We are always searching for great Cafes. Last night, after a Princeton University Orchestra concert, we visited the always reliable Small World on Witherspoon St. We also really like Café Fedora in Lawrenceville, NJ. As we were sitting in our apartment this morning, reading, we said how much we wished there was such a place right in our neighborhood. We know that the best thing Yardley/Morrisville has to offer is Starbucks, and that’s not an option for us. A search of the Trenton area pulled up another little New Jersey gem that shares our anti-corporate preferences when it comes to coffee.
Take 5 Gourmet Café, 1065 Washington Boulevard Robbinsville, NJ. isn’t exactly in our neighborhood, but that’s ok. It is a great spot to check out. It’s only about ten miles from Morrisville. The owners have a strong commitment to the principles and ideals of independent food establishments. You might even put them in the category of the “Third Wave Coffee” movement. That particular phenomenon, also called “Microroast”, is defined simply by a love for the production of high quality, small-scale coffee. Such purveyors are said to view their craft as an artisanal one, rather than a commodity business. From their bumper stickers “Dunkin’ Donuts…Just Say No!” and “Friends don’t let friends drink Starbucks”, to the “Dunk Free Zone” sign on the store front, Ira and Bernadette have fun while being a local business. That’s what really sets a good café, restaurant, or food business apart from the pack. A welcoming atmosphere, friendly and fun staff, and great products.
The offering at Take 5 is high quality, and they clearly take pride in it. They only carry products from premium sources, with an emphasis on local and European origins. They have been in their current location for about six years, previously running a shop in New Haven, CT. Ira told us that they chose to stop carrying anything made in China a couple of years ago when it was clear that health standards in that country are so poor. With a background in the restaurant industry, Ira knows quality foods. In addition to their private label coffees (of which they have a huge selection, with seasonal favorites), they also carry a wide array of chocolates, confections, and Basset’s Ice Cream.
After a couple of cups of their coffee you should become a firm believer in the anti-corporate coffee world. While Small World may still be the only truly “Third Wave” coffee house in the area – because they actually roast their own – Ira and Bernadette offer another great option.
Our quest to find a neighborhood coffee house is also inspired by the desire for a relaxing environment to just kick back and read with a coffee. Take 5 does have a comfortable lounge area in the front, but it doesn’t quite have that hook to draw you in to sit and hang out. Perhaps it is because they dabble in several other areas besides coffee, but we found the initial visual impression to be a bit busy. This may, in some small part, detract from the coffee house “vibe” that we were hoping for. However, from talking to Ira and Bernadette, that may not be their highest priority. They do place an emphasis on the local community, sourcing ingredients in their desserts from area providers, and sponsoring local events for community enrichment. The pride taken in each area of the business (chocolates, candies, desserts, ice-cream, and service) is clearly the top focus. We are now big fans of theirs, and Take 5.
What a great blog! Love it! :)
ReplyDelete