Joshua Storm Becker

The Coffee Diary

This page will act as my thought dump for coffee shops I visit. For background, I have been into third wave coffee since I was a in high school and I am a member of my school's coffee club, so I am totally an authority here (I'm not).

These "reviews" are mostly just thought dumps, I do not prescribe numbers nor do I (in most cases) prescribe whether the place is worth going to. I also don't try every beverage at each place, so there are certainly gaps. Expect typos.

Chicago, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware

• Has free WiFi, public bathroom
• Got nitro cold brew
• Pretty good but my sample size of nitro cold brew is limited
• Hip space. Not on Milwaukee so less foot traffic. Not ultra comfy but fine for reading/laptop work
• Probably best overall brew experience in the area, nice mug and serving platter thing
• Like I get it's unnecessarily and extra, but they make it really a coffee "experience" and I appreciate it.

• Has free WiFi, public bathroom
• ultra commercial. This does result in a lot of comfy seating though, at least for reading
• Got brew coffee
• This brew is pretty bad
• Like wow impressively bad for Wicker Park
• Honestly I should have known and I only went here because the big guys outside Wormhole made me anxious

• Has free WiFi, public bathroom
• hip af. But not hipster hip
• Still screams gentrified with retro white people stuff and on Milwaukee
• Good lattes IIRC from last year, will have to revisit and update
• Pretty damn good brew. Have a SNES you can play on an old CRT too.

• Uncertain if free WiFi, some locations have public bathrooms. Others don’t. RIP
• multiple locations all throughout the loop - seating ranges heavily from different locations
• Really good vegetarian sandwich
• I’ve had hit or miss lattes. Would generally avoid
• Good brew in my experience

• Free WiFi. Unclear on bathroom
• Pretty damn good drip with $0.50 refills
• Since this is only about a mile from my apartment I think the refills will make this a go to weekend spot
• I should try a latte cus it’s Stumptown damnit

• Has free WiFi, most don't have public bathrooms
• Multiple locations all across Chicago from the Loop to Logan Square
• Brew and espresso drinks are both good. This is the “step above Starbucks” chain of Chicago to go to for sure.
• Almost always better than Dollop but more expensive
• Avoid the Loop locations if you want to sit for awhile.
• Worth trying the absurd "angeleno:" quad shot, cold milk and agave sweetener shaken makes it a great "dessert drink." If you know me it's pretty telling that I'm even suggesting a "dessert drink"

• Has free WiFi, I don't think any of them have public bathroom
• This is the best espresso, brew, and roast I have gotten in Maryland
• Go. Locations in both Annapolis and Baltimore.

• Has free WiFi, public bathroom
• For some reason heralded as the coffee of Annapolis
• Not a third wave shop. Comparable to Starbucks

• Has free WiFi, public bathroom
• Alright so this is in my hometown of Denton, MD and is brand new. This place has earned a special place in my heart for opening up in a location that is mostly just empty lots ever since the highway was built around the town and the local economy effectively collapsed.
• I'm not going to lie, this is not a third wave shop. Brew wasn't very good. Latte was tolerable. Nonetheless, very appropriate pricing.
• This place is holding events for teens and adults in the area where very little community has existed (contrary to the "small town lifestyle" people imagine).
• Even if the coffee is mediocre at best, this place deserves your patronage. If you're ever on the Eastern Shore, drop in and tip well.

• Has free WiFi, public bathroom
• Another shop that is about more than just the coffee for me.
• They're constantly expanding in Maryland, but I have only been to the one in Easton, MD. This was the nearest coffee shop to my hometown throughout high school.
• Fantastic seating great place to blow a Saturday, staff generally doesn't care if you loiter way too long.
• Brew and lattes are passable. I wouldn't really call it true third wave, but it sure beats Starbucks.
• Donuts and food truck are both great and reasonably priced.

• Has free WiFi, public bathroom
• Plentiful and decent seating.
• Coffee is pretty damn atrocious.
• Aggressively second wave.
• Ask the average Princeton student where to get coffee, and they'll say Small World. They are wrong.

• Two very different locations: one in Princeton (shop) and one in Lambertville (roastery)
• Both have fantastic third wave coffee. Espresso and brew drinks.
• At least in Princeton, this place is very much a "just coffee" shop. They have some pastries but I've only seen tourists get them. No public bathroom. No WiFi. Aesthetically pleasing but uncomfortable and little seating.
• Miles above Small World.

I need to go to more Philly coffee shops, obviously.

• Has free WiFi, can't recall bathroom situation
• Located in Kennett Square, this place was my solace from the insanity inducing Exton, PA when I lived there for a summer
• Decent seating
• Only got lattes, but they were pretty good from what I recall
• Pretty good sandwiches too
• Honestly Kennett Square is easily a town you could drive by and not pay any mind to, but it's a cute little town and has a nice used book store as well.

I'm sorry. Good luck.

If you find anything worth drinking, let alone paying for, please let me know.