the coffee’s real good and they’re nice there. Do note that Java Joe’s keeps kind of weird hours (they close earlier than we’d like), but that’s OK—people can run a business however they want!
We don’t much get down to Marcy Street anymore since our office moved, but if Dave Black and his ragtag staff are around when we are, you can bet we’ll likely grab a cup. Oh, and there’s a drive-thru on St. Mike’s, too!
We know you all love this place sooooooooooo much, but it’s kind of far down on our list because we like the kind of coffee with which you could strip paint. Naw, just kidding, but we don’t always love third wave coffee, and sometimes baristas there have told us weird stuff when we ask for cream room. Like, we’re [redacted] years old—we know how we want our coffee.
We don’t love the drip here, but the espresso is pretty on point, plus the sugary drinks (and edible glitter) don’t hurt. Also...them vibes? Solid!
The End. Like, we don’t go anywhere else for coffee. Well, we should say that we don’t specifically choose to do that; we’ll get a cup if we’re already someplace and it’s our only choice.
Where do you get a cup of coffee?
We’re not even entirely sure what we mean by this, but this video is weirdly kind of hot, right?
Also
-Bit of a slow food news week around here, though we were pumped to see that the Poki Tako food truck, which was recently burglarized, was out there slangin’ poki tako at a recent Railyard concert.
-We keep seeing people putting apricots on pizzas around here, because, y’know, the apricot trees are droppin’ ‘cot (a new term we just invented for when apricots fall). We have a thought on this matter, which is, “Naw.”
-For a mere $30 per person, you and your persons can pop by the La Casa Sena Wine Shop this Saturday, July 16, for a bit of the ol’ around-the-world tasting action. You’ll need to RSVP at either (505) 982-2121 or email lcwineshop@lacasasena.com (or click this link that will take you to the website).
-As a reminder (and also a plea to stop asking us so often because we’ve totally covered this), that guy who sells peaches and cherries and stuff that everyone loves (Peachy Pete, we think his name is? Just kidding) is set up beside Piccolino’s down there on Agua Fría Street. Know that. Feel it.
-So, yeah, slow food news week, as we said.
Speaking of slow, this slowed-down Hannah Montana jam is, like, the hottest goth jam of summer. So into it. And hopefully this makes up for the paltry local food news section.
More Tidbits
-Who’s ready for some more kitchen-based erotica? Just kidding.
-Our favorite choco-smith is none other than Amaury Guichon, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get down with other cool choco-based sculptures and sculptors. And, since World Chocolate Day was only a few days ago on July 7, check out this gallery of cooooool chocolate stuff(s).
-Thrillist-dot-com went a-looking for the best burgers in America and somehow skipped over New Mexico entirely. Wack? Maybe. But since we hate outsiders here, we’ll let the rest of the country have it.
-Somehow, some way, Moët and Chandon bottles wound up the unwitting carriers of liquid MDMA (which is a drug that’ll make you feel soooooo good if you know what you’re doing, but might mess up the normies and the non-druggos). This is Europe’s problem, really, but still interesting. And while you’re busy trying to not sing “in her pretty cabinet,” to yourself, learn more about how that came to pass by clicking the link riiiiiiight here.
-Lastly this week, in non-local news, link to another valuable piece in the seemingly never-ending slew of pieces (which are valuable) that valuably explains the whole dining out thing from the perspective of restaurant workers. This time, hear from an owner who just wants folks to understand that it’s not gonna work the way it did in the before times.
Guaranteed to blow your mind.
A Totally Scientific Breakdown of The Fork’s Correspondence
In the print edition of this week’s SFR, find a little bit about fledgling café El Barrio (including why the churros are so dang good).
Number of Letters Received
29
*Seems some of you somehow wound up unsubscribed, but you can remedy that at sfreporter.com/signup
Most Helpful Tip of the Week (a barely edited letter from a reader)
“Why would I watch a food movie?”
*Counterpoint: Why wouldn’t you?
Actually Helpful Tip(s)
Apparently we need to watch Babette’s Feast ASAP.
*We’re on it!
Droppin’ ‘cot,
The Fork