My Global Favorite “For Here” Coffees
by Judson DiVenere
My fascination and love with coffee isn’t all about the coffee, but the journey to and from the shop. And all the wild things I see on the way. I enjoy the drive to the coffee shop or who I see there more than the coffee itself, coffee is just a byproduct of my adventures. Thank you Mom and Dad for exposing me to all the wonderful journeys of life. I’m very lucky.
In no order
el cafe, Rancho Santana, Nicaragua
Funny enough, the very first sip of coffee I ever tried was here. It was 2019 and Spring Break I believe. My dad and I played chess at the board just outside of our room every day and I was on a five day losing streak. He is the most brilliant person I’ve ever met, so I could only dream of beating him. I forgot what he mentioned to me, as this was 6 years ago, but we walked over to the cafe and I was on a recent hot chocolate spree, so fittingly, I got a mocha. They did the pretty milk heart on top and sprinkled some chocolate shavings. I had it in this ceramic mug with perfect imperfections. I even remember the barista’s name, Jasson, with two S’s. The caffeine rush was kinda crazy and I don’t want to glorify it through creative writing or else I’ll sound like an addict sigh. Dad and I went and sat down at our chess board and I finished the mocha rather quickly, and after finishing, I said something that I never ever expected to say, “Checkmate Dad.” I got up from my chair and acted like I just scored a goal in the World Cup and bowed to an imaginary audience. So excited, I started cranking out pushups right then and there. Even into the double digits! The coffee was brilliantly deep, with none of that Hershey’s chocolate sauce, but rather melted, local chocolate that was mixed into the espresso and whole milk. This is what started it all. My coffee journey.
THIRD PLACE., Plaka, Athens, Greece
THIRD PLACE was just down the street from my apartment in Athens in the Summer of ‘22. I tried a mocha there, as that is my feeler for a good coffee shop, just like Anthony Bourdain’s tester for a good chef is how well they make an omelette. The owner is a kind, towering Greek man. The mocha I got was iced and served in a mason jar. I drank it sitting at a tiny table on the sidewalk, admiring the street art and such a different lifestyle, of which is so desirable. I came back the next summer with my friends Fritts and Meech. We’d just seen the Acropolis again and were quite tired and hot, so we trekked out of the Acropolis museum and walked around to Plaka to grab some coffee, for here, and then to the Taiwanese Fish Doctor, but that’s a story for another time.
The Kookaburra Beachside, St. Augustine, Florida, US
One street from the beach, low ceilings, it’s giving 50’s gas station with a new interior decorator. I love to bike in the mornings here with Jake and grab a GUESS. Iced mocha. They just came out with a fresh-squeezed strawberry lemonade with greatly compliments the dark mocha. The baristas are amazing and have the laid-back, beach vibe. Of all the coffees, this one is the most refreshing, probably because of its context of being at the beach.
Cafe Leon Dore, SoHo, NYC, US
I’d wake up and take the elevator downstairs, say hi to Randall, and walk down Mulberry to Cafe Leon Dore. Occasionally there’d be a line, as I’ve grown, the line doesn’t match up with my sleep schedule. The baristas are dressed in Aime Leon Dore, and their boat is never rocked. They serve up a fantastic matcha, which I always get with two shots of espresso. It looks so pretty when the milk, matcha, and espresso are layered. I grab a ham and Swiss baguette and a croissant for Randall on the way out. I may sit at the chess tables on the sidewalk or walk in the grocery store and simply do “and whatnot” until I get my dose of the morning and go sit on the balcony and enjoy my breakfast.
