It used to be that Boston had the best coffee in the world. Specifically, the local chain "Coffee Connection" was well known for taking coffee very very seriously. The CEO played an active role in choosing the beans, and how they were roasted. New employees went through a very strict training program that often meant that it was several months before they were able to make coffee that would be served to customers. On the whole, it was a great coffee experience. It made me very sad when the Coffee Connection was purchased by a large megacorp coffee company.
While eating lunch at Pressed Sandwiches a few months ago, I was a bit surprised to find that the owner of the old Coffee Connection, George Howell, had a new venture, and was again producing good coffee again.
His new venture, Terroir Select Coffee, is producing very very flavourful coffee again. He's only selling roasted beans, so you're still at the mercy of the person who converts beans to tasty beverages. You're still starting off with good ingredients. That goes a long way.
If you like good coffee, or if you fondly remember the days of the old Coffee Connection chain, I encourage you to give Terroir coffee a try. It's good stuff.
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Steve Wadlow works for Gather. He does not work for Terroir Coffee, and he only eats lunch at Pressed. Any recommendations he makes for either of these establishments are not official endorsements from Gather. A lot of us eat there though. Unofficially, we like it.
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Comments: 12
While we are speaking of the downfall of good coffee, and its resurgence, the Porter Square area seems to have gone through some ups and downs. What was Hollywood Espresso changed to Simon's, but lately they seem to have gone downhill. I don't drink the coffee there but others tell me it is no longer good, the baked goods have sometimes seemed stale, and they have Toscanini's ice cream, except that they never replenish their flavor selection so they always have the three least popular flavors. Bleah. Meanwhile, though, Rosie bakery has opened up where the Tea Tray In The Sky was, and they have good coffee at reasonable prices, and inside Porter Square Books in the Porter Square shopping center (next to Tags and Star MKT) there is now a coffee bar called ZING!
Most people who've ever experienced CC remember it fondly.
Hollywood Espresso had pretty good coffee. As with most places (except CC!) it depended on who made your drink. Simons definitely wasn't as good, though I'm not there nearly as often.
I haven't tried ZING! but I'm very likely to at some point. I love Porter Square Books, and I'm delighted to support them. I have a fondness in my heart for independent bookstores.
Out in Portland, I like Coffee People. It helps that they have a stand at the airport, since I like to show up insanely early for my flights. In Boston, I like Red Barn in the Longwood Galleria. I hope they're still there. I have fond memories of them from high school. Lizzie and I used to get free samples of chai every few days, much to the dismay of the employees.
If only I could appreciate the taste of their coffee the way I like it... black. I am concerned, not only for the amount of money that people spend for their specialty coffee drinks, but the additional 'empty calories' that they are putting into their bodies.
Perhaps, one day, society will once again appreciate an excellent cup of plain ol' coffee and the big guys will no longer buy out all of the little coffee shops to have a monopoly on the market.