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If you haven’t had your morning cup of joe yet, you may want to try one of two Garden State coffee shops that recently made the list of 30 Best Coffee Shops in the Northeast by RAVE Reviews.
Small World Coffee in Princeton and Empire Coffee & Tea Co. in Hoboken were java-fan favorites, according to the independent, reader-supported website.
Small World Coffee
Located at 14 Witherspoon St. in downtown Princeton (the location chosen for the list), Small World Coffee features lime green interior and exterior walls and minimalist décor and offers blends sourced from around the world with catchy names such as Grumpy Monkey, Joker Poker and Rocket Blend, RAVE noted. The coffee shop also serves a limited breakfast and lunch menu. Musicians entertain patrons on Saturday nights.
“We opened back in 1993 after driving all around this country looking for the perfect college town to open our coffee business,” Small World co-owner Jessica Durrie said in an email. “Princeton was the town! This was during a time when the specialty coffee industry was beginning to grow outside California and the west coast …
“A lot has changed and evolved in our industry since Small World Coffee opened,” Durrie continued. “What we do today, stands on the foundations that has been built over decades. Small World Coffee has outlived trends because it’s the real deal, it’s authentic, and powered by passionate people who find meaning in their work. We have focused our energy on building a strong culture and values that are exhibited through every aspect of running our business …”
Durrie said Small World has its own kitchen — which she called a “flavor apothecary” because the baristas can come up with creative offerings — as well as its own coffee roasting facility.
“We have been building connection through coffee and staying true to what we value along the way,” Durrie wrote. “Not always easy. But gratifying and meaningful.”
Empire Coffee & Tea Co.
Located at 338 Bloomfield St. in downtown Hoboken, Empire Coffee & Tea Co. reminded the RAVE editors of “the silent movie era.” “From the vintage font on the sign reading “Empire Coffee & Tea Company” to the large gunny sacks of coffee beans lining the wall, the ambiance in this coffeehouse is unforgettable.”
According to Empire’s website, “As the stores and restaurants in Hoboken … get newer, brighter, shinier, and slicker, Empire Coffee and Tea Co. gets tastier and more relaxed.”
“We’ve been rockstars here in Hoboken for over 27 years,” Empire owner Abbe Rivers said in an email, adding that it was an honor to be included on the list. “We’re a hopping neighborhood shop with locals and tourists alike.”
Rivers described the shop as a “hybrid” establishment because it is an espresso bar with a “daunting drink menu and a gourmet retail shop with over 50 varieties of beans to choose from.” RAVE also took notes of the mugs and famous sauces from Hoboken Eddie’s for sale at Empire.
“We’re so proud of what we do,” Rivers wrote.
What’s trending in coffee?
When researching the list, the consumer goods guide also found that consumers are choosing small, independently owned cafes and coffeehouses over chains. It also found that traditional coffee drinkers are “trying quirky twists on old favorites and specialty lattes with names like the ‘Butterfinger.’”
RAVE’s editors used a 20-point scale for factors such as nostalgia, popularity, cult following, destination and scarcity.