Rob Seastrom <newnog@rs.seastrom.com> writes:
A place with the unlikely name of Sidewalk Espresso ( http://www.sidewalkespresso.com ) is only a few blocks (0.7 miles) from the hotel and seems to have good reviews on Yelp. Just as important, they open at 7 am, probably an extra-important consideration. I'll probably be going there tomorrow - ran out of time today.
Trip report: Wes, Leif, and I went over there at about 0730. Despite the name they seem to have a bias in favor of pour-over which was fine by us. I had a nice ethiopian which was quite sweet and not at all bright (with the usual dry process notes of fruit). Wes and Leif opted for a Brazilian which was reportedly quite nice too. Second round was cappuccinos all the way around which were competently prepared and tasty (no fluorish of latte art, but hey, you can't eat the art!). I didn't inquire about who roasted their pour-over, but their espresso is by Ceremony out of Annapolis. I believe it was their "Destroyer" blend. Very tasty. A+++++ would visit again, probably the same time tomorrow. We wimped out and took the car; parking was surprisingly OK for rush hour in Baltimore and since the main constituency at Sidewalk is college students, they were not crowded at all. Oh yeah, and the barista has an adorable puppy named "Grandpa". Who doesn't like puppies??? -r