Sip - Scottsdale, AZ

Sip coffee is a somewhat new addition to the scene in AZ but damn are they growing fast!

Sip coffee is one of the chillest places in old town Scottsdale. Cartel has a location here that is actually much stiffer than their Tempe location, making Sip the Scottsdale go-to.

The charm of this place is supposed to be the industrial meets grandma's attic mish mash. This works on some level but it could certainly be a tad more cohesive. 

This area above is my favorite and the place is low-key enough were you can totally sit down next to a stranger when it's busy. I love that!

They have a really nice standing desk/hi-top bar that has butt loads of outlets. BTW the wifi here is usually very reliable. 

Now, they aren't the only people who mix craft coffee and craft beer, but Sip definitely calls your attention to their beer selection. It's really great when you work your afternoon away and then realize you deserve a cold libation for your trouble. They also have craft cocktails. Although I've only ever had one cocktail here, it was a good one.

Perhaps the best thing about this spot is its dog-friendly outdoor space. I have the world's worst behaved dog and it's a joy to take him with me when I go out for a coffee. Nothing like reprimanding a maniac while you sip some cold brew. There are water bowls out for dogs and the staff here are so kind they sometimes even give my little monster real bacon strips. 

(disclaimer: this is not my dog pictured below!!)

As for marketing and logo... I don't know, Sip. I'm just not sure you're hitting the mark. There seem to be some inconsistencies or perhaps at some point they rethought their logo altogether. As you can see below, the simple circle with their name (the predominant logo) is what they use in some of the places you normally see logos.

However, this symbol/drawing/icon below here is (I think) their original logo. And this shows up occasionally too. As you can probably see, this logo doesn't really make much sense or fit the vibe. It's also very complicated, hard to see at a distance and just not a very good logo. It seems as though they figured that out already since they have been moving more and more toward the one above.

Occasionally sip has live music which some people find fun, while others - like me - find it disruptive and a little awkward because someone is hope you will clap while you are hoping that they will end. 

Another thing that Sip does well is that they have a decent selection of hardier foods.

 

And here's a titillating fact: Sip just opened up their second location! I haven't been yet, but hopefully, next time I'm in the area I will get a chance.

Bottom line, if you are in the Scottsdale area, this is a nice place to take a load off. (People still say that, right?)

Lux on Central - Phoenix, AZ

Lux on Central is adequately named. It's a hotspot. It's one of those places that people like to go to partially just to be surrounded by the eclectic and exceedingly beautiful crowd it attracts. "lux" and "central" are two words that perfectly describe this coffee shop.

They attract an incredibly diverse crowd of lots of different ages and interests. Including projecting sports games onto a screen in a large back room. It really rounds out the type of people you could possibly meet here.

Lux does the laid-back hipster thing well. Plenty of indoor and outdoor spaces for hanging out with friends and such.

As you walk in, the first thing you notice is the array of tempting convections. And so many choices that it's almost impossible not to chose something while you wait in line.

They also have a bar that serves crrrrrazy good cocktails! (so good. so. good.) One of the things I love about this place is the bowls of fresh fruit that are everywhere. They make the entire place feel luxurious. I would like to mention again that while the coffee drinks are great, their cocktails are among the best I've had anywhere.

Clutch mac and cheese is only $5 here, which really is a necessity for drinking so much alcohol and caffeine. It's so nice to have a hardier option. They also have amazing burgers, steaks and other things while still maintaining a coffee shop vibe. How they did it, I have no idea.

No. 7311 - Ventnor, NJ

Fresh in my memory from earlier today, Ventnor coffee made a great first impression! Due to a $10 cc minimum, I indulged in a cappuccino and got myself some pastries. (All in the name of research, right?)

The outside is very inviting, especially compared to a lot of other places in the area. Their signage is really top-notch because it tells you everything this place is about & makes it easy to find in one go.

This place was, I believe, originally started by a baker. They focus a lot of effort on their baked goods, classifying themselves as a 'small-batch bakery'.

I love the marble countertops and bountiful display. They also tell you all of the ingredients in their pastries which I love since I'm obsessed with what I eat.

Cozy armchair seating!

Pretty design!

To me, the thing that really made this experience great was that the girls who were working were so nice. It was pretty slow when I went in, so the girl working behind the counter didn't mind having a chat and telling me about the store. The cappuccino she made was also completely on point. It was the perfect temperature and mouth feel. That girl really knew what she was doing.

The space itself is totally cute. I think they did a great job with it. They could probably use some more tables, because it seems a bit more empty than maybe you would like.

They have pretty short hours for a coffee shop. I'm sure they have their reasons for this, but it makes this kind of a daytime only coffee shop and not too great for working out of because they close at 3pm. However, during the busy season down the shore in Ventnor, NJ, you're looking at a lot of families who spend the evenings together, so it's probably a wise move on their part.

As for their coffee I tried 2 drips and the cap (which I already mentioned, but it's worth repeating that it was fantastic). The drips were both good, Good Karma being the dark and El Salvador the light. I liked the light roast better, it was super smooth and has a distinct blueberry pie taste.

All in all, I will probably go back every time I'm in this area. I really like the space, the coffee and the people who work there. 

Octane - Atlanta, GA

So to be honest, it has been quite some time since I checked out this Atlanta coffee spot. At the time, it seemed like a pretty okay place. Great wifi, good, strong coffee and enough ambiance to tell me that I was indeed at a hispter coffee shop. In fact, the only real problem I can crisply remember was that the parking situation was kind of sad there. They had like 3 spots and it was in a busy section of town. Not that it's much of a deal breaker, honestly. Anyway... let's take a look at some pictures, shall we?

This place is set up in a totally straight forward way.

very simple packaging

a pretty demure outside

So yeah, not too much of an opinion here.

Devocion - Brookyln, NY

Devocion is by far the most beautiful coffee shop I have been in to-date. It's been echoing around Brooklyn blogs for years how beautiful this place is. Because it is. So here are a bunch of photos.

The entrance to the shop.

As you walk in, you can see to your right the roastery that is housed in the front.

Then you get hit in the face with this amazing atrium and a living back wall.

The tufted leather couches, atrium, cabinets as a bar and living wall provide an upscale feel while maintaining the industrial vibe of the place.

Just a super beautiful place. 

The coffee is also good but to be perfectly honest, I didn't really pay too much attention because I was just enjoying the space so much.

Cartel Coffee Lab - Tempe, AZ

Cartel is a bustling hotspot for Tempe hipsters. #nojudgement It's a well designed, if somewhat uncomfortable, space that attracts the right kind of people. Exhibit A:

All joking aside Cartel does a bunch of things really well. For one thing, their pioneer spot in Tempe is designed. In fact, it was actually expanded and redesigned twice! Here's a picture of what the space looked like when I first went there:

It may be hard to see, but it was essentially one big room, separated with the bike wheel wall. A pretty small starter space. But the owner of this shop ended up acquiring the two next door spaces and expanding into this massive space.

As you can probably tell it's huge. They kept the bike wall but added all kinds of other seating options, including a built-in and a few rows of metal tables. I've heard that the owner makes a lot of the furniture himself, but who knows if that's really true. Unfortunately, Cartel is also a bizarrely uncomfortable place. The couches are very saggy and all other seating is very hard. There are a few high tops in the back which I don't prefer but people seem to like them. There is an E shaped built-in that consumes the entire back room. It's an interesting design that I think is almost more for reclining.

The other thing Cartel has done really well is marketing. Their packaging and carry-out designs are pretty on-point.

Small World Coffee - Princeton, NJ

Small World has a special place in my heart because it was the first coffee shop that I hung out in. I spent long afternoons watching the streetlights go on outside this shop. However, put into perspective, there are things that Small World does (or at least they did last time I was there) that I wish they wouldn't do.

I just loved this bench. 

Always a steady line.

One thing that you will notice when you walk into Small World is that, when it's even slightly busy, there is hardly any place for the line to go. Even as few as 4 people in line can result in standing immediately in front of the door and apologizing for your existence to anyone coming in or out. Truly, this is not such a big deal, only something that one might consider.

The wifi situation is a bit pathetic. The hourly buy or get out internet has got to be the most infuriating part of the experience if you try to work out of here. In a college town, it seems absurd. I know a lot of coffee shops do this for higher turnover but it's very transparent and frankly a cold way to treat your guests.

One thing Small World did really well was marketing. The phrase "sleep is for the weak" is embedded deep in my brain. That's pretty powerful. Even seeing that red 8oz cup is heart-warming to me. That's some pretty seriously brand connection. Their tribal style is consistent and over all, they do a great job with the carry-out and merch.

As for this LED bar they added a few years back when they did a reno, I wish they hadn't added the lights. Or at least not colored ones. I don't think it really is a consistent design choice with the vibe that small world sets. It's both too futuristic for the space and confusing color-wise.

Other than that, I think the space is great. The two tops are large enough to be occupied by two people but small enough that one person feels comfortable commandeering it. They have a nice big, locally made community table and several other extremely functional built-in seating options.

All in all, Small World set the bar very high for me. Their coffee is always excellent. Their staff is usually very friendly. The space is easy to be in. The location is ideal for people watching. They have decent hours. Small World is a place that is entirely worth making the trip to Princeton for.