One Line Coffee- Columbus Coffee Trail Stop 4

Annnd.... we're back with more coffee!

But before we get started, I have a confession to make. Remember back in my post about Stauf's when I bragged about how Ohio weather could be beautiful even in February? Well there's another side to that coin. Klaudia and I had an unwelcome visitor this weekend on the coffee trail- snow. That's right, now. In APRIL. It was ludicrous for sure, but the good news is, spring has finally decided to make an appearance, and we have temperatures above sixties this week!

But back to the important thing- coffee. Welcome to One Line Coffee in the Short North!

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but lately I've been feelin the B&W photos :)

One Line is right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the streets of Short North, but the location is a bit of a hidden treasure. Right around the corner is an adorable little park complete with a pond, a fountain, and gazebo. It looked like a great place to have a picnic or go for a walk on a nice day (i.e. not snowing). The shop itself is small, and bar is a circle right in the middle of the room, which doesn't look like the most efficient use of the space they have. However, there were more tables and seats than one would expect for a small space.

The atmosphere wasn't notably great or horrible. However, their customer service was above and beyond. The worker who took our order asked how our weekend was, and if we had any exciting plans for our day. My coffee came out beyond fast! Not one Line, but 3.5/5 Lines for atmosphere.

We ordered a donut. It blew our minds- and probably gave both of us cavities. We made it down to North Market later, and noticed that Destination Donuts was making the same kind, so I'm pretty sure they bring the donuts in from here. Either way, it was fantastic. and HUGE. It was 'Buckeye' flavor (naturally), and iced with chocolate and filled with an unbelievably light peanut butter frosting. Words cannot describe. Go buy one! 4.5/5 Lines for food.

Coffee! And tea this week, since Klaudia abandoned her usual selection of a mocha for a white tips iced tea. Her tea was light, ice cold, and the flavor came through really strong. I don't usually like tea, since it mostly tastes like water to me, but this one was great! 

My coffee was out of this world. I ordered their 'featured drink', a honey latte with brown sugar, grapefruit and sage. The combination is completely off- the- wall random, and it probably should have been awful. But someone at One Line really knows what they're doing, because it was utterly fantastic. Every sip, a different one of those five flavors presented itself to me, and I was so intrigued. I took 30 minutes to drink it as I savored every last drop. 5/5 Lines for tea and coffee.

Go to One Line. Order exactly this. You're welcome.

One Line was a great experience overall! I would for sure put my honey latte at the top of all the coffee I have ever had, and the food was sensational as well. It lacks the spaciousness necessary to make it a perfect hang out, but it's definitely worth stopping in! Overall, One Line Coffee receives 4.25/5 Lines.

One Line also had the honor of being our fourth stop on the Coffee Trail- a big benchmark, because four stamps means Klaudia and I got our free t-shirts! The Coffee Trail has recently expanded from 8 shops to 13- including Fox in the Snow!- so we still have a long way to go before we are officially done. However, with the end of the year and exams approaching, it may be a while before you see another coffee post from me. But, I want to hear about the coffee you love in your area- write me a comment about the best places near you!

From: http://www.cbuscoffee.com/columbus-coffee-trail/

Stay caffeinated!

Erin

Mission Coffee Co- Columbus Coffee Trail Stop 3

Hi friends!

It's been a while. Spring break was a welcome but inconvenient break from school, my coffee routine and blogging. Why inconvenient? because the weekend before spring break, Klaudia, our friend Bailey and I made the third stop on the Columbus Coffee trail- Mission Coffee! Without further delay, here's what we thought.

First, points for a chalkboard sign. Wanna-be hipster-coffee lovers just can't get enough of these things, and I don't blame them. Adorable. Their store front also featured a garage door turned giant paneled window which was great for letting in some natural light. But inside, it was dark. It was a cloudy day, which didn't help, but I swear I only counted like 4 light bulbs in the entire place. The lack of light made it hard to study and brought a somber tone to the atmosphere. Plus, seating was scarce and the shop felt cramped. 2.5/5 Missions for the Mission Coffee Co. atmosphere.

Focus on the good stuff :) Sign gets 5/5 Missions

But, we gotta stay positive- the coffee was good! I ordered a Chai Tea Latte (I know it doesn't count as coffee, but humor me), Klaudia ordered (you guessed it) a mocha, and Bailey ordered a cappuccino. I tasted them all, and they were great! However, they weren't cheap. Now I know a lot of small, local coffee shops can be at least a little pricey, depending where their beans are from. But this was next level. My coffee was around $4, and it wasn't the most expensive thing on the menu. Coffee from Mission Coffee receives 3.5/5 Missions.

Finally, food. My memory is a little fuzzy on this part (I apologize), and my pictures are less that sufficient. Klaudia and Bailey both ordered Almond Croissants, which they both enjoyed. I wanted a bagel, but they were out, so I ended up with a muffin of some sort. It was good as well! Food receives 4/5 Missions.

This picture speaks for itself! Delicious!

Mission Coffee wasn't exactly a standout in the Coffee Trail so far. Although the food and coffee were good, they were expensive, and the atmosphere took away from the experience. Overall, Mission Coffee gets 3/5 Missions. If you're around Short North and looking for Coffee, we recommend taking a trip just a few blocks over and visiting Fox in the Snow.

Thanks for reading! Peace 'n' blessin's friends.

Erin

Dunno if you noticed, but my pictures all have HofF logos now- all photos with this logo are mine or used with permission!

Stauf's Coffee- Columbus Coffee Trail Stop 2

Hey everyone!

Here's just a quick note for my readers from NC. For every person who commented "Oh you know it's cold there" instead of "Congrats" when I told you I was going to Ohio State-- Ohio is proving you wrong. Now I know this winter hasn't been typical, but its been beautiful. We've had consecutive days of 50-60 degree weather and sun, so HA.

That being said, Klaudia and I took advantage of a beautiful day last Saturday and went to our second stop on the Coffee Trail- Stauf's Coffee.

First, let me prattle on about German Village, because it's adorable. Unlike Short North, its spread out throughout a neighborhood rather than all on one strip down High Street. Its a longer walk from shop to shop, but much quieter. Plus, cobblestone streets are just the cutest. It's full of little artsy shops, restaurants, and a few local bars. Places to check out: Schmidt's (to eat), Helen Winnemore's (to shop), the Book Loft (to explore), and, of course, Stauf's (for your caffeine fix). Location: 5/5 Stauf's.

Stauf's. I don't even know where to start; I think I may be in love. 

Stauf's has the cutest building and a huge outdoor patio. Bonus points for extra seating and encouraging people to be outside on such a beautiful day! They lack the painted wall mural that we're used to for picture taking, but the building is honestly just beautiful. I love their signs, and the lines and columns on the exterior.

The inside is two large rooms with a teeny tiny hallway in between. The first room is packed full of stuff, and feels a little cramped when they get busy- which I'm sure they do often. They show off a shiny antique coffee roaster and burlap bags of beans as you walk in. The rest of the room is full of coffee and tea to explore and take home. You can take home bags of whole beans, or they have a grinder right there for you! Their coffee bar is also in the first room.

The room smells amazing, thanks to all these fancy beans

Once you get your drink (they were super speedy), you can walk out onto the patio or head into the back room. The back room is large, airy, and full of seating. There's chairs by a fire place, bar seating, and plenty of tables. Stauf's was busy, and the room was nearly full, but it didn't feel cramped at all, and wasn't too loud to study. Plus, their wi-fi was great! Overall, Stauf's hits the nail on the head with their space. 5/5 Stauf's once again :)

Peep the fireplace behind my adorable roomie :)

Their coffee continues their perfection. So. Good. Klaudia snuck down to Stauf's before I got the chance, but came back with me last weekend. Both times, her coffee was great. She had a Milky Way Mocha (yummm) the first time, and ordered an iced Mocha the second time, as it was much warmer. If you haven't noticed by now, Klaudia drinks pretty much just Mochas. But we don't judge. I got an iced Latte, which was also fantastic. Stauf's has found the perfect way to mix drinks so the richness of their coffee is complimented but not overwhelmed by whatever else is added. Our one complaint: we got disposable cups, even though we specified we were 'for here' and not 'to go'. Klaudia had this experience both times. If it seems like a petty complaint, that's because it is. Stauf's is, like Mary Poppins, "practically perfect in every way". 4.99/5 Stauf's.

Accordingly, their food was also awesome. They had the same Latte Muffin as Cup O' Joe, as neither makes their baked goods in house. Few coffee places do, but a good selection is always appreciated. And of course, Stauf's had just that. Klaudia had a blueberry muffin, and I had a cranberry-orange scone. Both earn 5/5 Stauf's.

Here's a picture from when Klaudia went without me- Milky Way Mocha, Mexican Hot Chocolate, and Latte Pecan Muffin. Also check out the Columbus Coffee Experience card!

Stauf's has my heart. It's a little further away from campus than the other places we have been, but certainly well worth it. Not only can you have some great coffee and food, but you can study in peace and explore German Village after! If you're visiting Columbus, this is for you. Overall, 4.99999/5 Stauf's.

And, since I wanted to break out my nice camera, German Village is adorable, the weather was beautiful, and Klaude and I wanted to get dressed up... here's some pics of us just being girls :) 

Why yes, I will take your senior pictures or head shots! Until next time, folks.

Stay caffeinated!

Erin

Cup O' Joe- Columbus Coffee Trail Stop 1

Hey again! In yesterday's post I mentioned that Klaudia and I were embarking on the Columbus Coffee Trail over the next few weekends. Here's the link if you wanted to check it out: Columbus Coffee Trail. I'm super excited to explore Columbus, snag a free t-shirt, and most importantly, taste some great coffee!

Since Fox in the Snow (see last blog) isn't a participating shop in the trail, Klaudia and I have named it an honorary inductee. Our first real stop on the CCT  an easy one- Cup O' Joe in Lennox Town Center. COJ is close to us, and conveniently located right by Target! The location is truly prime for OSU students.

Cute wall murals are always a plus!

Although the location is great, the shop its self had nothing on Fox in the Snow. Fox in the Snow received 5/5 foxes for their shop, but Cup O' Joe only gets 3/5 Joes! The most notable feature is their fireplace, but even on a chilly February day, they hadn't turned it on! The seating inside is limited, but they do have a nice patio for when it is warm out. Also different from Fox in the Snow, COJ had WiFi! But it was slower than molasses most of the time, especially because the shop was crowded.

Now let's get down to the stuff that really matters: coffee. Klaudia ordered a mocha again, and it was delicious! Not too sweet, but still had the chocolate flavor we all crave. I ordered Cafe au Lait, made with their seasonal Winter Wonderland coffee. The brew was rich and flavorful, but I just didn't like the flavor of milk in my coffee- entirely a personal preference.  Coffee is good, but not great- 4/5 Joes.

FOOD! Although I seek out coffee shops to try their drinks, food really does matter. If I get hungry in the middle of a 3 hour study sesh, I want to have some sweet options ready and waiting! Cup O' Joe had a great selection. Klaudia ordered a Latte Pecan muffin. It was a great muffin, with a rather creative name- it was dotted with mini-chocolate chips and definitely tasted more like chocolate than coffee. Not that we minded- it didn't last long! Muffin gets 5/5 Joes!

A cup o' Joe and a chocolate chip pecan muffin

Cup O' Joe was a worthwhile stop on the coffee trail! Unfortunately, they didn't have any of the cards that you have to get stamped to document your visit if you're on the trail, so we're not sure if this one will count. Either way, I won't complain if we have to make an extra visit. COJ is a great place for coffee or food, but I'd recommend hopping over to Barnes and Noble to study there. No doubt it would be less crowded and have faster WiFi. Over all, COJ gets 3.5/5 Joes!

Thanks for reading! More coffee trail stories and other fun posts coming soon.

Coffee and Columbus

Since coming to Ohio State, one of the things I've missed most about Durham -aside from the people in it- is the coffee!  Coffee shops are hands-down my favorite place to study, chat with friends, and of course get my caffeine fix. My personal favorite is Bean Traders- if you're a Durhamite and you haven't checked it out, stop reading right now and go get a cup of coffee. Trust me, its phenomenal.

Typical BT date with the best friend. Missin' these days more than ever!

Around campus, options are limited. Starbucks doesn't come close to the taste or experience of locally brewed, locally owned coffee shops. There's only so much Starbucks you can drink without going into diabetic shock from the amount of sugar even in a grande. Besides, Starbucks is always unreasonably crowded with sorority girls and wanna-be hipsters. Campus coffee (if you can call it that) is similarly packed with sugar, and the service is even slower. My glimmer of hope, a little 'coffee bar' just of campus, turned out to be relocating. So began my search for the best local coffee in Columbus.

Coffee is a great opportunity for an Instagram post. I frequently scroll by pictures of latte art, selfies in coffee shops, and the especially offensive red Starbucks holiday cups. Fittingly, when I was trying to think of anywhere I had heard of to get local coffee in Columbus, I recalled an place I had seen in an Instagram post- Fox in the Snow Cafe.

I dragged Klaudia (that's the roomie for those of you who don't know) out with me on a particularly beautiful day. A sixty degree day in Ohio in January is more than enough reason to venture out. We took the bus and walked a short ways to Fox in the Snow, which is located a few blocks east of High Street in the Short North.

Their back patio features their totally Insta-worthy logo. So cute!

Fox in the Snow was simply adorable. The interior is lit by an entire wall of windows, and an old garage door turned window in the back gives a view of an outdoor courtyard. The shop is small, but has plenty of seating, mostly in the form of wood tables. It was bright, clean, and beautifully decorated. Klaudia gives Fox in the Snow 5/5 foxes for ambiance.

But...the coffee was meh. The mocha I ordered looked beautiful, but tasted nothing at all like chocolate. Perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing, but I wasn't impressed. Certainly it was no Bean Traders. True to the Klaudia Bucher rating system, this coffee receives 3/5 foxes.

Here's a picture of my beautiful, yet highly disappointing mocha

On the other hand, we ordered a doughnut. And it was FANTASTIC. Probably one of the single best things I have ever eaten at a coffee shop, and absolutely the best doughnut I have ever had. It was close to the size of my hand, and glazed perfectly so it wasn't too sweet or soggy. They had a variety of other pastries too, and they all looked delicious. 6/5 foxes from Klaudia.

Overall, Fox in the Snow was cute. They didn't have WiFi, so its not the ideal study spot, but its a great place to chat with a friend. Their employees were beyond kind. The prices were a little expensive (3.50 for coffee, 4 for giant doughnut), but it was worth the trip. Maybe next time I'll have better luck ordering their coffee. Overall, Klaude and Erin give 4/5 foxes.

But good news- although Fox in the Snow didn't meet the criteria for the best coffee in Columbus, I may be right on track. Introducing the Columbus Coffee Experience! The city of Columbus features eight of its best coffee shops for residents to try out. Visit four and try their coffee, and you can get a free t-shirt from the city of Columbus. Klaudia and I went to one today (post coming soon!) and we're planning on hitting up at least three more, if not all eight! I'm so excited to explore Columbus and try the best coffee it has to offer.

For now however, campus coffee will have to do.