Ben Franklin once said that beer was proof God loves us and wants us to be happy.
I think Franklin was wrong, though.
Coffee is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy. As much as I like a good beer, I could live without it. There is no way I would want to live without coffee.
Without coffee, where would the PR and political worlds be? I’ve never worked in a political office that didn’t run on coffee. The Granholm-Cherry political office where I worked was just a few floors above Lansing’s “Senate” Biggby, which made it difficult for anyone to enter or exit without stopping for a caffeine fix. Truscott Rossman’s Lansing office is right across the street from there – I’ll never get away!
Over the years, I’ve come to know and love many of Michigan’s great coffee shops. I sense a Pure Michigan ad – brewing – here? (sorry, the pun was too hard to resist) Anyway, here are some of my favorites in no particular order. I’m always on the lookout for a new coffee stop, so if I missed one – leave it in the comments below and I’ll update the post.
- Ann Arbor: There are some great places to get coffee in A2, but I thinkZingerman’s has my favorite. The Bakehouse usually has a couple of varieties brewed. I like the Roadhouse Joe best.
- Benton Harbor: The Phoenix is worth checking out. It’s in a cool old building downtown, and serves great local products. The site now touts Ugly Mug Cafe Coffee from Ypsi, but I think it was Chicago’s Intelligentsia coffee when I was last there.
- Lansing: I gave the Senate Biggby a shoutout earlier – but for the location, not the coffee. Decker’s Coffee Company on Washington is my favorite Lansing coffee shop. They have the best selection of iced coffees I’ve found in Michigan, with a few different roasts always available. Just don’t ruin your black iced coffee with sugar or cream.
- Grand Rapids: It’s impossible to make a list of great coffee shops in Michigan without including Mad Cap Coffee. If you haven’t been, just go. Mad Cap wins national awards for its coffee, which they source directly from farmers. It’s worth the wait.
- Kalamazoo: The Water Street Coffee Joint is probably my favorite of all the coffee shops on this list. Always fantastic coffee here, great food and an all-around cool location just across the street from Bell’s Brewery. There’s another Water Street Coffee near the D&W on Oakland – but it doesn’t have nearly the same ambiance as the original downtown location. Worth a stop! Try the Aroma Borealis roast in the winter.
- Detroit: I’m really interested to try the new Astro Coffee that just opened up in Corktown. If anyone’s been, let me know! Otherwise, I really like Stella inside the Fisher Building. It’s cool just walking through the Fisher Building’s lobby – the most beautiful building in Michigan – and even better to find a place with good coffee and a decent bagel.
Where’s your favorite coffee in Michigan? What did I leave out?
