Best of Cafes
Let's take a mental inventory of our vices, shall we?
Smoking - out
Excessive Drinking - out
Budget-busting Handbag Splurges - on hold... at least for the time being
Finding the best velvety-smooth latté in town - a personal quest and non-negotiable
It's not a vice: it's a necessity, we at ChickAdvisor HQ firmly believe. And in the interests of making your search just a little simpler, we scoured the web for the most decadent froth we could find. Voilà:
Best of Toronto
Le Gourmand gets top marks for the coffee, but their snack menu easily holds its own. 3 Toronto-area locations, but our favourite is the one on Spadina.
Dark Horse Espresso, Toronto winner of the 2007 Krups Kup of Excellence is particularly to blame for critic Don Ellis of MartiniBoys.com's caffeine addiction.
The Distillery District's Balzac's Café is especially beloved by the CA brass. The loft lounge is a great place to sneak a few chapters of your new book or catch up on your tweeting.
Best of New York City
Bouchon Bakery got the critics' nod at NYMag and we couldn't agree more. It's a one-stop eats with sweet, savory, and javabean.
The critics recommend Mudspot's banana muffin to go with your coffee. As one who habitually sets aside any and all diet considerations upon entering a coffeehouse (full-fat lattes and a crumbly sweet dessert are mandatory), I approve.
Brooklyn loves Gimme!, where the baristas take their milk froth art as seriously as their elaborate tattoos. The New York Times says it's a must-visit, and who are we to contradict?
Best of Vancouver
6 Canadian Barista champs have called Caffè Artigiano home, and considering that there have only been 6 annual competitions so far, a more blazing endorsement can hardly be found. Word has it it's a little pricey and crowded, but worth the wait.
JJ Bean gets high marks from cafe-battlescarred Vancouver.com critics daring Old Country coffee snobs to disagree. Do you?
49th Parallel Coffee Roasters claimed top honours at the Vancouver Krups Kup of Excellence awards of '07. The Martini Boys challenge you to brew a better cup with 49th's in-house DIY display, but betcha don't even come close...
Best of L.A.
Insomnia Cafe is a perfect spot to write, claims the LA Times (and I suppose they'd know). Comfy, cozy, and completely lacking in pretention - sounds heavenly.
Novel Cafe is a winner with the bookish crowd, hardbacks lining the walls of this jitter joint and patrons who intuitively understand that one with a nose in a book Does Not Wish To Be Disturbed.
The Zona Rosa Caffè topped AOL's short list for best coffee in LA. With a Mexican theme and specialty in South American blends, don't forget to whip out your grade-school Spanish while you're there.
Best of Chicago
Intelligentsia offers a spot o' tea for those crazy enough not to want a cappuccino. The variety of ethnic blends guarantees something for everyone - 'cause everyone's talking about it.
Fancy some live music? Snuggle into one of Metropolis' overstuffed chairs and enjoy. There's a reason it hit the AOL crowd's Top 5.
I love the name: Bourgeois Pig. I'd probably stop in just to see what it's all about. It was a stop on Rachael Ray's 2005 tour of Chicago - for most that's a pretty big deal.
Do you agree with our list? Rate your favorite coffeehouse here
by Claire Rahn
Related Articles
Previous Articles
