James "the Professor" H.'s Profile

Friendly staff, free wi-fi, a variety of affordable foods, including yogurts. And now, fair-trade coffee from my friends at Equal Exchange. What better way to wait for a train?

Charging for wi-fi just as the big chains have figured out not to do so is not cool, and having a glitchy interface for it does not instill confidence. It is OK to plead with people not to "camp out" on wi-fi, but NOT if they are paying for both the wi-fi and the food/beverage.

Saying that cappuccino with milk in it (instead of just foam) is traditional does not make it so. It makes a coffee-ish milk drink, but there is nothing traditional about it.

I do like the atmosphere (though I think the books that have been written in this cafe were written when there was a different play list on the sound system), and the baristas are friendly and attentive, if not quite expert.

I reserve higher ratings for shops that support the farmers that make the coffee business possible. I don't see evidence of this in the brochure or on the web site.

I have been here long enough to edit my post twice, so I am maintaining the 3-star rating for this being a good place to bide one's time (and yes, I've purchased both a few coffees and a couple of snacks). The latest edit, though, has to do with the quality of the brewed coffee (as opposed to faux cappuccino). The Colombian I had earlier was fine, but the Tanzanian peaberry is inadequate -- both underbrewed and overheld, a coffee that should be exquisite is inadequate.

PS: Some geographer I am -- I posted this review to the wrong location first. I thought this cafe had moved from Inman Square to Central Square, but it has two locations. Oddly, they have the same number of reviews and the same average -- between 3 and 4.

Charging for wi-fi just as the big chains have figured out not to do so is not cool, and having a glitchy interface for it does not instill confidence. It is OK to plead with people not to "camp out" on wi-fi, but NOT if they are paying for both the wi-fi and the food/beverage.

Saying that cappuccino with milk in it (instead of just foam) is traditional does not make it so. It makes a coffee-ish milk drink, but there is nothing traditional about it.

I do like the atmosphere (though I think the books that have been written in this cafe were written when there was a different play list on the sound system), and the baristas are friendly and attentive, if not quite expert.

I reserve higher ratings for shops that support the farmers that make the coffee business possible. I don't see evidence of this in the brochure or on the web site.

This historic inn combines great charm with modern amenities. Both individual rooms and common areas are  comfortable and attractive. The innkeepers are wonderfully responsive, and the breakfast delicious. Cookies and fair-trade, organic coffee are always available, too!

I usually do not review cafes that have terrible coffee, because the support of cafes that support coffee farmers is the whole point of my Yelp account. But I could not resist in this case, because I have never encountered such a strong contrast between the coffee and the food.

First, the food: it is amazing! Invited to Duesenberg's by family, we shared a wonderful donut-type confection before our meal (thanks, SIL!). And though I usually do not order omelets, I was very tempted by the turkey-apple-brie-bacon omelet, and I am glad I succumbed to the temptation. It was  unbelievably delicious, and worked well with the accompanying home fries.

The service was friendly (if slow -- calling ahead does not help) the decor both airy and interesting. So the experience was good overall and I will go back.

But I will not get the coffee next time, unless I learn of a change. I should have heeded the reviewers who commented on the coffee, but my curiosity got the best of me. "How bad could it be?" I thought. Very bad, it turns out. This is not simply coffee that was held too long on the burner or allowed to cool. It is defective coffee. It might have to do with the roasting and it most definitely has to do with the selection of coffees. It probably has even more to do with the use of chlorinated tap water that has not been filtered. Whatever the combination, it is a bad one. I'll stick with OJ next time. What is pathetic is that I had already prepared some good coffee for myself the morning of the visit, so I had no excuse to let this taint what was otherwise a good experience.

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I do not mean my five-star rating as a contradiction of those who have had poor service here. The service we had on our visit yesterday was good, but we could also tell that we were quite lucky in our timing.

This place deserves credit for doing so many things right, by being directly connected to so many of the food sources it uses. Having a variety of Dean's Beans coffees is a great thing.

I think the prices are high only for the meat sandwiches, which is just a lesson in what it takes to certify organic meat, especially for a small-scale operator. Raising livestock on certified feed is not cheap.

Indoor seating is minimal -- we were glad to visit when the outdoor area was both available and comfortable! Next time I think I'll stick to the bakery products, though, and take the time to visit the nearby Dickinson house.

Coffee involves about fifty steps, from planting the right seed in the right place, through cultivation, harvest, many stages of processing, roasting, brewing, and even pouring. Mass-market coffee cuts corners at every step. Cafe Valverde pays unusually close attention to every stage, giving customers the option of single-cup brewing of several Cup of Excellence winners. The shop also has a pleasant atmosphere in one of America's most pleasant towns for walking.

My only suggestion would be having a second barista on duty, as the COE preparation requires all customers to wait, not just those who will enjoy this exquisite coffee.

We stay in this area on our way to visit family sometimes, and had found a decent-enough diner in the past. We could not find it this time, and so just wandered down Route 1, looking for some place "good enough."

Imagine our delight to find a place that was visually interesting (a nice update of what seems to be a small office building), with great food and friendly staff. Even better: fair-trade, organic coffee from my friend Dean! That was a tremendous surprise, and the reason this will now be a regular stop on our I-95 journeys.

This seems like an interesting business, but the beer kits listed as "Supplies to go" listed on the web site are not really available. Checking the site again, I see that mention is made of each kit being assembled to order (explaining the high prices), but it does not mention that customers should not actually ask for them.

I wish I had checked Yelp before going to this place, as other reviewers have noted that the owner seems not to want to be bothered. He actually told me I should have come to the store a half hour earlier than I did, or that I should come back later.

Students in my coffee classes have been recommending Acoustic Java for a couple of years, yet somehow I had not made it until today. I have a mid-day meeting at Worcester State University, so I set aside most of the morning to enjoy the coffee and the space.

The first thing I noticed is that this is a very well-planned space, with adequate seating for a couple dozen customers, plenty of original artwork, a nice selection of used books, and even some coffee equipment fit into a narrow storefront. (Bonus: one of the books is a John McPhee title that I had not seen before!)

A variety of single-origin coffees are offered -- I chose the Brazilian Monte Cristo to sip while working on planning for a coffee tour in Brazil. Specialty coffee is just emerging in Brazil, and it is great to be able to support that with a coffee certified by Rainforest Alliance.

I enjoyed a very nice bagel, though I'd rather have a schmear of cream cheese than the tiny packaged version.