A city this size allows/forces one to construct one’s own categories of particular food/beverage experiences, and there are enough solid coffees/coffeeshops/cafes that you can micromanage exactly the outcome you want. You trade down two percentiles in one category to trade up in another. Here, the categories you trade down in include (a) quality (maybe five percentiles below the best); (b) depending on the time of day, seat availability—as a function of being very, very friendly; and (c) quiet—also as a function of friendliness. You generally trade up in comfort/friendliness and value. Depending on your perspective, you trade either up or down vis-à-vis the number of noisy young children and study groups of various sorts. Miscellany: overhead music and art available for purchase vary by location/barista; they roast their own and blend a zodiacal series (if I remember correctly, their prior roaster was Batdorf & Bronson, makers of my favorite Harrar); while unobtrusive, their vibe is much more collegiate post-hippyness than urban hip.
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