Coffee-- it's kind of our thing

by Xani and Erin

Coffee is clearly essential to BCD-- it's half our name! We have a couple coffee-related items to share with you this week, whether you're in the Baltimore area, or anywhere else!

First off, Kahve Koffee, Boston-based coffee company, contacted us recently and offered to let us taste one of their many varieties of coffees. We selected the Peruvian FT Organic Viennese. They shipped us a bag of beautiful, fragrant beans which we ground up and sampled. Very tasty coffee! Khave has a large variety of coffees (which they roast themselves) and teas (if you are into that kind of thing). We highly recommend you peruse their website if you're looking for something exotic, or just looking for a new source for your everyday cup of coffee. Kahve has also offered us an exclusive blogger coupon code to share with our readers. Use "BLOG15" and save 15% of your entire coffee order!

In addition to having coffee shipped directly to our door, we enjoy venturing out into the world to drink a cup here or there. In our most recent article for the Federal Hill South Free News, we reviewed the local spots in our 'hood. We're reposting here for all you Baltimoreans (and visitors) who might be looking for a cup of joe in South Bmore.


First up, there's Koba Cafe (644 E. Fort Ave), a sunny cafe on Fort Ave and, in our opinion, a hidden gem of our neighborhood. We're always greeted with smiles from the staff and patrons alike, and the coffee is really, really good. It's strong and piping hot, and great when paired with a cranberry-orange muffin or croissant (which they'll heat up for you upon request). One of the best parts of Koba, however, is the upstairs section. While the downstairs is bustling with people grabbing their morning cup o' Joe, the upstairs is a serene living room with couches, chairs, and tables -- and free WiFi! We've spent time there to study, read, blog, or catch up with friends. Also a great place to stop after a morning jog to Fort McHenry. Opens at 6:30am on weekdays, 7:30am on weekends.

Next, there's Metropolitan Coffeehouse & Wine Bar (902 Charles St.). Perhaps best known for its awesome selection of beers and it's open-air bar, it also serves a mean cup of serve-yourself coffee. They also have an extensive menu of hearty breakfast meals when coffee alone just won't cut it. Hit up Metro either on a lazy Saturday or grab a cup of coffee on your way to work, on foot or by car.

Perhaps the most popular coffeeshop in our little 'hood is Spoons Coffee Cafe (24 E. Cross St.), a spacious and always-bustling morning joint amidst all the evening hot spots of Cross Street. The coffee at Spoons is organic and free trade, and they have a bottomless cup for $2.15. Also try their specialty coffee drinks -- one of my favorites is the iced mocha. Spoons lists quite a few breakfast items ranging from a variety of Eggs Benedicts to organic steel-cut oatmeal, but my go-to dish is the Huevos Verdes: eggs any way (I get over-medium) over two crispy, crunchy corn tortillas with black bean chili, monterey jack cheese, salsa verde (of course) and cilantro. But get there early and bring your City Paper - there's often a wait. Open every day at 7:00am.

After our article went to press we were reminded by a FHSFN reader about the delicious and exotic coffee at Baba's Mediterranean Kitchen (745 E. Fort Avenue). It has a hint of cardamom which is really special and different. Absolutely worth a try. Also, their food is fantastic and they have lots of yummy vegetarian options. Go check it out!

Last but not least, there's the classic: Dunkin' Donuts (1100 Light St.). My favorite thing about DD is that they'll fix up your coffee for you, no matter how weird you like it -- cream and 4 splendas? No problem. Black with 2 sugars? You got it. And the best part about DD: the munchkins. How can you resist those little guys??

As the weather becomes warmer, check out these neighborhood places, grab a coffee (maybe iced when it's really hot out), and take a stroll around our beautiful neighborhood. After all that snow, we deserve it!

Happy coffee hunting,
EP & X