I can never quite figure out if coffee shops love freelancers – or hate us. To be fair, we do come and park ourselves and our laptops at their tables and use their free wifi all day. But we also end up spending a fair amount of money on their coffee and food, we recommend them whenever anyone enquires about a great local coffee shop and we often give them some love on social media. If you’re ready to venture into the world of virtual cafes, where you can find the latest comprehensive brewing guides, equipment reviews, and coffee facts, definitely check out thefullmooncafe.com.
I live and work in a tiny space and while working from home is definitely rad, it can sometimes get boring – and lonely. There are just some days when I need an excuse to brush my teeth before 10am and put on a little bit of makeup, you know? This means that I spend quite a bit of time in coffee shops. Of course, on many days I’m literally swamped with work and am super busy – but that doesn’t mean I want to miss out on my daily coffee. This is why I love coffee shops with a streamlined ordering process. I’ve noticed that many of them are even starting to implement things like modern POS systems like this by Revel Systems which help to keep the busy morning rush moving at a good pace so I’m not wasting too much of my day in a queue. Pleasant and easy to understand customer displays are a welcome touch too.
Living in Woodstock means I am pretty much spoilt for choice when it comes to rad coffee shops. I cannot bring myself to drink a bad cup of coffee, which is why I choose not to make coffee at home. With no less than 6 coffee shops within walking distance from my house, it’s just not worth the effort. Although it would be nice to have a coffee machine in the house, like the Cuisinart CHW-12 readily available whenever the caffeine cravings kick in!
Here’s a list of great coffee shops in Woodstock. I must admit that I’m biased towards a place that offers free, unlimited wifi, but all the places on this list make excellent coffee. But for more beautiful coffees, check out the Neptune Coffee blog.
1. Tribe Coffee
The Foundry, 160 Albert Road, Woodstock
Free unlimited wifi, great coffee, free parking, awesome staff and a friendly vibe. 10 out of 10.
In their own words:
“We want the flavour to linger in your mouth and want you to want more. Designing the flavour means designing experience and designing expectations. We know “Local is Lekker” because freshly roasted coffee always tastes better than imported. Proudly Local on a Global Scale.”
2. Superette
The Exchange, 66-68 Albert Road, Woodstock
Wifi is a bit iffy, but the coffee and food are great and they don’t mind you spending the day there. It also gets great light in the morning, which always lifts my mood, but gets super busy around lunch time, so I normally only work there half day.
In their own words:
“With handpicked produce from local suppliers that include Bill Riley Meat, Wild Organics and the Woodstock Bakery, the simple menu complements the clean and modern design of the space. In support of local talents and rare finds, the café also features a retail table that holds speciality goods from emerging local producers and artists”
3. Rosetta Roastery
The Exchange, 66-68 Albert Road, Woodstock
I actually find their coffee really strong and the names and types are a bit complicated. But their shop is beautiful and if you ask for lots of milk (I like milky coffee) it’s great.
In their own words:
“The coffees we buy are from internationally renowned regions and award-winning estates. They are stand-alone gems… bastions of quality… beacons of hope. The reason we can say this with such confidence is because our sourcing model is so thorough. We painstakingly cup, sample, cup, sample, cup, sample, and finally source single origin coffees precisely for their unique flavour profiles. At Rosetta, we believe in presenting only the finest combinations of terroir and stringent farming controls. If the result of these two inputs is less than incredible, then we keep hunting until we find coffees that meet the standard.”
4. KayRin
135 Albert Road, Woodstock
The seating is a bit of an issue, since they don’t have any plug points near the tables. But the coffee is great and their wifi is free and fast. Plus, they are very friendly.
In their own words:
“Ever wanted the aroma of a good coffee to match the taste? Well, that’s what we strive to deliver at Kayrin Coffee Roasters. We source only the finest Arabica coffee beans from around the world and passionately roast them to provide an emotional blend of aroma, flavour body and acidity. We believe freshly roasted, freshly served. So please enjoy our coffee and allow every cup to add to your experience.”
5. Starling & Hero Bicycle Cafe
The Exchange, 66-68 Albert Road, Woodstock
www.facebook.com/starlingandheroBC
They say free wifi, but they mean free 100mb. Which is fine if you’re just planning to pop in. Their coffee is served really nicely and they serve fresh juices too.
In their own words:
“A classic café, bicycle commuter accessories and small bicycle co-op. Workbench and tools available for anybody to use, as well as various new and second hand bicycles for sale. Boerie Fridays every Friday.”
6. Espresso Lab
The Old Biscuit Mill, 373-375 Albert Road, Woodstock
www.espressolabmicroroasters.com
This place is beautiful! They don’t have any wifi, but their coffee is awesome and everyone who works there is rad. They even opened up early for me one morning when I needed a coffee before opening time.
In their own words:
“Our quest is to find optimal ways in enjoying coffee, from sourcing small lots of freshly harvested coffee, to developing the optimal roasting profiles that will reflect the terroir and origin of the coffee, showcasing complexity in flavour and a balance between sweetness and acidity.”
7. Origin
97 Durham Avenue, Salt River
Classic winning combination of free wifi, great coffee, rad staff and excellent playlist. Another 10 out of 10.
In their own words:
“By giving credence to the artisans of this world, we hark back to a pre-industrial, pre-mass-produced era when artisans took immense pride in their vocations, and superb quality was taken as a given.”
One comment
as soon as i upgrade my laptop, i’m going to freelance coffee shop hop with you! i didn’t know about the origin at 97 durham. thanks! i can also recommend flatmountain coffee roasters on main rd near tot he kitchen.