The best decaf Americano is from Mighty Good, though Cafe Verde isn't bad, either. I challenge anyone who has ever scoffed at me for drinking coffee at all if I'm just having decaf to try Mighty Good's Americano and tell me it is not worth drinking for the flavor even if it doesn't make my heart pound out of my chest or my blood vibrate in my veins.
The best decaf iced coffee is at Sweetwaters; get them to make you a decaf Dreamy. Not all places have decaf iced coffee, so it is important to know that they can do this. (Heck, not all places have decaf hot coffee. I found that out last weekend in Detroit at Good Girls Go to Paris Crepes.)
The best barista is at Espresso Royale on Main St. I don't even know his name, but he works afternoons and he is super cool. I want us to be buds, but I'm too shy to start up a conversation with him. He's the best because he remembers I want decaf even when I forget to say it. (His compatriots aren't bad either, once they and you decide they don't hate you. One even smiled at me on the street outside of Grizzly Peak once.)
The best vibe is at Espresso Royale on State St. The chairs are ratty because it's too close to campus, but if you can get a decent seat, the music doesn't suck, and you're not next to some undergrad on the phone breaking up with her boyfriend in New York, it's a really nice place to write or work. It's even possible that that undergrad who is now flirting with the older guy at the next table who also just overheard the whole break up call might be just the inspiration you need, depending on your creative pursuit.
The best decaf lattes are at Biggby. I'm glad it's not within walking distance from work on a coffee break, or I'd be fat on Butter Bears. Biggby also gets a special award for best tea latte, if you're going slightly caffeinated. The Earl Grey Latte is super tasty and my sister and I rank it higher than the Starbucks version.
The best non-coffee drink goes to Sweetwaters for the Strawberry Bliss smoothie. It feels healthy because of the yogurt and despite the ice cream.
2 comments:
Alton Brown says that decaf coffee is often worse than regular coffee because the process involves more steps, which would cost more money. However, people don't want to pay more money just to have decaf coffee, so instead they have to cut more corners, and it is more likely to end up costing the same but tastes worse than it could.
Makes sense, Mike. I'd heard before that it costs more to make. All the more reason to seek out the good stuff!
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