Coffee Emporium

The Coffee Emporium has two locations, one in Hyde Park and the other downtown. For some time we've been awaiting an opportunity to use our Entertainment book coupon. Then today, we decided to go there to get some coffee as a boss's birthday gift (shh! don't tell!), so we used our beverage coupon as well. (Note: the downtown location as limited hours; this evening we visited the Hyde Park location, a charming little shop in a pleasant, tree-shaded neighborhood.)

Now, as my first entry notes, we're something of coffee snobs. Well, it's really not that we're snobbish, just that we've had the world's best coffee, roasted by Kansas City's The Roasterie, so we're a bit. . . particular. Having also visited The Roasterie Cafe, we're even particular about our prepared coffee beverages. There's nothing else quite like a mocha made with freshly brewed Roasterie espresso and hormone-free Shatto chocolate milk, from a small dairy north of Kansas City (they put their milk in glass bottles -- the stuff's so thick, from the lack of hormones, etc., that it's almost shake-like). So, the bottom line is, we're particular about our coffee drinks.

We've tried coffee drinks at a number of spots around Cincinnati, including the big Seattle-based chain (blech! I think they burn their beans -- and yes, there's a difference between a good dark roast, which I like, and burnt) and also including locally owned coffee shops. Some of them have been pretty decent, notably Awakenings. But. . . they have always left us saying, "Well, not bad, but it's sure not The Roasterie."

Now hold on. I'm not going to say that Coffee Emporium is as good as The Roasterie Cafe. But you know, as we walked to the car and I got a few sips into mine, I said to Lisa, "You know, I think this is about as good as The Roasterie!" After continuing to drink and discuss, we reached the conclusion that it's not quite that good. But the fact that we discussed it shows how good Coffee Emporium's drinks are: phenomenal!

Coffee Emporium roasts its own coffee. In fact, the owner and roaster was working when we stopped in -- a very pleasant man, with a good memory for drink orders. We both had the "glacial mocha," a mocha (espresso, chocolate milk) blended with ice. Both drinks were made with skim milk, but it was unnoticeable (unlike the "lite" beverages at some places). The owner mentioned that the beans they use for espresso are their Ol' Black Magic blend -- which you can purchase, and which we got for the boss. (He told me what beans were included, but I didn't catch all of them -- some Monsooned Malabar, some Sumatran Mandheling, I think maybe a Zimbabwean coffee, not sure what else.)

In my view, what makes a blended coffee drink good is the strength of the coffee/espresso in it. If the espresso isn't assertive, then the drink fails. You shouldn't get the idea that it's a chocolate shake with a dash of coffee (think Arby's mocha-something-or-other shake). You should get the idea that it's good, strong, rich espresso with some chocolate and milk added. Coffee roasters will talk about a coffee bean that's strong enough to "stand up to" milk in beverages -- and that's what I'm talking about. Coffee Emporium's drinks passed with flying colors -- a wonderfully rich, strong coffee flavor, accented with the creaminess of milk and the sweetness of chocolate. At $3.95 for a tall, tall cup (and this is only the medium!), the price isn't bad for what you get.

By the way, CiNWeekly has a coffeehouse guide for the greater Cinci area. I'd like to figure out a way to put it all in a pocket-sized booklet, as we often find ourselves longing for a nearby coffee shop. In the same CiNWeekly issue, there was an article on local roasters, and The Coffee Emporium was one of the roasters discusssed.

The bottom line: Coffee Emporium is the best Cincinnati coffee shop we've found so far. And they're locally owned -- a definite plus. And they roast their own coffee -- perfect!

Rating: 11 (4, 4, 3) (What's this?)
Lisa's rating: Marvellousest mocha in the metro!