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Mon-Fri. 6:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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I like Trident as a common place for people to meet, or to get some work done (free wi-fi) on West Pearl. The morning regulars are all friendly and I love the communal newspaper pile.
The patrons are a bit hippie some time, but that's to be expected. The folks working the drinks are great. Very efficient, very friendly.
Overall this is a great, local coffee shop.
I love Trident. Definitely my favorite place to hang out as far as coffee shops go in Boulder( some runners up are most coffee shops on The Hill and the now defunct Penny Lane,unless they moved) The pastries are great as well as any of the coffee drinks or hot chocolate. The book selection is also very awesome, a very unique selection!
Yep, this is the place, no doubt about it. It's the blueprint for what a bookstore/coffe-shop oughta be, what the corporate version just doesnt' get, and what most of the wanna be's don't get right either.
Hard to pin it down, but something about the mix of quality coffee drinks, a good selection of pastries, the cozy layout, and the general atmosphere that this a welcome place to be. The bookstore stands on it's own, with a great non-generic selection; they care about quality all around, and it shows.
Something a bit ironic: they claim that their latte's are the same quality as the famous 'Cafe Med' in Berkeley. Actually the Trident's are better, since the venerable Med has been bought and sold a couple times and is a shadow of it's former self. The Trident is the standard now.
The fact that it's often crowded is part of the appeal, even if some the very same people have been at the very same tables since the dawn of time....
Cozy little store with hardwood floors (I don't know what it is, but wooden floors just add to the mystique of a genuine bookstore). Great for people watching and just taking in the whole "scene." You can meet up with friends or conduct a quick, casual business meeting.
The selection is small, but is quite interesting. I like a place where I can pick up John O'Hurley's latest book, right next to a used copy of Voltaire's Candide. I wasn't looking for anything in particular. Lots of random selections, but I wouldn't recommend going in for anything specific. Just go in to browse, but you might get some foul stares from other customers if you brush up against them in the cramped space.
When looking at the books, I got a dirty look from some man who worked there. I don't think I was doing anything wrong (authorities may say differently). Perhaps I just caught him at a bad part of his day. I guess we've all been there.
I found my favorite thing here... POSTCARDS! I couldn't really give them a good look though because someone was trying to read, and the postcard rack was all up on his table. But I like what I see, so far.
I didn't go to the café since I already had coffee plans, but I might stop in next time. While there was nothing happening in the book section, the café seemed jumping. And people here on Yelp seem to enjoy the coffee/tea.
Seemed to be a definite lack of seating. For some reason, there's some little tables and chairs in the bookstore, but I think they're in the way of the bookshelves. You might be able to share a table with someone, or you might want to take it outside.
Just a reminder... no cell phones here. There's a sign on the door when you come in. I was in the bookstore when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, indicating that I had received a text. I was tempted to reach in my pocket to see who texted me, but I refrained. I was a bit scared as to what might happen to me.
I love Trident. good tea. good people. great books. It has palpable history in the wooden floors.
As a stranger in the city on the lookout for a place to have a coffee, check my Internet and read my book on New Russians, I was definitely happy to stumble across this place. I showed up there relatively late (Friday 8 pm), so the place was not terribly crowded. A couple of readers, hence the attached bookstore makes it even more likely to find them there, a couple of individuals typing frantically on their computers, a bunch of intellectuals saving theoretically the world's greatest problems while sipping their cappuccinos, and a young couple playing some card game in which winning does not seem to be a goal of the game ... Overall, I gave it only 3 stars, since I am so spoiled by now .... the benchmark is high. I also strongly suspect this place may be packed during daytime.
Totally my favorite coffee shop in Boulder, always has been. It's great peoplewatching sitting outside, and a great place to do homework, read, inside if it's not too busy and you can concentrate. The seats are just uncomfortable enough that you'll have to stay awake no matter how boring your reading material may be!
And let's speak for a moment about chai. Trident's soy chai could quite possibly be taste bud harmony. I live by it. I praise it. I preach it to others. And now I yelp it.
A great coffee shop-may be the last of it's type in Boulder. The Trident is cozy and charming. Hardwood floors, a great location on West Pearl, shows art by local artists, good tea.
As with many coffee shops located in neighborhoods in Boulder there are more than a few hood rats that have taken over at least 50% of the tables at the front of the Trident. It can make it difficult to get a table. And they do what all entitled people do-they talk on their mobile phones, take the best tables and seem to buy little.
The Trident does not take credit cards! Cash only. Great teas. Service not all that effusive, but OK. Sometimes I give these guys a dollar tip for $2 tea which is a pretty generous 50% and then they won't give me a refill on hot water. They want me to get it from the airpot which always serves up extremely luke warm water-not hot enough to steep tea in. This place always makes me regret my generosity a bit.
As far as the book store-this is the word. They don't know what they are doing. I've seen book club editions here marked first edition with a high price tag-$200 for a Steinbeck. When I've clearly pointed out the book wasn't a first-the girl just shrugged her shoulders and grinned. Freaked me out. Don't buy your firsts here. Go to someplace like Red Letter Books on East Pearl who are honest in their pricing and marking. That being said, this place is just fine for throw away sort of paperback stuff. It's clear this book shop does not make as much as the coffee shop. It's not a big enough space to carry enough of a selection as book buyers need. And as much as this owner makes on coffee, you really wonder why he doesn't open up the book side to tables. Judging from the people that leave here because they can't find a table and the people you don't even see come in the door because they know it's crowded, the owner should rethink his options. There is a lot of profit in a cup of coffee. Not so much profit in books.
Closest garage to Trident is the St. Julien or Boulder Book Store. Some on street meter parking, but even the neighborhood parking is packed around here. Walk or bike in or pay for the garage.
I'm sitting at a table that overlooks the entrance to the Cafe. I'm doing research, reading things online, and people watching. From my convenient location, I can watch visitors to the cafe and the book store. I am pretty sure that this is the best seat in the house. My Ice Green Tea is great. Life, overall, is pretty damn good.
What makes Trident the best coffee shop in Boulder? I would have the say that it's the non-busy busy-ness. It's always full of great, interesting people - whether you're the people watcher I am or the social butterfly looking to develop a rapport with the hippie vagabond that just ordered his Free of the blood of slaves Coffee. At the same time, it's not ever CROWDED. You know that feeling where you can't even imagine getting a table, that claustrophobic feeling that overwhelms your chest, and makes your barely audible request for an Arnold Palmer seem like a desperate plea for help.
I love this place - I love the fact that it's just down the street from my humble abode on 9th. I love the fact that it has free wireless. And I especially love the fact that my favorite table, this one with the view of both establishments, has a power chord that I can plug in my Macbook and type a symphony of Yelp reviews, blog/twitter posts, and all the other nerdy things that I really love....
How have I gone this long without reviewing my dear sweet Trident? Though certainly I am not a regular any more, I do make a cameo appearance from time to time.
Just last week I popped in for a dark robust cup of java, and one of the regulars said to me..."I think you used to come here years ago..."
Yes, that's right. It has been years ago now.
I like the book store and the cafe very much. They are both true Boulder originals.
Sometimes stopping in at the Trident is the beginning of a magical adventure for me. Hasn't happened for years, but that doesn't mean it's not still possible!
When I'm not in the mood for java, I like getting a nice pot of their splendid bergamot-laced Earl Grey tea & slowly consuming it while taking in the sounds and scenes so full of life & creativity within these brick walls.
When I was a wee lass, I dreamed of owning a bookstore one day that would sell coffee and have cushy places to sit and interesting people to talk to. And Trident totally stole my idea, and I am currently working on a lawsuit. Until then, I frequent the place. But under protest.
There are quite a few people who are here all the time, and they're pretty devoted to making new friends, but it's easy enough to look unapproachable if that's how you're feeling that afternoon (I usually wear a headband that says 'I voted for Bush AND Cheney', and then nobody WANTS to know me). Above all, though, Trident is a place for conversation, for random encounters, for commenting on the drawing the guy next to you is inking. Internet's free, but you won't find that many people tapping away on laptops all day.
The bookstore is wonderful for the random read, but lousy if you're looking for something in particular. Try something new, though. Try that random Chekhov novel. And the lemon myrtle chamomile tea. Gods, it's good. My only real complaint about the Trident is that the help is unfriendly. Not rude, just not friendly either. But then, you only have to talk to them long enough to get your coffee. Then you can find a table and ask the girl next to you where she got her boots.
First thing that happens to me when I get there - some hippie guy raves about gettings calendars at the front cart outside the store proper for $1. Picked up some Duchamp biography for $6 and a copy of Ada (Nabokov) for a ... dollar. Not Moe's in Berkeley, but will have to do for Boulder. Has more of the 'standard' used paperbacks and some history / sociology tomes, though not as much as I would have preferred. Probably not enough UP stuff either.
Can't speak about the coffeehouse.
UPDATE 2008 October
Finally went into the coffeehouse for the first time. Beware on Sunday afternoons: it's really impossible to find a seat. You'll have to double up with strangers, but most of the patrons are rather chill so it won't be a problem. Some of the patrons started moving tables to the bookstore area and having coffee there. It became difficult to browse, say, the Fiction middle alphabet section without eavesdropping on every little thing that is being said. However, instead of being a detriment, I find this charming.
No cell phones allowed in the Trident, and they DO enforce it. Conversation is what's valued here--REAL in-person conversation. Their coffee is the kind of perfect that most coffee joints have forgotten about or never known. Dark, strong, robust, just as it should be. A free refill too.
Pots of tea, only the best quality bulk tea, are something else good about the Trident.
Many new books at used book prices, especially from the Buddhist publisher...I forget their name right now. Big calendar selection for perfect holiday presents, always at 1/2 price even now.
It doesn't seem to matter who you are, you can always run into an old friend you never thought you'd see again, and sometimes even an old friend from another state or continent. True, it's happened to me.
Nice wooden floors, and little private bathrooms too. Plus a dark mysterious back courtyard with tables where sometimes children play.
A small yet perfectly sized coffee house and bookstore, The Trident represents Boulder perfectly, and I like to go here when I either want to look smart or listen to smart people... then later reiterate what the smart person said later at dinner with smart people.
Either way, you can't go wrong. The coffee shop is a bit tiny, which is why so many of the other reviews comment on overhearing other people's conversations. The wood floor and tight tables make you feel like you are in Europe, and the connected bookstore offers great reading worlds to explore.
Make a little dough by bringing your used books to Trident, which buys and sells used books.
* Star one for authenticity
** Smarty pants star two is for attracting intellectual visitors so you feel smart too
*** This isn't Folgers star three is for amazing coffee and even better teas
**** Wait, I read star four is for having a book store connected to the coffee shop... The two go hand and hand
***** Don't I look EU star five is for the European feel... An escape from the walls of America
This is a review for the coffee shop, not the bookstore.
There are a lot of independent places to get coffee along Pearl St., and this is one of my favorites although it does have some warts.
The coffee is good, not mindblowing, not amazing, not awesome, just good. I've found that they can be pretty inconsistent, so eventually I decided to stick with getting a Mocha there (the chocolate can drown out the flavor of beans which are over roasted or have been in the press too long). It's also kind of annoying that I'd consider myself a "regular" there and they still ask me for my drink order every time.
I like that it's got an older, worn feel to it, and there is almost always a short line which is usually a good sign for a coffee shop. As others have mentioned, it does have an eclectic bunch (and sometimes hipster-snobbish) as clientle. The price is certainly refreshing however-- it's probably at least a $1 cheaper than most other coffee shops.
One note of warning, the pastries there look super delicious, but have in general been pretty terrible each time I've had them. I've had several things there, and I've ended-up throwing them all in the trash except for a cookie. Maybe they are vegan or something, I don't know, but I personally didn't like them at all.
I don't know that I would go out of my way to get coffee at the Trident, but it's a good choice if you're at the West end of Pearl St.
Five stars for a sweet atmosphere, good coffee, interesting selection of baked goods (blueberry tea cake, apple coffeecake) and back patio complete with sandbox. Hell, let me in the sandbox. Excellently cozy feel. Reminds me of that one little cafe in Montecito, but without all the pretention or Oprah.
Guy behind us in line didn't have cash to pay for his coffee. Girl behind the counter said "Are you coming back tomorrow? You can just bring it then."
Equal Opportunity Coffee. FIVE STARS, TRIDENT, FIVE STARS!
Cool cafe in a bookstore. Experienced some snobbery from one of the barristas.
Good place to meet someone in downtown Boulder, but always very busy so seating is hit or miss.
Good drinks.
A lot of people work on their laptops here. As someone who has probably put in 1000+ working hours at cafes I have to say that this place really is just too loud and bustling.
Very little outdoor seating.
Awesome for a rainy day after lunch excursion downtown.
I like to come to Trident because I always seem to meet someone interesting, but are these not sometimes the type you are trying to avoid?
I like to study here, get into the groove all by my lonesome, but sometimes it is just a little difficult not to overhear that unneeded funereal conversation or financial discussion.
My personal least fav. is a memory involving a deep need to study Super 8 camera technique and an unfortunate run in with the stereo system Eric Clapton.
There is a bookstore attached..so if one of these instances happen. Also, once the coffee sped me up so much I almost had a panic attack...
I've had consistently good espresso drink at the Trident. They have 'real' Batista's that know how to pull a shot. My only issue and the reason that I don't normally go here is the lack of seating. There is just not much of it and what's there is not that great. On a nice day if you can get a seat outside that would be good. Also, there are few decent tables towards the front, but only a few and it can get very crowded. If I'm walking around and I don't feel like hoofing it a few blocks over to Amante then the Trident is my choice.
Always packed for a reason. I've never really utilized the bookstore aspect of it all, but I've had a fair share of coffee sorts. It's very good.
i have been going to this place my entire life.
they have great coffee, smart people who work there, a nice mix of patrons, decent outdoor seating, and a fireplace.
5 stars. (minus 1/8 of a star for those scummy kids who are always hanging around... GET OFF MY LAWN, YOU WHIPPERSNAPPERS)
The Trident Cafe is so cool that the Trident is perhaps the only book store better known for its coffee shop. They have great tea and a great environment, and Boulder history seeps from the walls.
The Trident is also a great place to conduct business. I've had many meetings and interviews here, as well as many an afternoon spent with my girlfriend sipping brew and reading books.
I've always had good experiences with the Trident: the coffee and tea have been excellent and the environs are quite pleasing. I've never bought anything from the bookstore, but the selection looks nice.
I remember one day sitting outside for a good three hours playing Scrabble and sipping Oolong tea. A nice place indeed.
Why not a 5 then? Well, the crowd is sort of strange...palpably so. But this is hard to quantify. The underlying pretentious image is definitely there - not from the coffee shop or its employees - but from the people who frequent the place, no doubt.
And I just read Daemian G.s review...yeah he sums it up nicely.......well, why are you still wasting your time reading my review then? Scroll on down!
So many great reviews, I had to chime in as a 15 year green tea and book customer. Ditto all the great reveiws.
Great coffee and typical funky Boulder morning cafe scene. Awesome used bookstore. Pastries not so great -- and not really anything else to eat -- but, hey, live with it.
I often enjoyed coming here while visiting friends in Boulder. I like bold coffee and that is what they showcase! Some of the strongest coffee in Boulder! Even the house decaf will give the regular coffee drinker a buzz. What does the Trident do best? They provide a literary atmosphere. Check out their bookstore for both mainstream and obscure authors and subjects.
There are certain people for whom the ultra-Boulder-y lifestyle is a religion, and Trident is their church. Trident is jammed with people on any given morning, the line taking up half the space in the cafe, people in the front-most tables smashed together and shouting to be heard by their table-mate because of the line of people virtually in their laps, and the weird thing is that the coffee isn't anything special. There's a tiny little space where you stand to order your coffee and you have to shout to do it, and getting your coffee and getting sugar for it or whatever else you need, for instance a stirrer, is a hair-raising and dangerous experience because you have to squeeze through the line of people in the exact same spot you just vacated, who are yelling their coffee orders across the counter - the worst coffee-provisioning layout in history. Trident loyalists don't care. It's the whole, you know man, the whole Trident ETHOS that packs 'em in. The pastries are horrifying, and evidently are on display for decoration and are not to be considered edible. The hipster vibe in this place will choke you. I know, I know, people love this place. For me Trident and its yuppie twin Spruce Confections are places where people go in order to tell their friends where they had coffee. As opposed to places that you go in order to drink coffee. To each his own (or her own), but Trident is not my cup of tea. I go there when people want to have a meeting there, and then I feel as though I have to go find a Dunkin' Donuts and go inside and order something in order to shake off the yupster-hipster cooties. Speaking of which, where's a Dunkin Donuts?
I'll throw my hat into the "Trident Circle of Fans" ring. One of the reviewers used the world "scale" and I think that's an apt descriptor for the place. Don't come looking for a particular title [although you may be surprised] or the definitive caramel-skinny-latte [they may have that, too] but what they're good at is offering a solid array of reading material [reasonably priced,] great coffee in a most affable and interesting atmosphere. Although I usually have a book in hand to peruse, I always find conversation with a fellow Trident patron more interesting. It's on my "must stop" list for when I go to Boulder and since the demise of Penny Lane, it's among a handful of establishments which make Boulder the distinctive end destination that it is. May they thrive and prosper!
The cozy space, the strong coffee, the old staff, the seconded books - got me through relationships, nursing school, early/broke days in Boulder, and lastly a place where my fiance, now wife, would cozily wait for me to get off work. So it's a FIVE for me because of 15 years of memories. WARNING: If you're a snob, you will be turned off by the rest of us snobs who are elbow-to-elbow, otherwise relax and join us...
This IS the spot for coffee or tea in Boulder. Truly a unique spot where you can find yourself listening in on some of the most interesting conversations.
I only spent time in the cafe side of Trident Booksellers and Cafe. It's a fairly small cafe with one barista (I think). A nice place to read while drinking a hot chocolate along with a little people watching. I'll likely drop by the next time I'm in Boulder and have time to kill. A nice place to relax.
I love to browse the titles in this bookstore. I believe they sell both new and used books and they've also incorporated a cafe into the store.
Boulder, CO
Category: Bookstores
Boulder, CO
Category: Coffee & Tea
Boulder, CO
Category: Coffee & Tea
Boulder, CO
Category: Coffee & Tea
Boulder, CO
Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment
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