CoffeeGuru: A Tale Of Two Yirgacheffe

Back in the day you went to South Philly for two reasons.... Down 9th Street to grab a hoagie from Sarcone's or a cheesesteak from either Pat's or Geno's. Want a coffee? Thirty years ago your best option was to grab one from a local deli.

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Joey Joe's, Philadelphia[/caption]

Historically, South Philly has been dominated by old-school Italian Americans. For the last decade, cheap real estate has also attracted an influx of Vietnamese immigrants and hipster art students. A sure sign the neighborhood is well on its way to becoming über cool, Ultimo Coffee has become ground zero for these new inhabitants.... the perfect third wave destination and meeting place.

Back in April The Daily Meal anointed Ultimo as the number 1 coffee shop in America. Does it live up to its title? Personally I think these rankings are akin to reading in People Magazine who's the sexiest man alive, at the end of the day it's meaningless. Ignoring they hype, I went into the heart of South Philly to check Ultimo out.

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Pour Over Bar, Ultimo Coffee[/caption]

Down the block from Scotty's Bar and just around the corner from Joey Joe's, Aaron and Elizabeth Ultimo opened their first location in 2009 and their second in 2012. In the South Philly location they share their space with a craft beer shop. The vibe is quite different from the surrounding 'hood. Ultimo takes their coffees seriously, using filtered water and a Marzocco GB5 carefully dialed in to the selections of the day, all from their roaster, Counter Culture. I selected the Banko Gotiti, Yirgacheffe as a pour over on their Beehouse drip bar. It was perfectly prepared and had really interesting citrus and tart apple notes. As I sat and enjoyed my cup a steady stream of customers kept things hopping.

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Entrance, Greenstreet Coffee[/caption]

Once finished I decided to drive up to another coffee shop, the recently opened Greenstreet Coffee Co. This shop represents another trend in the Philly coffee scene, serious in-house roasting. Brothers Tom and Chris Molieri started their roastery in 2011 and soon gained a reputation for producing well crafted beans. So in February when they were presented a chance to take over a former coffee shop, they dived in with both feet.

I really like their space. Small and architecturally quirky, it has a cool vibe, a welcome feel that's quite popular with the locals. It's a bit more laid back than Ultimo and the enthusiastic staff is very welcoming. This is the kind of place I could spend a lazy afternoon. And the coffee? The Molieri brothers know how to roast and do it well. In their shop I was offered a choice of four selections, two from Ethiopia and one from El Salvador and Mexico. I was interested in comparing my experiences so I ordered the pour over Kochere Yirgacheffe, and was impressed by what I was served. The Greenstreet selection was a bit brighter than the Counter Culture version and the citrus flavors really shined in the cup.

All in all Philadelphia's Third Wave coffee scene has something for everyone. Whether you are looking for a craft cup of coffee roasting by some of the most well-known in the US or you seek some great local roasts, you can find it in this vibrant city.

A word about the next blog post: I'll be on vacation for a few weeks so things will be a bit quiet. But never fear, there's more to come once I return.