Bookend Cafe
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Free
6 Reviews for Bookend Cafe
Can't beat the light, decent fresh food and coffee. Outside or in, nice place - and if you need a great, large, locally owned bookstore that will blow your mind, it comes attached.
My first review of this place was posted under the Boulder Bookstore. How embarrassing! Oh, I'm such a Boulder Novice. I'll get the hang of it eventually. Maybe I'll even be promoted to Moab! (Dare to dream!)
Well, I've been twice now, most recently today, and I'm still madly in love with this place. I still don't understand the complaints about price! They're actually cheaper than *$, and their food is INFINITELY better.
INFINITY BETTER
NOT infinity more expensive.
I think that adds up to practically free, but my infinite math is a bit shaky.
Ok, so I went at 11am on a Tuesday, and the front section had people at all of the large tables and maybe half of the small ones. The ENTIRE back section was open, save for one table. There are outlets scattered around here and there for the laptop crowd. They're connected to a great bookstore. There is additional seating outdoors. Their coffee is excellent. And their food is not only good, but it's actually WHOLESOME.
WHOLESOME FOOD!!!!!
Can I make that at least 24pt bold? Where do you get wholesome food any more?
I had the breakfast burrito on my first visit and it was terrific. Today I had the yogurt and granola (which is made of Plain Yogurt, and homemade granola (oats, nuts, raisins, maybe some honey or sugar or something). That's it. Forget your additives and preservatives
So then I had the rice and beans bowl. It's made of Rice, Black Beans, and Salsa. That's Freakin It. It's that simple. It's that good. The rice is perfectly cooked, not all crunchy undercooked or soggy overcooked. Just Right. They just do food right. They have VEGAN dishes. Their food is the best I've had in Boulder. I'm not kidding.
Let me say that again.
THE BEST FOOD IN BOULDER
I'm biased. I'm sick of crap drowning in sauces. I'm sick of cane sugar in EVERYTHING and high fructose corn syrup in the rest. Come on. I just want real food that's made to be eaten. No chemistry projects. Food. And they have it. Bless them. Every deity bless them.
SERVICE:
On my first visit, I went with my wife. There was only one person acting as barista/server/dude-behind-the-counter, and he was stellar. He had a great sense of humor and warmth, guided us through their brief but outstanding menu, and served us, as I said, the best meal we've had in Boulder (not counting at home, of course).
Today, two young ladies were running things, and they were awesome. I changed my order halfway through and she didn't make fun of me or even roll her eyes at my indecisiveness. Not getting mocked is always nice. :) My latte and my friend's mocha were excellent.
BACK TO THE FOOD:
The highest praise that I can give a restaurant is that you will not only enjoy the meal, but it will also... shall we say... leave you free of internal conflict or obstruction.
I bet you can't say that about most places you eat.
And if you can, you might want to eat healthier for a few weeks and see if your definition doesn't change.
SUMMARY:
Everything was served on real dishes. Everything was made of real foods. Nothing devised in a chemistry lab anywhere. The coffee was fresh and tasty. The service is friendly and just outstanding. I have nothing but love for Bookend.
And may I reiterate that the meal was VERY reasonably priced.
Maybe because the chemists didn't get a cut.
Tips:
- The FREE Wi-fi is password protected. They'll give you one when you place your order.
- Parking garage is RIGHT behind the place, and it's quite large.
- Someone ticked NO for credit cards. I know they take MC and Visa, but I didn't see signs for Discover or AmEx. Not sure about those.
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Sucks. Closes early. Was good maybe 7 years ago. Service stinks. It caters to tourists, like everywhere else in Boulder. Go to the second floor of Borders in the 29th st. Mall. Great view and atmosphere.
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I can't believe that at one time I actually stood in line to get a seat at this cafe. I was going to meet somebody at bookend for a business meeting, and I had never met them before, so it wasn't like I could suggest another place. I had to wait it out for a table. I think I waited a good 15 minutes before one finally popped up, then I looked like the one person jerk taking up an entire table to myself.
There is a great outdoor patio, which is also always full and crowded, and of course the crowds coming in and out of the book store also increase the traffic.
The coffee and cafe treats are good, but I would have to say that this cafe is low on my list as a favorite... With so many people around it is hard to concentrate on a book, none-the-less work or journaling.
Strategy: If you really dig this cafe so much then bring headphones and a smile... And try to wait for a table near the wall or outside, anywhere that is not near the aisle-way of this small and crowded cafe.
* Star one is for their rockin' location right on Pearl Street
** Drink it up star two is for their smooth joe
*** Buy buy buy star three is for being connected to the Boulder Bookstore, so I can go spend more money that I don't have!
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Well, can't say I've been vomited on here - which always adds to that special amount of class - but I can say that I've met a girlfriend or two here for coffee and a chat, and have always had an enjoyable time. Their coffee and tea selection is good, and the people behind the counter do their jobs with a smile. They also have free wi-fi and nice outdoor-ish seating. Their prime location on Pearl and connected to the book store does make them full, but in general not overly crowded.
Still a little too pricey for that extra star.
They also have a huge ass rubber band ball...f-ing random.
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Funny, I was just discussing Bookend not a minute ago as I dropped my buds off at Uni. And what did we say? Well, actually we were trying to figure out why we even like The End, when there are so many haterz. Well, one, because of the lighting--shines in beautifully and purely on sky-lit interior. BUT the main reason? No college schmollege folks gettin' up in yo face. Just Boulder yups playing with their kiddies. So, that's that.
If you didn't know, Bookend is the cafe built in-and-connected to the Boulder Bookstore. So then, buy a book and come here to ponder.
There was a period of nearly a year in which i refused to show my face here. Why? I had a very traumatic experience in which I followed my ex-high school-friend-person-who-is-now-a-bum into the cafe as he was prior lying on Pearl Street coughing. So, I followed him in, sat down a table with him and said, "Luke." He looked up at me with disillusionment, clearly intoxicated on God knows what and said, "Sandra?" THEN, he fully made it up and vomited on himself and the majority of the coffee shop before hustling into the bathroom. So, watch out for that.
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