Lucky's Tremont

http://www.luckyscafe.com/
777 Starkweather Cleveland, OH 44113

I want to live in Tremont someday. It's easily walkable, filled with plenty of galleries to wander and filled with coffeeshops, small eateries, and fantastic upscale restaurants. Tremont is like the perfect girl: she always leaves you wanting more. Because you know there is more. And you want to uncover more of her secrets. Alright, maybe I've been reading a little too much about Anne Boleyn, but Tremont is fantastic. Hands down, my favorite neighborhood in Cleveland.
Lucky's is fantastic, perfectly located for Sunday Farmer's Markets, which are located right across the street. I went there Sunday for brunch, and the line was out the door. It's a very popular place, and has been given some rave reviews by some of those popular critics out there (humph): Best Brunch. But, I'll give it the "Trendiest Atmosphere" award, and let's see how far that takes me on the critic circuit.
They're crazy at Lucky's about natural food and unique flavors. Apparently the chef has a garden in the back where she gets herbs for some of her dishes. And, all the pastries (you won't be able to resist) are homemade. They used to come from a local church, but they were so popular, someone had to help the church ladies out. I would recommend the blueberry tart or one of their yummy scones. Yum yum yum
To the COFFEE! Isn't that what this blog is about, anyway? Their coffee is good. And they have everything you'd want and more. And they have a little counter with everything from skim milk to honey. And you can do that all yourself. Which I like. Because people are always putting a strange mixture of ice and milk in my coffee. I like a little milk, more coffee, a regular amount of ice. And, it's nice to be able to do it yourself.
They do breakfast, lunch, and brunch, as well as coffee, coffee drinks, smoothies, the works. The place is very very comfortable; local artists fill the walls with new pieces of work; and the people are very friendly. They also have a great outdoor area with picnic benches and gardens, and the fence is painted mural-style.
I guess I'd say go for the coffee and stay for the desserts. Like the rest of Tremont, it will always make you want to come back for more.

New Phoenix Cafe Alert - Downtown Cleveland Location

For those of you who have yet to be introduced, Phoenix Coffee has come to be the face of coffee in Cleveland. This is no exaggeration. Phoenix is the largest independently-owned coffee company in the area and, on May 17, 2008, just opened a fifth location at the corner of E. 9th and Superior in the heart of Downtown Cleveland. This Phoenix Coffee Cafe is so new that on a recent visit, I worked on my laptop beside CEO Sarah Wilson-Jones (see her profile in US News here!), who was busy posting the store's North-facing decal. On this note, a recent Google search of the address turned up a barely visible "coming soon" sign outside the cafe (on Streetview) and no reference to a Phoenix cafe in the vicinity (see below).

Phoenix is known for its quirky (but very competent) baristas, hipster-approved decor, smart-ass slogans, and indie spirit. While this location draws a clientele mostly made up of the middle-aged professional (especially when compared to Phoenix's Coventry location) because of its proximity to the city's Financial District, the E9th and Superior Phoenix doesn't shy from its carefully crafted image. Nor does it shirk the company's reputation for serving strong --- and delicious --- coffee and tea.

An especially cool (although likely temporary) amenity at this location is its Happy Hour, where you can get a free shot of espresso from 2-3:00pm (no strings attached!). The only downside of this Phoenix (unless you go during Happy Hour), though, is it's expense. My 16oz iced coffee (which was very caffeinated, strong, and full-bodied), for instance, cost $2.50 and a Toddy-style iced coffee would've run upwards of $3.- Across the board, Phoenix's selection runs for about the same (or a bit higher) price than your typical Starbucks. But --- as anyone at Phoenix would tell you --- if you're going to compare Phoenix to Starbucks then you're really missing the point (why, just check out this ad, left, which Phoenix put in a Seattle newspaper in the midst of Starbucks'over-publicized 3 hour closing last Spring).

Whether you like the Arcade Fire or just strong coffee, you'll love this Phoenix!

Free WiFi

This term is perhaps my favorite in the English language. I will continually update this list as I find new coffeehouses that double as free WiFi hot-spots across Cleveland. To begin...

- Artefino (E 18th and Superior Avenue, the outskirts of Downtown Cleveland) --- Reviewed by the Cleveland Coffee Critics
- Phoenix Coffee (E 9th and just south of Superior Avenue, Downtown Cleveland) --- Review forthcoming
- Center Perk (Off Rt. 44 near Town Square, Chardon) --- Review forthcoming

MOKO Coffee + Tea

MOKO Coffee and Tea, located directly across from the Hanna Building in Playhouse Square at 1505 Euclid Avenue, is a true Cleveland gem. It was founded just three years ago and, as you can see from these photos (additional pictures available at mokocoffee.typepad.com), is in a location where transiency is truly the status quo. It is also in a location of prominence: it is next door to the Ohio Theatre, down the block from Cleveland State University, in the heart of the Euclid Corridor Project, down the street from Star Plaza ('Cleveland's Time Square' in many respects), and a stone's throw from the famed Marcel Breuer AmeriTrust Tower (in the midst of being re-developed by K&D Properties of Willoughby, Ohio).

When I walked into MOKO, I really had no idea what to expect. My experience with its neighbor to the East (the somewhat sketch, yet incredibly inexpensive, China Sea) was not a great introduction. Plus the awning that advertises MOKO just has to go. Regardless, I found MOKO's interior to be a modern, uncluttered, and chic - living up to the name of coffee they serve, Intelligentsia. I especially recommend either venturing to the upstairs balcony (/hideout) at MOKO (see above, left) or taking advantage of the outside patio, as Tory and I did.

To get to the coffee (finally), MOKO serves an excellent product. I highly recommend their iced coffee - brewed Toddy style (a cold-brewing method, but more on this to come). It is strong, very flavorful, and hardly bitter. MOKO's menu board advertises their Toddy iced coffee as $2.50 for a medium (on par with Phoenix's regular iced coffee; 75 cents cheaper than their Toddy-style iced coffee); however, the last few times I've been over to MOKO I've been charged just $1.70. This has been a true coup de grace to the competition for me (especially since I'm on an intern's budget...). Tory ordered an espresso as per the barista's recommendation when we went; I'm not going to comment on it, though, as this was Tory's first-ever taste of espresso. Any comments on the espresso from your experience?

Long story short, MOKO is fantastic and won't break your wallet. Check it out.

Artefino Art Gallery and Cafe

1900 Superior Avenue in the Tower Press Building
http://www.artefinogallery.com/

Artefino is one of those places where you enter the building itself and go "oooo". Located in the Tower Press building, across from the Plain Dealer, the building has been transformed into condos and lofts, with designated space for artists. Entering the building from the rear, we passed by numerous living-work spaces of photographers, sculptors, and watercolor artists, just to name a few...and we weren't even in the coffee shop yet!
The atmosphere of Artefino is retro-chic and modern. Trendy. Very trendy, with a red-vinyl couch and high-top tables with backless chairs. But with all that plastic, it's surprisingly comfortable. And very artsy, with paintings on the walls and a small shop where local artists display some of their work.
The service is incredible. When Kyle got his "Iced Hawaiian" (espresso with chocolate and coconut), the barista told him that if he wanted more or less flavor just to let her know. I was half-expecting Kyle to take a sip and walk over to the Barista and get a new one, just for kicks. I, on the other hand, ordered a Mexican Mocha (espresso with chocolate and cinnamon). It didn't have as much cinnamon as I expected, and the mocha was sweeter than most, but overall I was very pleased with my choice.
I walked with the owner of the cafe as I left, and she asked me about my experience and if I enjoyed my coffee. Very cool lady--her husband renovated the Tower Press building a few years ago. She told me that I should come back for the Tower Press's Sparx in the City event, where all the artists open up their living-work spaces. I would definitely come back to Artefino--the atmosphere and the people put this place over the top...and I want to try one of their Panini sandwiches. Those things look amazing!