Love is Greater Than …Life through a lens of love and hope

I’ve updated this post to include the newly reviewed Plate 21… it deserves a place on the final post.

Honestly I don’t consider myself a coffee snob. I’ve never been to a cupping, I couldn’t possibly describe all the elements in how each coffee tastes. I don’t know why coffee tastes the way it does. I just know that fresh tastes a whole lot better.

Individual Reviews:
Caffeini’s
The Flying Joe
Georgette’s
The Ground Level
Downtown Latte
Chandler’s Cafe
Plate 21

On to the results.

Best Overall Coffee:

1. Georgette’s – The Fair Trade/Organic Mexican blend was quite possibly the best coffee experience I’ve had since Stumptown in Portland (still the best coffee I’ve had anywhere.) Truly the best word I have to describe it is complex. There are a thousand things going on in that cup, and it’s all good.
2. The Flying Joe – Although it’s not locally roasted, The Flying Joe gets their beans from an on-demand roaster called The Crimson Cup. The house blend was very, very good.
3. Downtown Latté – Again, a Fair Trade/Organic Mexican blend. This was similar to the brew at Georgette’s, but perhaps not as complex and a little more subtle, but incredible nonetheless.

Best Overall Atmosphere:

1. Chandler’s Café – Seriously dig the building. Exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, dark furniture and a classic tin ceiling make this place an incredible place to relax. Just wish they had better coffee (Seattle’s Best, really?!).
2. Plate 21 – Professional, open, comfortable, inviting. It manages to have a very “cool” feeling while still being warm… an oxymoron to be sure, but this place pulls it off.
3. The Flying Joe – I really dig the subtle aviation theme here. It’s not overdone and tacky like I would imagine it would be so easy to do. It pays tribute to what is important to the owners (both former pilots), and still focuses on the coffee.

Best Overall Amenities/Intangibles

1. Georgette’s – A coffee shop with a heart of pure gold behind it. Free WiFi is just the start. All coffee is Fair Trade certified and locally roasted in small batches on demand. They have a number of organic options available as well. Ceramic mugs FTW. Employing those with developmental disabilities, as well as all they do to improve the environment puts Georgette’s in a class by themselves. And have I mentioned FREE refills?
2. Downtown Latté – Another coffee shop that uses nothing but Fair Trade certified beans, but they take it to the next level by only offering Fair Trade AND Organic beans. Serious kudos to that commitment. Ceramic mugs FTW. Free WiFi is available. And again, FREE refills.
3. Plate 21 – Free WiFi, locally roasted beans, big comfy couches, and interesting menu items earn Plate 21 a place on this list.

The Best Coffee Chop in Toledo is:

1. Georgette’s – Take a combination of ridiculously good, responsible coffee, mix it with a commitment to leaving the world a better place than it was before they got there, and add on a nice (though admittedly not great) atmosphere and you’ll have Georgette’s staring you in the face. There are certainly obstacles to overcome with this coffee shop, closing time at 3pm is definitely a downer, but I also see it as an opportunity to get on a regular schedule… get up early, finish work early.
2. The Flying Joe – There is a lot of room for growth with The Flying Joe, but perhaps more than any other coffee shop I visited I sense that the owners are willing to constantly improve. They have a great base to build upon, exceptional coffee, warm and inviting atmosphere, and hours of operation that allow me to have evening client consults. I’d like to see them revisit their $1 per refill charge (maybe charge more for a house cup in a mug) and perhaps offer a Fair Trade option brewing (or heck, switch to it full time), but the positives far outweigh the negatives.
3. Plate 21 – Plate 21 came late to this game, but wow am I thankful for them. The closest of all the coffee shops I’ve visited to my home, a friendly and knowledgeable staff, the soon-expanding hours makes this a tough coffee shop to beat. Even though Plate 21 comes in third, I would highly recommend this place to anyone. I honestly consider the Top 3 in a category all on their own.

A final thought:
I am just one man with his opinion. No matter which of the seven coffee shops I visited (and I’m sure there are others in and around Toledo) you decide to frequent, it will be an automatic improvement over the big national chains. I would encourage you to check out these places, as well as some of the other locally owned shops I missed, on your own and form your own conclusions. Buying local is important for our community, and it’s just a bonus that some of these places have coffee that seriously puts the Starbucks, Biggby’s and Caribou’s of the world to shame.