two new favorite coffee spots

There are quite a few great places to get a good cuppa coffee in Burlington: the good ol stand-bys are Uncommon Grounds, Speeder & Earls, Muddy Waters, Radio Bean, even Lake Champlain Chocolates serves some really good espresso. They're all worth a try and deserving of our patronage. I love coffee so much and I love all of our coffee shops so much, I like to share the wealth and give them all some love every now and then.

If you really want some special coffee, it's worth it to go a little off the beaten path to find it. There is a wonderful little tea and coffee shop on Center Street right around the corner from Church where the army navy stored used to be called Sapa Tea & Coffee. I'm pretty sure is the only place downtown where you can get Vietnamese-style coffee: a strong brew in a demi-tasse traditionally served with sweetened condensed milk (I like it with half & half). The flavor is nutty, chocolately and smooth. They also serve madeleines (French tea cakes) which are pretty good. And the atmosphere is a welcome low-key get-away from the crazy Saturday bustle of Church Street. I went there for Mother's Day last week when my parents surprised us for tea time. I enjoyed the coffee so much, I brought Colin back today after the farmers' market. Here's my picture of the coffee and then Colin's artsy pics below.

Oh, and our second new favorite place to get coffee? Village Wine and Coffee in Shelburne. They have this cup called the Ultimo, which is a strong brew of espresso with half & half and maple syrup. It's pretty much speed in a cup and it's amazing.