What’s brewing at Western Massachusetts coffee shops?

Date: 7/26/2021

WESTERN MASS. – Joe. Mud. Java. Jitter juice. Morning jolt. Sweet nectar of the gods.

Whatever you call it, coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world and Western Massachusetts is no different. Whether it’s to get you going in the morning, for that mid-day pick-me-up, or just for the enjoyment, it’s fair to assume that a good portion of the population - including many of your friendly community journalists - have had at least one cup today. Heck, you might even be enjoying one while reading The Reminder!

Hot or iced, flavored or not, with milk and sugar or black and heavy, there are countless options and with that countless local establishments throughout the Pioneer Valley and in your neighborhoods ready and eager to serve it just the way you like it.

Reminder Publishing set out to explore some of the many cafes and roasteries in the area and what makes them unique. Of course, while some of us have equal parts coffee and blood running through our veins, our blood pressure wouldn’t allow the caffeine intake required to try them all, so consider this list a good starting point. Each establishment is listed in alphabetical order by location.

If you want to suggest your favorite spot, feel free to send us a note – we’re always looking for more coffee!
    

Amherst Coffee + Bar
28 Amity St., Amherst

If you’re looking for a spot that has a little something for everyone, Amherst Coffee + Bar is the place for you. It does provide the typical coffee shop experience with a full menu of espresso and hot and cold coffees and teas that can be paired with fresh bakery items from Northampton’s Tart Baking Co. But beyond that, this little gem located in the Amherst Cinema building also boasts a smorgasbord of non-traditional items. To start, it normally has a fully-stocked bar with a wide selection of natura; wines, whiskeys, spirits, craft beer, ciders and house cocktails on draft. While the bar is currently closed, the cafe does offer a selection of drinks to-go.

Bring your appetite to Amherst Coffee as well because in addition to the baked goods, it offers a rotating selection of “cheese forward grilled cheese.” Recent examples include sandwiches with raclette cheese from Spring Brook Farm and onion jam or cave-aged cheddar from Jasper Hill Farm with harissa. They also offer lobster rolls every Thursday. Ordering begins at 3 p.m. and the rolls can be picked up between 3 and 7 p.m. until they are sold out.

Amherst Coffee is currently open Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. When operating, the bar opens at 12 p.m. There is limited seating available inside and while masks are optional for fully vaccinated customers, all staff will be wearing masks behind the counter. You can order at the cafe, through their online store at https://amherstcoffee.square.site/, or with their mobile apps for Android and iOS, which can be found on their respective app stores.

For more information, visit http://amherstcoffee.com, their Facebook page at https://www.
facebook.com/AmherstCoffee/, or follow them on Instagram through the handle @amherstcoffee.

Share Coffee
178 N. Pleasant St., Amherst

Share Coffee is a cute cafe located at 178 N Pleasant St. in the heart of downtown Amherst.  Share offers a variety of coffees, lattes, and teas. Their most popular drinks are the iced vanilla latte or their iced matcha. Drinks vary in size from 1.5 oz espresso shots to 16 oz coffees, teas, or lattes. Most drinks can be served hot or iced with locally made syrup flavors like maple and ginger or their house made syrups like chocolate or vanilla. Share also offers dairy free alternatives such as oat, soy and almond milk.

They also offer unique drinks like the Share shake, which is a combination of vanilla ice cream with your choice of nitro cold brew, chai or matcha. There’s also their Italian sodas which are a combination of sparkling water syrup and ice.

Along with drinks, Share also sells food items including toasts, sandwiches, soup, bagels, pastries and more. Share roasts their own beans in their Hadley headquarters, then distributes the beans to their local cafes in Amherst as well as Northampton. You can also purchase beans from the cafes or place orders online at https://sharecoffee.com/. Share’s Amherst location is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Goodworks Coffee House
46 Center St, Chicopee

Goodworks Coffee House has been a staple of the Chicopee community since 2018.

Most known for their lattes and locally sourced sweet treats, owners Victor and Katie Narvaez say that one mission of Goodworks is connecting with the
community. They frequently participate in the Chicopee Center Fresh farmers market, host a biweekly women’s running group and cater many local events.

Goodworks Coffee House has delicious lattes, cold brew, tea, food such as bagels, cinnamon buns and muffins and even weekly pastries from local businesses like Hot Oven Cookies and Auntie Cathie’s Kitchen. They sell bags of coffee beans that are roasted at Monsoon Roastery and also offer a Goodworks exclusive blend.

During the pandemic, Goodworks shifted their business model to offer online ordering and pick-up. Customers are now able to order and eat inside or still take advantage of their online ordering system.

Their bi-weekly women’s running group meets every other Sunday at 9 a.m. Owner Katie Narvaez started this group during the pandemic to help customers who felt disconnected and isolated from others. It has continued since then with women of all ages and fitness backgrounds welcome to join.

One added perk to joining the running group is the coffee. On the last meeting of the month, runners will receive a free Goodworks coffee after their run.

Goodworks Coffee House is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Customers are able to order directly on their website at https://goodworkscoffee.square.site/ or visit https://www.facebook.com/goodworkscoffeehouse/ for more information.

Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters
60 Shaker Rd., East Longmeadow

One of seven locations throughout the Pioneer Valley, Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters at 60 Shaker Rd. sells its own coffee, roasted daily in Shelburne.
The flavored coffees sold by the company come in standard flavors, such as amaretto, french vanilla, and hazelnut, but also some fairly unique flavors, like southern pecan, roasted chestnut, sugar maple nut, toasted coconut cream, and birthday cake. All of the flavors, with the exception of amaretto, come in decaf as well. The coffee business also has a few signature blends – breakfast blend, first light, mocha java, rainbow roast and night & day.

Shelburne Falls offers a subscription service in which customers can buy 6 bags of coffee in three month, six month or one year supplies. The subscriptions come in a choice of dark roast, flavored, non-flavored, or a mix of flavored and non-flavored blends.

For those in search of a gift for a coffee lover, Shelburne Falls sells gift cards and branded merchandise. The coffee is also sold at several Big Y supermarkets in the valley.

Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters is open weekdays, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m, and Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. To order online, visit https://shelburnefallscoffee.com.

Agawam’s Java Stop
1226 Springfield St., Feeding Hills

Agawam’s Java Stop, located at 1226 Springfield St., is extremely well-known and enjoyed within the community. The local coffee shop services people both indoors and out – with an ordering window to be utilized in nicer weather.

Their lengthy menu offers espressos, hot stuff, cold stuff, specialty lattes, infused energy drinks and much more. Some of their unique flavor options include chocolate milano, cookie dough and irish cream, although a more “generic” caramel infused iced coffee is equally as delicious. All of their coffee is received from Pierce Brothers.

In addition to their drinks, Agawam’s Java Stop sells treats such as brownies, pineapple sweet bread and additional baked goods. They update their Facebook page often with speciality treats and drinks of the day.

Agawam’s Java Stop is open Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Additional information can be found on the Agawam’s Java Stop official Facebook page, or their website: https://www.restaurantji.com/ma/agawam/agawams-java-stop-/

The Water’s Fine Goods + Coffee
20 Cottage St., Easthampton

The Water’s Fine Goods + Coffee is a modern café and retail store that focuses on small production, local and fair-trade goods, provisions and gifts.

Upon walking in, customers will recognize how decorative and welcoming the place feels, from its warm ambience inside to the serene landscape featured outside the back door. Customers can enjoy their selected beverage on the backdoor patio outside across the local river.

According to owner Pat Foster, the shop sells hot and cold brew coffee, classic espresso drinks, as well as a few specialty drinks like turmeric lattes, lemonades and hibiscus tea. They also sell maple lattes.

The store, which opened on Cottage Street in November 2018, also sells a wide variety of artisan goods. Foster said that the shop was able to expand into another section of the property where chocolates, coffees and teas and home supplies can be found back in July of 2020. There are some handmade items, cocktail items, holiday gifts and air plants, as well. The gift area specifically includes apothecary, home goods and pantry items. Most of the items sold are specifically curated by Foster.

The store is open to the public Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 6 p.m. People can learn more about the business through their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/thewatersfinegoodsandcoffee.
    
Dam Cafe
2014 Northampton St., Holyoke

The Dam Cafe is well known in Holyoke and boasts coffee, food and baked goods. Their extravang and unique lattes and iced coffees are often featured on their Facebook page and appear picturesque. Like their baked goods and daily specials, their drink and coffee specials rotate frequently and offer customers an extensive list of flavors and combinations. Specialty drink flavors that have been offered by the cafe include a chocolate covered strawberry iced latte; a “killer bee” iced latte which includes cinnamon, honey and cayenne pepper; a german chocolate iced latte; bourbon coffee; shamrock shakes; a white chocolate strawberry coffee; and red velvet shakes.

In addition to serving a variety of specialty coffees and drinks, the cafe also boasts extravagant cupcakes and baked goods. While baked goods offerings are rarely the same day to day, the Dam Cafe has been known to offer pastries such as peppermint mocha muffins, caramel apple crunch cupcakes, Reese’s whoopie pies, Reese’s cannolis and white chocolate raspberry scones.

The Dam Cafe is located at 2014 Northampton St. in Holyoke and is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Esselon Cafe and Coffee Roasting
99 Russell St., Hadley

Founded in 2006, Esselon Coffee is a cute cafe and coffee roaster right off of Route 9. All of Esselon’s beans are roasted on site and everything is made in house. With indoor and outdoor dining, this cute spot has everything from coffees, teas, food and pastries.

Coffee can be served hot or iced with a variety of dairy  and dairy-free options including skim, whole, almond, coconut, oat and soy. Want to add some flavor? Esselon offers several flavor shots that can be added to most coffees like maple sage, almond, caramel, hazelnut, and more.

Esselon is more than just a coffee shop, it serves breakfast from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They also offer vegetarian and vegan options, so there’s something for everyone. Not to mention a delightful array of pastries and desserts including muffins, cookies, and biscotti.

If you want a bit of Esselon at home, you can purchase beans from the cafe or from their website www.esselon.com. Esselon is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Catalpa Coffee
269 Pleasant St., Northampton

From tea and chai to regular coffee, Catalpa Coffee, formerly known as Northampton Coffee, in Northampton offers a variety of drinks to fulfill your caffeinated drink needs. Inside, customers are greeted by a cozy atmosphere one would expect from most coffee shops and there is plenty of room for seating to enjoy your drink.

If you are looking to grab a bite to eat along with your drink, Catalpa offers typical breakfast foods, including egg, ham, and cheese on a biscuit, parfait, granola and oatmeal. Additionally, Catalpa also offers a variety of pastries through its sister bakery, Tart Baking Co.

Catalpa Coffee also offers several items called “adventurous drinks” which include a blood orange espresso tonic, matcha limeade, a miso caramel latte and more.

Catalpa Coffee is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except for Sunday when they open at 7 a.m. and also offers online ordering every day through its website, catalpacoffee.com.

The Roost
1 Market St., Northampton

The Roost in Northampton offers a variety of caffeinated drinks including iced coffee from its house blend Gimme! medium roast coffee beans, such as cappuccinos, lattes and more. In addition to coffee, customers can purchase other drinks including apple cider, steamed milk, chai and chaider, which is a combination of apple cider and chai.

In terms of food offerings, customers can order pastries, breakfast sandwiches, waffles, bagels and several other options for breakfast. For lunch The Roost offers salads, sandwiches, mac and cheese and more.

Along with coffee, The Roost also offers beer and wine, either by the can or on draft.

Through its website, roostnorthampton.square.site, customers can place orders both for pick up and delivery. On site, The Roost offers limited space for indoor and outdoor dining.

The Roost is open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Thirsty Mind Coffee and Wine Bar
23 College St., Suite 6, South Hadley

The Thirsty Mind Coffee and Wine Bar is a popular spot for South Hadley residents and Mount Holyoke College students. In addition to offering a unique variety of coffee drinks, the Thirsty Mind also offers alcoholic beverages such as wine, liqueur, and craft brews such as ciders and beers.

The Thirsty Mind offers all the regular favorites among coffee drinkers such as lattes, tea, chai, cappuccino, espresso drinks and coffee. However, they also have more unique offerings such as a sweet thai latte, apple chai and seasonal drinks such as coconut fizz, iced blackberry white mocha and a maple spice latte. In addition to offering the option for customers to add a flavor and/or espresso shot to their beverage, customers can also customize their drink by adding a liqueur shot to their beverage. Liqueur shot flavors include Baileys, Kahlua, Amaretto and peppermint Schnapps.

The Thirsty mind also offers a variety of food items such as muffins, croissants, bagels and egg and cheese sandwiches. Additionally, they also use products from local businesses such as Arnold’s Meat, Barstow’s Dairy Store and Bakery, Bashista Orchard, Esselon Coffee, Tandem Bagels and Mapleline Farm.

The Thirsty Mind is located at the Village COmmons on 23 College St. They are open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and can be reached at 538-9309. A full menu and additional information can be found online at thirstymindcoffeeshop.com.

Monsoon Roastery
270 Albany St., Springfield

The Springfield-based roastery is located at 270 Albany St. in Springfield. Customer’s can’t miss the vibrantly painted building that is adorned with a variety of murals and coffee beans painted on the sidewalk leading up to their service window.

Like most coffee shops, Monsoon Roastery serves a variety of cold and hot caffeinated drinks. However, with their drinks they have added their own spin and offer drink specials that rotate frequently. Such specials have included a chocolate ice cream cold brew, an espresso tonic mojito, a kombucha-based tea called the Trish Palmer and a hippies den latte with rosemary, cinnamon and gogi berries. The shop has also featured a strawberry shortcake sauce and maple cold foam that could be added to any drink of a customer’s choosing.

Additionally, the roastery creates their own blends and nitro brew with a variety of beans sourced from all over the world, including an espresso and sugarcane decaf blend. They also offer customers a coffee and cold brew subscription.

Monsoon Roastery has also partnered with dozens of local businesses and organization to offer exclusive and limited-release editions of coffee blends, merchandise and even cold brew master classes. Most recently, they partnered with Nosh Restaurant and Cafe in Springfield to create a coffee blend that was inspired by and was only available for purchase at the restaurant.They have also partnered withGranny’s Baking Table to offer pastries, Comfort Bagels to offer coffee in Holyoke, local food truck businesses to host them each weekend, a local potter to create handmade Monsoon mugs, a local printing and design agency to create labels for their coffee and a local dye company to create tye-dye shirts.

Monsoon Roastery is open from Thursday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Drink specials are often posted on the Monsoon Roastery Facebook and Instagram pages. More information on subscriptions and the roasty can be found by calling 366-1123 or visiting monsoonroastery.com.

Circuit Coffee
22 Elm St., Westfield

Not only does circuit coffee have delicious coffee, other beverages and homemade baked goods, it also has the coolest vibe around.

Owned by Ted Doeik, circuit coffee opened its doors at 22 Elm St. in Westfield three years ago. Since then it has become a hotspot for people of all ages to enjoy coffee, a treat and good company.

On any given day the shop is filled with friends chatting, people having business meetings, and students using the free Wi-Fi to get work done. When the weather is nice the outdoor seating is always filled with customers and sometimes they are canine companions.

Assistant Managing Editor Hope Tremblay swears by the iced maple latte. Her children enjoy the coconut lemonade. And everyone loves the delicious and unique flavored pastry offerings, especially the lavender scones and the brown sugar cookies.

In addition to the iced maple latte, circuit coffee has a hot version as well which are made with local maple syrup. Cappuccino, Americano And espresso are among the coffee options. There is also a hot health tonic made from locally sourced turmeric, ginger, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, honey, with lemon, black pepper and star anise.

The Bluebird Spritz is a summer favorite. It is Earl Grey tea based with lemon, ginger and blueberry. It’s refreshing and lightly caffeinated. Beverage prices range from $3 to $5.25.

Circuit Coffee also offers cup cozies and apparel with the circuit logo as well as some with images of Dobek’s iconic orange and white VW bus.

Hours are Monday through Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Common Grounds Cafe
2341 Boston Rd., Wilbraham

Common Grounds Cafe is a small coffee shop in The Wilbraham Shops plaza on Boston Road. Originally opened in 2018, the shop is now a woman-owned family business. Serving Saccuzo brand coffee, the cafe offers coffee, espresso, and teas. It also serves smoothies, water, soda, juice, muffins, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and light lunch fare.

There is a small seating area and a couple cushioned chairs next to the first-floor counter, with more room to relax upstairs. There’s also a small patio off the second floor.  For those who want their caffeine fix at home, the cafe sells one-pound bags of coffee.

Common Grounds Cafe is open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It is located at 2341 Boston Rd. and can be reached at 279-1700 or https://www.facebook.com/CommonGroundsWilbraham.