Fun Friday: How Do You Take Your Coffee?

It seems like its been a while since we’ve done a Fun Friday around here. I’m not sure why that’s the case but its time to change that.

I’m sitting here in the Soho House in Berlin drinking a nice cappuccino and thinking about all the ways one can consume coffee.

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I have one cup of coffee a day. No more because it makes me wired. No less because I’m addicted.

Because I only allow myself one a day, I’m obsessive about making it a good one.

I prefer espresso coffee and my primary drink is a Cortado which is also called a Gibraltar. Its usually a double shot of espresso with a small bit of steamed milk. Think of it as a mini Cappuccino. I generally get it in a shot glass. My favorites are at Kava in NYC’s west village, Blue Bottle Coffee in NYC and SF, and my absolute favorite is at Intelligentsia in Venice Beach California.

I do like an iced cappuccino on a hot steamy morning like we have in NYC in the summer. My favorite iced cappuccino is from Jack’s in the west village of NYC and Amagansett NY.

I have various coffee shop lists on Foursquare. This is my favorite coffee shops in Manhattan list.

So that’s how I like my coffee. How do you like yours?

Update: Wil suggests “post a selfie of you and your morning coffee in the comments”. I think that’s a great idea!

#Uncategorized

Comments (Archived):

  1. Cam MacRae

    Caffellatte for breakfast; Macchiato after lunch. If it’s super, super, super hot it’s Vietnamese iced coffee (cร  phรช ฤ‘รก) every time.Thankfully the coffee in NYC seems to have improved each time I visit.

  2. Darius V

    Double espresso + shot of sparkling water and only one. After one each add’l one seems to diminishes joy of all. Have to check out intelligentsia. If in SoCal try also Hidden House in San Juan, it’s good.

  3. MFishbein

    Espresso in Southern France ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. LE

      Starbucks Mocha in South-ern Jersey.

      1. William Mougayar

        What’s the purpose of that stick – I never got that.

        1. LE

          When you put the cup in the cupholder of a car it prevents it from spilling (when you are driving that is).I not only always get those but I keep a stash in the car just in case I forget to get one or when I get coffee from a place that doesn’t offer them (Panera Bread for example, same lids, no stick).

          1. William Mougayar

            But then if you’re driving, you’ll make a fuss as you take it out. It’s messy so where do you put it. You probably lick it then get distracted and drop it somewhere in-between the seats…I get it, but I don’t understand why it’s needed. That lid has an elevated bump on it, and they shouldn’t fill it to the top anyways.

          2. LE

            Hmm. Well let’s say you are driving a car with a sports car suspension. And let’s say you are leaving a parking lot which happens to have cobblestones placed periodically to slow down cars. (Not bumps, cobblestones). Or say you are on a street with cobblestones with said car. It’s impossible to take a cup that is even 75% full and not have it splash over the top.The other use case for this is to simply keep the beverage a bit hotter.Or actually if you’re a city person apparently is serves this function:http://www.mediabistro.com/http://www.danderma.co/?p=1…I understand your point about driving. But in my use case I don’t drink it during the time that I am going from the SB to the office (which is really quick it’s literally across the street). And when I am on an actual trip I am usually with someone else in the car so she takes care of the logistics for me.Once the cup is down to a certain point you don’t need it though.

          3. Robert Holtz

            Are you seriously drinking scalding hot coffee while driving in traffic? Is that wise? ;P I recommend you only take a drink while at a full stop or when parked at which point you will have two hands free and can lift the stick up (without entirely removing it) with one hand and hold the cup with the other while you sip from the now open notch in the cover of the cup. That is precisely why the stick narrows and bends the way it does. Try it before you knock it. You’ll be surprised how much hotter your coffee stays thanks to that little doodad.

        2. LE

          By the way to your point “I never got that” that’s an example of why you need people who don’t know your product to give feedback. If you see them at Starbucks it’s not immediately obvious what they are for. It took me some time to figure it out. SB just puts them out on the counter with no explanation.

        3. FAKE GRIMLOCK

          STAB ENEMIES TO DEATH.STARBUCKS DANGEROUS PLACE.

        4. Robert Holtz

          That stick covers the hole where the coffee comes out of. Not only is this good for when the coffee is sitting in something like a car’s cupholder, but also between sips to keep the coffee as piping hot as possible for as long as possible. The reason it is a stick and not just a tiny nub is so you don’t lose it when you set it aside plus that way it also doubles as a swizzle stick to stir your delicious beverage, if you so desire. The stick is your friend! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Christopher Herbert

    I take it black, like my men. (Sorry, couldn’t resist!)http://youtu.be/cEVTQHiAQRA

    1. Robert Holtz

      Awesome reference! Made my day. Glad you didn’t resist. No apologies necessary.

    2. Andrew Kennedy

      This should be up voted all day in my book. It walks a fine line extremely well!

      1. LE

        I think the “like my men” might actually be a VO and was dubbed in.

    3. LE

      Was just discussing with someone yesterday how when you are doing art, movies, music and news reporting you can say and do things that would never fly otherwise.It’s an interesting dichotomy.

  5. Dave Pinsen

    My usual in warm weather is a quad espresso over ice. At Starbucks, I have them put it in a grande cup, so I get a lot of ice, and have them sprinkle a Splenda on top of the ice, before the shots, so the espresso dissolves it. Then I add a splash of cream.When it’s colder, and I’m at my local Colombian restaurant, I get a “coffee, but stronger”, which is basically a cortado with more espresso and less steamed milk.Re Blue Bottle: I tried their packaged “New Orleans Iced Coffee” yesterday. It was great, but pricey at $5 for a little school lunch milk carton of it. Been a long time since I’ve been to Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans, but I don’t think they charged half that for iced coffee there.Supporting the hipster economy. pic.twitter.com/lb8jvLsWSIโ€” David Pinsen (@dpinsen) July 24, 2014

  6. Antonio Rocha-Ferreira

    You should go to Lisbon, drink real coffee, invest in someone and in the meantime visit one of Lisbons hidden secrets, a Lab for coffee, that holds one of the greatest collections in the world.

    1. Russell

      +1 Lisbon not only has great coffee but the best Patsel de Natas, that make waking up worth while!

      1. awaldstein

        Lisbon rocks if for no other reason that access to the Duoro and my favorite Arenae Colares (http://awe.sm/jKxRE ). And good friends.

    2. fredwilson

      We are making an investment right now in Porto. Not Lisbon but close

      1. Nancy Brito

        Nice to know that, good luck.

      2. Antonio Rocha-Ferreira

        Great, that’s what we need! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Porto/Uptec or Braga?

  7. Khalid

    A hot Coffee with a little milk at 7 am, with a small piece of frisch wheat bread and olive oil is my best ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Sheamus

    I like short, intense espresso-based coffee as well. If you like the Cortado, try a Piccolo sometime, Fred. I find they’re not as common but just as satisfying – not quite as intensive, but more like a small flat white/macchiato, with a bit more oomph.All that said, you can’t beat a good cup of basic black Joe in the morning.

  9. jason wright

    http://www.sohohouseberlin.de/swanky. the pool looks cool.I was watching a recent interview with John Le Carre last night. He wrote Tinker….and he said that he wrote the book so long ago that for him it’s now “cold coffee”. It’s the only coffee anecdote i can contribute to this ff as i don’t drink coffee. I’ve never understood this coffee culture thing. It’s seems like just another strand of the global drugs trade, but legal.p.s. take a walk down Karl Marx Allee and marvel at a monument to socialist living.

  10. de la Mothe

    Cappuccino, from a vending machine, on rooftop of IQ Hotel in Rome. Heaven.

    1. William Mougayar

      Do me a favor & go visit Taza D’Oro or SanEustachio

      1. de la Mothe

        missed this, on to Florence, any recommendations?

        1. William Mougayar

          Ah sorry don’t know special coffee places in Florence, but if you’re going to Naples, I can recommend some pizza restaurants. Coffee flavors vary from the North to the South of Italy, where it’s progressively slightly more acidic & strong in the south.

  11. WA

    French Press @ home. A bold dark regional roast. When out and about a double espresso, small splash steamed milk and dolup of foam. One of the most artistic with a taste to match was a cappuccino at Cafe Angelique on Bleeker in NYC. Favorite place on the road for afternoon cup is Cafe Trieste in San Francisco and Cafe Demel in Vienna.

    1. SubstrateUndertow

      If you like coffee made in a French Press you might like coffee made in an AeroPress.A cross between a French Press and a hand powered expresso method. Makes great coffee and allows for more control over variables like grind, extraction time and water volume/temperature. It make a great expresso or regular coffee.http://s4.thcdn.com/producthttps://www.youtube.com/wat

  12. David Semeria

    Caffรจ shakerato. Made with crushed ice and vanilla.

    1. Robert Holtz

      Ooh… yummy. And very neat. Like how it is served “up.”

    2. jason wright

      decadent capitalist

    3. JimHirshfield

      Shut up. That’s a Guiness. Can’t fool me with your fancy glass.

    4. RichardF

      that’s a fancy version of the Irish coffee my mother makes. Bet there’s a sneaky whisky in there David ๐Ÿ˜‰

      1. David Semeria

        Irish coffee is one my favourite beverages Richard. It was invented to calm the stomachs of passengers on transatlantic sea planes during the Irish stopover.However, it’s quite different from caffรจ shakerato which is ice cold and contains no alcohol — even though it’s made in a cocktail shaker. The white head is simply the foam formed from vigorous shaking.

        1. RichardF

          It looks delicious!!

          1. David Semeria

            It is!

        2. JLM

          .I love a coffee in a huge mug with kahlua, bailey’s, grand marnier. I drink this in the evenings when skiing. It makes me ski better the next day.I think.JLM.

          1. Mac

            All 3? Does it come with a name?Any room for the coffee or is that the idea?

          2. JLM

            .Just a half shot of each and a full shot of the grand marnier. A big, big coffee mug is necessary.JLM.

          3. Mac

            It’s now on my bucket list.Mac

          4. David Semeria

            With those ingredients I suspect it just makes you *think* you’re skiing better ๐Ÿ˜‰

          5. Donna Brewington White

            How about a little coffee with your …

    5. Paul Sanwald

      I’m not sure if I could get with a martini glass in the morning, but that looks like a fantastic early evening summer coffee!

      1. Robert Holtz

        That was my favorite part of his recipe. How could you NOT have a fantastic day if you start it with a martini glass in your hand?

  13. Mac

    A moth stops by an all night drugstore and asks the pharmacist: “How much is a cup of coffee?” “We don’t serve coffee. Why’d you come in here?” asked the pharmacist. “Your light was on”, said the moth.

  14. Tanya-Jayne Park

    can’t post a picture today as I’m drinking tea (like a true brit girl!) however like you I can only have one coffee a day and I make sure it’s a Flat White.

  15. Guest

    The caffeine curve…

    1. Robert Holtz

      That was funny… I wish you weren’t anonymous. <shrug> ๐Ÿ™‚

    2. ShanaC

      I’ve had that much coffee in a day. I fainted from it, and couldn’t hold my hands straight for hours. By 5 cups, depending on the roast and how your brew, you will be developing a mild case of caffeine poisoning.)

      1. FAKE GRIMLOCK

        5 CUPS? THAT GOOD START.

        1. Robert Holtz

          If Fake Grimlock doesn’t get enough coffee, someone is getting eaten. ๐Ÿ˜€

        2. Glen Hellman

          FG, do you take yours black or with Bacon?

  16. Robert Holtz

    First time I experienced siphoned coffee was at the Blue Bottle in San Francisco at the edge of what has become Mint Plaza. Here was this miracle in the middle of the darkest underbelly of SF but it was truly amazing. I’ve since bought the gear to make them myself and they’ve become indispensable. They have a more mainstream location at the Ferry Building. They also have a Los Angeles location in the museum district. Never been to the one in Manhattan but I imagine its great. I am going to have to try that Cortado because that’s the perfect combination of ingredients for me.I’m a sucker for good strong espresso and hot steamed milk.Before siphoning, my favorite by far for many years was Illy. A cappuccino or caffe latte with Illy is very hard to beat. There are restaurants that serve it that I strongly favor.Illy also makes a packaged drink collection called Illy Issimo. My favorite flavor is Latte Macchiato. Very smooth. Pure Arabica so it is subtle and delicate but has that punch that I believe coffee should. Fantastic cold or on ice.Speaking of iced coffee, when I really want that kind of thing, I still haven’t found anything that surpasses a good ol’ Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino. It get it with an added shot of espresso which I think is necessary to get the right balance on that drink. I know Starbucks is the Disney World of the coffee places now but I got hooked on iced blendeds by way of Starbucks and when it comes to a cold icy coffee concoction, I still think they’re tough to beat.I’ve heard good things about that Intelligentsia. I’m gonna have to check that out soon.Anyone else been seeing all these online adverts for Caffe Bene? This is a South Korean company that seems to be growing like wildfire. Haven’t tried them yet but I’m curious.

    1. Dave Pinsen

      Illy has nice looking steel cans.

      1. JimHirshfield

        That sounds lewd.

  17. laurie kalmanson

    In NYC in olden days, light, no sugar, in the iconic amohora cup — see photoTravels; Coffee Messiah, in Seattle, now closed, had a coin box in the bathroom that, when fed, played “disco inferno”Starbucks made the market for the way we drink coffee now, even though its hometown dislikes it for competing with local independents — tall in a grande cup at the airport please, thank you — lots of room for milkAlso — broke student on spring break in Paris from a semester in London — drinking a bowl of cafe au lait with a baguette for breakfast before walking around the city all dayNow — pour over to go cup at home in the morning; red eye later wherever

    1. laurie kalmanson

      The amphora cuphttp://wearehappytoserveyou…

      1. laurie kalmanson

        Whole foods and trade joe both sell premade coffee concentrate that I am not above keeping a bottle of in the fridge — just add milk and water — if mornings are too early / too rushed (back to school will soon be upon us) for the pour over ritual

      2. fredwilson

        that’s awesome

        1. Russell

          Let’s take it back to the old school, Let’s take it to Union Square!-Set it off by Greg Nice in 1995A classic to share with Josh if he doesn’t already have it!

    2. laurie kalmanson

      The amphora cuphttp://en.m.wikipedia.org/w…

    3. ShanaC

      they make a ceramic version of that cup ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. laurie kalmanson

        yes, i have a set; they are quite heavy and hold heat almost too well

  18. Ken Greenwood

    French press Jamaican style in the summer…fresh ground dark roast…add a home grown dried crushed chili pepper and a stick of cinnamon…great iced or not, but with organic soy milk. Cheers!

  19. mikenolan99

    Fresh ground homemade Coffee in a mug with a bit of cream… Never quite jumped into the $4 coffee phenomenon. Except in Melbourne… For some reason those local shops are the best lattes I’ve ever had.

  20. Andrew Kennedy

    Black if hot, a little sugar and Milk if iced

  21. sgleahy

    “I like my sugar with coffee & cream.” – Beastie Boys, “Intergalactic”

  22. Tom Labus

    At home, whipped milk, a little sugar in a thick cup. Glass of water or two with it.

  23. William Mougayar

    Fred- did you know that technically, there’s a difference between the Cortado and Gibraltar? Gibraltar is 1 part milk 2 parts coffee, whereas the Cortado is 50/50. And it’s also called Antoccino in Italy (50/50) or Cafe Noisette in France.As for me, I’ve had a long lasting love affair with coffee. My particularities are too many to name here. But here’s what I make most mornings at home, with my own Capresso hand operated espresso machine, with freshly grounded selected beans: His and Hers. I take the Cortado, and the Cappucino is for my wife.The best coffee I’ve had? Sant’Eustachio in Rome, a very old coffee shop and torrefazione. http://www.santeustachioilc… I would kill to have their beans flown to me today.And here’s my Foursquare list of favorite Coffee shops in Toronto https://foursquare.com/wmou

    1. pointsnfigures

      Italy has the best coffee in the world I think. But, I am in Turkey at Christmas and can’t wait to try theirs

      1. William Mougayar

        Turkish coffee is great (and very strong). Get one of these pots & start practicing drinking it ๐Ÿ˜‰

    2. pointsnfigures

      where does the Mayor get his coffee? I’ll have what he’s having!

  24. Chris O'Donnell

    I had to quit coffee a few years ago so I make do with tea served black with sugar. Yeah, I know. My life sucks ๐Ÿ˜‰

    1. LE

      I had to quit coffee a few years agoGerd? Or another reason?

    2. ShanaC

      Not if you get great quality tea ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. Chris O'Donnell

        Indeed! Loose leaf only at home. Bags at work, because I’m lazy.

  25. levnaginsky

    During the summer, I love Intelligentsia’s iced coffee or their cappuccino when it’s a little cooler.Here’s my list for Chicago if anyone is interested http://4sq.com/LrlZg3

    1. pointsnfigures

      Lotta South side there. You must be a Sox fan!

  26. awaldstein

    When traveling, its a dopio machiotto (similar to what you get). Basically double expresso with a smidgen of non fat cream. 2 only a day.When home the same, only with my La Pavoni. In my kitchen for 15 years now.

    1. William Mougayar

      Arnold, if it’s a smidgen, why not make it regular fat? Keep the flavors & less processing. I want a Pavone like that when I grow up.

      1. LE

        why not make it regular fat?Agree. Like putting a little bit of half and half vs. much more whole milk. Etc.(Note: This is what I’ve been told and found out anecdotally by my own experience). Fat helps smooth out the sugar load and carbohydrates. An example might be having a bagel w/o cream cheese vs having a bagel with cream cheese. Totally different experience (for me). Having a little fat in something is definitely not bad. Not only that but having the fat smooths out the irritating effects of the coffee for some people. (Now someone with actual knowledge of nutrition can translate what I’ve said above into something that makes more sense).

        1. awaldstein

          Depends on the type of fats. All fats are not equal.

          1. LE

            Can you give an example of the “non fat cream” you are using?

    2. JimHirshfield

      My parents got one of these in the 1960’s when we lived in Italy. I think it’s in my brother’s house now. Old school.

      1. awaldstein

        seriously old school but makes great coffee. will probably never change this one habit.

        1. JimHirshfield

          Ya gotta stick with what works.

      2. LE

        Actually, truth be told nothing is better than shiva urn coffee when someone dies. Not to mention all you can eat lox.

  27. Kyle Van Pelt

    Fred is a man after my own heart. Cortado is the way to go!!If it’s not espresso, black single origin coffee from Ethiopia is perfect.

    1. fredwilson

      nice!

  28. pointsnfigures

    We have had a Saeco machine at home forever. Make it and drink both regular cups of coffee and one latte per day. Sometimes I will drink straight shots of espresso, no sugar. If I have to go to a coffee shop, Intelligentsia is great and so is Lavazza. But there is a little one on Adams across from Tesori near the Art Institute that makes fantastic coffee. They use Illy beans. http://acuppaday.tumblr.com… blog on coffee. Been to Blue Bottle in SF and their coffee is pretty damn good. Almost bought a Chemex for home.

  29. Kasi Viswanathan Agilandam

    My day starts with a typical “South-Indian-Filter-Coffee” … here is a sample (not the one I had this morning…but very similar…). U can take it in the glass (called tumbler) or the bigger one (called dabara ).P.S. I used to have it with a Cigarette … but not anymore.

    1. Ro Gupta

      Nice one. Not really a coffee drinker, but if ever near a Saravana Bhavan, it’s a must-order .. any time of day.

      1. Kasi Viswanathan Agilandam

        Saravana Bhavan coffee is really good across its franchise …

  30. Stu

    Fred, you should check out the intelligentsia coffee bar at the high line hotel in NYC.

    1. fredwilson

      I’ve been there a bunch. For some reason it doesn’t work for me like the one in Venice Beach

  31. bsoist

    I’ve only done one selfie my whole life and that was just a week ago and because Terri insisted. :)Monday to Friday I stick to one cup of coffee in the morning – always black. Saturday and Suday I do cream and sugar and enjoy breakfast and cartoons with Terri.Always in one of my favorite mugs. A hand made mug I got from Seth Godin and one my wife ordered online for me.

    1. Guest

      I was adding pictures to my comment and thinking “people seem to complain about pic in Disqus all the time and I never have any trouble” :)but where are my pictures? you see pictures? show me pictures?trying again

    2. laurie kalmanson

      yes, it came with the icarus kickstarter project

  32. Joe Yevoli

    With butter and MCT oil…So good!Try it!

    1. ShanaC

      what does with butter taste like? I usually keep decent butter in the house..so I could try it.

  33. Jeff DiStanlo

    ‘ABK’Anything But Keurig.Such a shame what they have done to coffee.

    1. LE

      My guess is that you weren’t around back in the day of vending machines at college (cup falls followed by the brew) being the only place to get coffee. You can’t even begin to imagine what that was like.

    1. Mac

      Ground?

    2. Russell

      LIKE!

  34. JLM

    .I have been drinking my coffee with coconut oil in it these days. I brew it and then just drop in a spoonful. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature and melts as soon as it hits the hot coffee.I got on this coconut oil kick because I used it to heal and soften some welding scars on my hand. It worked like magic.Seems crazy but it seems to have made my hair more dense and softer all at the same time.It is a little weird which seems to work out because, well, so am I?JLM.

    1. Daksh

      Coconut is used as a hair oil for those very reason reasons you mentioned

      1. pointsnfigures

        My kids are drinking it with butter instead of milk or cream.

        1. Daksh

          Can Coconut hijack Coffee, probably yes. Will, definitely No! Time for a post on ways Coconut is being consumed!?

        2. tgodin

          Saw something similar via Facebook the other day. “Bulletproof” coffee by an outfit named “upgradedself.com”. Mix coffee with at least a teaspoon of their special oil plus 1-2 tablespoons of butter.

      2. JLM

        .I’ve been experimenting with rubbing it into my head after swimming. It makes my scalp feel good. Please don’t tell anyone.JLM.

        1. William Mougayar

          Try skin trip – coconut based lotion. It’s been my aftershave for over 20 years. Made in Boulder, Colorado. Available at wholefoods.

          1. LE

            I’ve come to the conclusion that a nice percentage of the products offered in Whole Foods are from entrepreneur slave labor. People eaking out a small living by selling through WF. (Observation).Entrepreneuer slave labor (my wording) is similar to when you see the kids in the chinese restaurant helping their parents or the small immigrant businesses that work untold hours to make up for low profit margins.

          2. William Mougayar

            That is an amazing product.

        2. Kasi Viswanathan Agilandam

          We (almost 99% of the people living in southern part of India) do it every day after bath….It is believed to keep you cool, make the hair look more black (or shine) etc.,Some part of the southern India (Kerala state) use it for cooking … but never heard of anyone adding it to coffee…. let me try some day.You said that for real or just as part of fun-friday?

      3. ShanaC

        I did that for a while. The only problem was I couldn’t stand the smell.

    2. awaldstein

      Amazing product.I use it for my cooking oil along with lots more.

      1. Kasi Viswanathan Agilandam

        Yes. It adds a special flavor when u fry the onion and other frying items with coconut oil while cooking….but never heard of adding it with coffee as JLM describes it….

    3. awaldstein

      This is kinda a takeoff on the Bullet Proof Coffee trend. A lot of people have replaced butter with cocoanut oil as it is simply healthier.LuliTonix, especially the chia line are all about cocoanut.

  35. Chad Kruse

    I used to be a social drinker only when it came to coffee, so I’d follow the lead of whoever I was with. Cortado here, latte there. Somewhere along the lines I ordered a mocha (I was craving dessert), then started working out of coffee shops a bunch. Fast forward two years and 15 lbs and yeah…mocha is my man and I long for the days of social drinking only.

  36. Barry Nolan

    Drinking what can only be described as piss in a Starbucks off Union Square, SF. This is how it makes me feel.Update: And a guy literally just too took a piss against the window. #happyfriday

  37. Jon Michael Miles

    My favorite is a latte from a pied noir french restaurant in Great Falls, VA. Just spectacular. Never found anything like it. Today it’s a Sumatra latte and three panels of the Berlin Wall.

  38. Mario Cantin

    Fred, when you visit Toronto, I would say you ought to check out Crema Coffee (3 locations currently within the city). My personal favorite there is the Caffรฉ Lattรฉ. Even the decaf is awesome.

    1. William Mougayar

      Hi Mario. Are you in Toronto? Incidentally, I went to La Crema yesterday on the Danforth (I knew their Bloor location and love the machine they have there). Sadly, they literally messed up my cortado. I’m mulling putting them on my Toronto Foursquare list, but will need to give them another try first :)https://foursquare.com/wmou…

      1. Mario Cantin

        Hi William, I’ve read many of your comments in the last few months.Yes I live in Toronto.Sorry to hear about your Krema experience.I’ve only been to the Dundas/Quebec Ave. location and my cup has been awesome every time — mind you I stick to caffรฉ lattรฉs generally, but they are the best I’ve ever had. I’ve often made a long detour just so I can go by there. Otherwise I go to Aroma and try to avoid Starbucks as much as possible.

  39. Guest

    This is how I’d like to consume my south indian filter coffee :). Foam filled coffee in a steel glass

  40. leigh

    I’m obsessed with Laotian coffee. My brother visits from SE Asia once every couple years and brings me an entire suitcase filled with it. Tastes like chocolate. I’ve attached a photo of the coffee plantation we stayed at in Laos. OMG most beautiful place on the planet to drink a coffee. I HIGHLY recommend it.

    1. Rob Underwood

      Wow – that sounds great. In 1992 I went to Thailand and got up to Golden Triangle. Through the father of a Thai friend, we got a permit to travel into Burma (Tachileik) for the day, albeit so long as we left our passports on the Thai side for the day. During the whole visit to that area, both on the Thailand side and Burma side, we could see Laos across the Mekong. Since then Laos has always been on my list of places to visit and I’ve never made it there.

      1. leigh

        It’s really really beautiful i have to say. Luang Prabang is completely magical. Next to Jerusalem, one of my fav. places i’ve ever been. Overall, I loved Cambodia more bc of the people (and my brother’s lived there since 92ish so he made an awesome tour guide ๐Ÿ˜‰ but Laos definitely worth going to.

  41. Mel

    Tried what I believe was Intelligentsia coffee here in K.C. Wasn’t terribly impressed, but it could have been the maker not the coffee. Probably my favorite was The Roasterie in KC made in a Clover, prior to Starbucks purchasing Clover. Now I can’t get it at The Roasterie any more, and it makes me sad.

    1. Richard

      The Clover machine rocks.

  42. Guest

    South Indian coffee in a steel glass ๐Ÿ™‚

  43. Guest

    South Indian Filter Coffee ๐Ÿ™‚

  44. jseliger

    CortadoYes. Have you been to Everyman Espresso yetโ€”there is one on 13th street and 3rd Ave. Third Rail is also very good, at 10th Street and 2nd Ave.

    1. fredwilson

      yes, i’ve been to both. i think both are on my list

  45. Michael Liu

    Your quote is how I feel about reading tech blogs. “[I read Techcrunch/Pando etc. once a day]. No more because it makes me wired. No less because Iโ€™m addicted.” I’m glad you post once a day, more time to focus on startup buidling!!

  46. kirklove

    Buvette is my fav cup (they serve La Colombe) – though it’s the surroundings and routine around that cup that heighten it for me.Fav shop is probably Grumpy on Essex.90% I go cappThe pourover I make each morning has become a fav (of Lili’s too) but that’s the entire process at work. It’s become my 10 minutes of mediation.

    1. Richard

      Meditation?

      1. kirklove

        Yeah, I sort of zone out and go into a zen state as corny as it sounds. The ritual of weighing, grinding, then slowly pouring the water. It’s relaxing. Do my best thinking or more apt no thinking most times during that 10 mins. It’s quite peaceful.

    2. fredwilson

      i like the latte at Buvette. but you know that

  47. Pramod Dikshith

    South India Filter Coffee in a Steel Glass ๐Ÿ™‚

  48. Richard

    One of the short comings of third wave coffee shops is that smokers show up on their patios. Starbucks again showed the world that they are the google /amazon of coffee by prohibiting smoking on their outdoor patios. Moreover, they have new specialty single cup coffee brewers and reserve beans (try the bean from Malawi) that competes with any pour over.

    1. LE

      When did Starbucks start doing that? Although I haven’t seen any smokers this year I remember last year seeing smokers at the local one.

      1. Richard

        It’s been at least 18 months. US business growth in the US is still in the double digits. This is a trend that should continue. Id like to see select non smoking streets in major cities. It’s bizarre that its taking this long to put an end to public smoking (irrefutable evidence on the effects of 2nd hand smoke). Starbucks retail culture, given their size, is nothing short of amazing. Talk about a platform of highly engaged users!!

  49. Adam Greenberg

    A cappuccino, like this from El Beit in Williamsburg.

  50. Paul Sanwald

    I think I drink too much coffee and would like to cut down. in the mornings, I have a large mug, I like regular coffee because I like spending all morning at work nursing a cup of coffee. I have very pedestrian taste in coffee, my favorite brand is cafe bustelo. I really like strong, bitter coffee. I far prefer bustelo to any stumptown I’ve tried.In the afternoon, after lunch, I pull a shot of espresso because my company subleases space from StackExchange and the espresso machine is too nice not to take advantage of.In the evening, around 5 or 6, generally another cup of coffee or a shot of espresso.Coffee doesn’t really keep me awake, or help me wake up in particular, I just happen to really enjoy it.

  51. Josh Gordon

    For those coffee addicts, i bumped into a new app called cups – $85/month for unlimited coffee in dozens of coffee shops in NYC – clever idea.

    1. LE

      That sounds like a decent idea how is that working do you know?

  52. tw

    Luckily we have a world class espresso master here in Vancouver (Brian Turko of Milano Coffee Roasters). Any given afternoon you can pick from 5-6 different espresso blends, 4 of which have won gold medals in international competitions.So 2 cups of drip, black in the morning, and 2-3 espressos (preferably out of the Austrian Scharff espresso machine) in the afternoon.

  53. MicErnest

    I drink all kinds of coffee, anything except it’s decaf. ‘neway I drink black coffee more often than any other kind, but never discriminate on lattes, cappuccinos etc.Recently I took a trip and had the best French coffee ever it was so memorable, and good Lord that sweet aroma!

  54. Elia Freedman

    I apparently am alone here, but I don’t like coffee. Just another example of how I don’t fit in. (And I live in Portland, where people aspire to be baristas!)

    1. Rob Underwood

      Maine or Oregon?

      1. Elia Freedman

        Oregon.

    2. ShanaC

      hahahahaha

  55. Mila Kantcheva

    Espresso straight from my desk, via Nespresso Pixie. 1 or 2 cups a day, longer shot for the afternoon. My choice this morning was the Roma capsule.

  56. LE

    Anyone who hasn’t tried Starbucks Via Refreshers (green coffee extract with flavors) has to. An excellent boost of energy, tastes good, low calorie they are really good.

  57. ShanaC

    I’ve discovered my coffee preferences change every 9ish months or so. Right now I am switching (slowly) to home made cold brew for the summer. Before that, it was black coffee, and before that, it was coffee with a touch of half and half (but I was the only one drinking the half and half, and over 65% of a pint would go bad. And I can’t find half pints of organic half and half… ๐Ÿ™ ) There are some occasions, mainly if I have a decaf cup later in the day socially, that I will add turbinado sugar. (Or if I have a cortado)Recently, I’ve been trying to blend my own coffee from different beans and roasts that porto rico sells. I’m trying to mimic the best cup of coffee I ever had: A french pressed cup from Cafe Sarbusky at the Neue Gallery. They use Julius Miehl coffee from Vienna, one of the world’s best and oldest roasters (but they are ridiculously pricey) Those Viennese know how to bring out the best in coffee. Third wave roasters, like stumptown, ritual, or blue bottle, tend to be on the light side of roasting, and the coffee can be very acidic (which can make for a sad stomach). Haven’t quite got there yet – it still is a tad over-roasted and not quite the right blend.I also only drink one cup of coffee a day. After that, I switch to tea, and usually rebrew* the same tea.*second and third lees of tea have 0 caffeine.

    1. ShanaC

      (oh, and because I am out of coffee at home, my coffee of the day is a cup of coffee with half and half from the local third wave coffee shop, Kinship Coffee Coop http://www.kinshipcoffee.com )

      1. Mac

        As I have long suspected, AVC women will walk on the wild side.Mac

        1. ShanaC

          that we do ๐Ÿ˜‰

          1. Mac

            knew it….:-)

  58. Rob Underwood

    I read this post as I was about to cross Flatbush and after my cup of coffee at home. Best I could do for a “selfie” was this photo of Hungry Ghost. Hungry Ghost, along with Gorilla, make an excellent latte, which is my stand-by. I probably tend to Gorilla more, and that’s where I get my beans as well.I also love a good flat white, which is not as common to find in NYC, though sometimes you can get one on request. Toby’s, around the corner both my office (and Fred’s), fortunately does one, and does one well.

    1. fredwilson

      i meet my daughter at hungry ghost for coffee before doing the loop in prospect park

      1. Rob Underwood

        Try Gorilla (either the new one on Bergen near Flatbush, or the original around corner on Park Pl and 5th) sometime — I’d be curious what you think. My verdict is the latte and capp is better at Hungry Ghost, but for overall coffee and bean quality, I give the nod to Gorilla.Cafe Regular du Nord on 7th & Berkeley is also cool and worth a visit; also on way to / near PP.

  59. LE

    Your list of coffee shops reminds me of what I will call “the hobby shop effect”. Back when I used to fly Gas RC there was a hobby shop located about an hour from where I lived. There was a whole joy in thinking about going there, going there, browsing there, picking up parts and things you didn’t really need, driving back with the booty. It put me in a happy zone and the happy zone extended before and after the actual visit and was way more than the actual act of what you achieved at the store.Since I don’t shop for clothes (I don’t like clothes shopping is why) I’d imagine that this is similar to what women experience when they are buying and planning to buy clothes. Or when you plan a ski trip. It’s not all about going down the slope (to wit: JLM and his evening drink). [1][1] I remember as a kid my parents planning a trip to Miami Beach this was back when flying wasn’t as common as it is today (park had just opened). I remember how happy I was in anticipation of the trip almost more so than when I was actually there. (Like sex sometimes…)

  60. Robert Heiblim

    I know your drink as a Macchiato the name which means “stain” in Italian as the steamed milk “stains” the espresso. The name has been abused by Starbucks and others, but I used to get it in the original Peets where those guys worked. I prefer an Americano which is coffee with one or more espresso shots. No milk or sugar for me.

    1. fairweatherfan

      HI Robert, the two drinks are very similar and the difference between a Cortado and a Macchiato is not always apparent from a photo. Both have a “stain” of steamed milk in the espresso. A proper Macchiato uses milk that is freshly steamed and, therefore, “airy” such as would be used to make a Cappuccino while a Cortado is identical but would use steamed that has separated from the foam such as would be used in a latte.

  61. Mac

    I now see I’ve been traveling in the wrong circles. I haven’t heard of half of these. My ‘Java du jour’ has been 7-Eleven’s flavor of the day for way too long. Thanks everyone.Mac

  62. daryn

    Never sugar. Usually black. An americano unless I know there’s good drip. An occasional treat is a macchiato.No selfie today ๐Ÿ™‚

  63. Kirsten Lambertsen

    I make my own very strong Americano at home, hot or iced depending on the weather, using good ol’ Medaglia D’Oro ($5 a can!).http://www.medagliadoro.com…When out, we have a chain in Jersey called Rook that I like (and it’s logo is a crow, which seals it for me right there).http://www.rookcoffeeroaste

    1. fredwilson

      nice photo

    2. george

      Wow, great find!

  64. ncxkomo

    I never drank coffee-based drinks until I lived above Cafe Pedlar in Cobble Hill. They serve Stumptown and do a fantastic job, to the point of making me an avid cappuccino drinker. That one is still my favorite.

  65. george

    Thanks for mentioning the west coast Fred, there are some good ones out here. Americano is my fav, and there’s no place like making it at home…

  66. George Courtsunis

    First pot is ground fine on the knee mill. If I need a wake-me-up in the afternoon, second pot is the french press, course grind. Starbucks profitable ๐Ÿ™‚

  67. matthughes

    I don’t drink coffee.But I did spot this terrific Tour de France painting the other day (painted with coffee):

    1. matthughes

      With attachment:

      1. Kasi Viswanathan Agilandam

        Nice one …cyclists served with coffee on the run.

  68. Kristen Luciani

    I’m going to open myself up to a great deal of ridicule by admitting this but…I drink Folgers. That’s right. INSTANT. 3 cups a day. Maybe more if it’s a rough one. I heap in the sugar and Coconut Creme Coffee-mate. And it’s perfection. ๐Ÿ™‚

  69. Donna Brewington White

    I couldn’t offer a presentable selfie until AFTER I’ve had my caffeine

  70. jason wright

    just another imperialist commodity.

  71. tw

    Now that I’m in the cafe I am reminded of something you latte lovers might want to try: an Italian latte (that’s what it was called).Pour the espresso, add 10% cream on top cold leaving room at the top. Next step: steam the cream and the espresso together.Warning: so good you may never go back.

  72. laurie kalmanson

    dinner at a vietnamese place: legacy of colonialism/french filter coffee with condensed milk, hot or cold

  73. howardlindzon

    I drink my one coffee right after I take my ambien…its my little living on the edge shtick

    1. LE

      Nyquil is a fine sleep aid btw. After recognizing this for years myself, apparently the drug mfg. figured it out as well because now they market it as a separate product just for sleep.If you really want to jack yourself up (and get some work done) using OTC drugs try sudafed instead of provigil. (I don’t do either I’m just mentioning it..) I always wondered why I had such a great day at work when I was sick and sudafed is the reason (or dayquil a good subsitute..)

  74. FAKE GRIMLOCK

    DARK, HOT, AND MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

    1. DarkStarGratefulDead

      I drink the hot coffee in two ways: 1) hot milk with instant coffee -“Nescafรฉ”(6 spoons), or 2) hot coffee, made in a coffee pot (with real coffee that comes from “smashed” coffee grains), & that hot coffee that I have made in the coffee pot, mixed with little hot milk. If I drink “Instant hot coffee”, I put the “Instant coffee” in the mug after having heated the milk in the microwave. I like coffee with a lot of caffeine.:)

    2. Efraรญn รlvarez

      Like black Coffee, organic and healthy

  75. johnmccarthy

    On vacation in Montana today, couldn’t find an open place with a decent cup of coffee. Truly a first-world problem as my daughter reminded me. Yet damn have I been off the beam today because of it.

  76. goldwerger

    Pure, pristine, rich, super high-quality double espresso…. with me as the barista on my own La Marzocco (+ Mazzer Mini grinder)… preferably with super fresh Oren’s Daily Roast’s “La Minita Costa Rica” beans…https://vine.co/v/b2uOriDZiOr

    1. William Mougayar

      Looks really nice. That’s a serious duo.

      1. goldwerger

        thanks ๐Ÿ™‚

  77. DonRyan

    With just a splash of milk. Not cream. Not half and half. Milk (perferabley whole).

  78. shareme

    in Berlin an no club mate instead? Its better than coffee

  79. Glen Hellman

    Black with 2 shots of espresso every day for over 20 years so much so that if I go 24 hours without caffeine, I get nauscious and powerful painful headaches.

    1. fredwilson

      me too. in fact, i took an 8 hour flight from Berlin today and i don’t like to drink coffee before or during flights so by the time i landed in Newark, my head was throbbing

  80. RenataBliss

    thank you Fred. I took a big detour today to Stumptown Coffee Roasters specifically because it looked so good in your photo, and it was the best coffee of my life. It was a double ristretto latte in a glass. Every day, on almost every street in Sydney there is a coffee that is almost as good as this one. But this really was ‘the best’

  81. Nicholas Marx

    Is a Cortado/Girbralter ever called a macchiato? Sounds the same: espresso marked with just a little milk.

    1. fredwilson

      a cortado sits between a macchiato and a cappucino on the spectrum of less milk to more milk

  82. Carl Rahn Griffith

    Caffeine jolt-o-rama … a friend posted me this clipping back in 1990 – how we shared clippings back then, kids, pre email, lol. Been in my wallet every day ever since ๐Ÿ™‚

  83. S.F.

    Adding one more to your list, Bluestone Lane Coffee, an Aussie cafe chain with locations on Board Stree, Fidi and a new location at Greenwich and Perry, W. V.. Try the Flat White with almond milk (they use Califia almond milk, the best!). In case you don’t know what is flat white, it is basically double espresso + microfoam (smaller in volume than a cappucino). So I suspect it might be very similar to Cortado. As always, the best espresso drink I have had is homemade ๐Ÿ™‚ I used 4 espresso short and a splash of almond foam. I have at least two of these every day.

  84. Marissa_NYx

    Melbourne has been ranked as the best city in the world for coffee. Not only coffee, but for tech startups. Check out who the city’s graduates are:

    1. Marissa_NYx

      The coffee in the photo is a flat white, from Market Lane cafe at Melbourne’s Prahran Market. This place is one of the best in town. The team at Market Lane use unhomogenised full cream milk. No skinny lattes or caps here, no ice coffees and no hot chocolates available either, only milk based coffee, espressos and drop based coffee brews. They also roast their own on site. Branches located at the Vic Market and in my home strip in Carlton.My other favourite is Seven Seeds in Carlton, although I’m not sure if Mark (founder of St Ali and Liar Liar) still owns it – this guy is incredible , truly passionate about his coffee “startup” businesses, he has launched so many & has set the bar high in this city of coffee snobs. Mark even flies his single source coffee grower/s from South America to Melbourne so they can see the full cycle from coffee seed to coffee sip (!). I remember when I started out a few yrs ago, suggesting to him that it would be cool to rent out his warehouse at night to run my startup and return it to him in mint conditionImagine travelling the world just for coffee business, trying different brews, going to visit & negotiate with coffee growers & meeting other like minded business owners at coffee conventions

  85. leapy

    Bit late to the party. Turkish coffee at my in-laws.

  86. Mark Essel

    Years ago I was a regular at Dunkin Donuts grabbing 2-4 iced coffees a day, I still see all the old crew now managing different stores around the area. Now I prefer to brew Dunkin Donuts french vanilla flavor at home, and put the pot in the fridge for iced coffee on demand. A little vanilla soy and brown sugar for sweetness or nestles quick if I prefer a cocoa after taste.If I’m commuting that day, I’ll get a large iced coffee with a little strawberry flavoring and skim at the Ronkonkoma station deli with breakfast.In NY it’s hard to resist the cold brewed tap on the 9th floor of our office in the IAC building during the summer. It’s incredibly strong – dubbed crack coffee. It doesn’t matter what you put in the coffee as it tastes like jet fuel either way.

  87. shenborn216

    Nice one. Not really a coffee drinker, but if ever near a Saravana Bhavan, it’s a must-order .. any time of day

  88. smiley3869

    Not Sweet … But a bit blonde ๐Ÿ˜‰

  89. Daniel

    Nice!

  90. sddffljjhg

    What’s the purpose of that stick – I never got that.

  91. megamfox

    This should be up voted all day in my book. It walks a fine line extremely well!

  92. ilusifar

    If Fake Grimlock doesn’t get enough coffee, someone is getting eaten

  93. bsoist

    I remembered it right away. ๐Ÿ™‚

  94. fredwilson

    we can continue to have this discussion forever!

  95. bsoist

    anyway you can see the mug Terri got me in last year’s comment :)http://avc.com/2013/05/fun-…

  96. bsoist

    pics are showing now – now you and I have pics all over this place :)just deleted my second comment – had the pics twice – oops!

  97. ShanaC

    hehehe

  98. Kirsten Lambertsen

    the new logo ๐Ÿ™‚

  99. fredwilson

    yesssssss

  100. Kasi Viswanathan Agilandam

    I remember seeing this pic years ago and made it to the top on that post.creative.

  101. LE

    The haptic feedback dc inverter filter at disqus always does that. At the very least it should (this is a suggested btw Jim) let you know that the picture is being processed and will appear in x minutes.

  102. JimHirshfield

    image uploads can take a sec, a min…depends.

  103. LE

    can take a sec, a min…dependsSame with sex, eh?Well then ask the guys with the beanie hats why it isn’t happening in real time and get it fixed. Because it used to happen in real time and it can be fixed. Or at least expectations can be managed. [1]At the very least if you know that an image upload can take “up to 2 minutes” for example “80 % of the time” you then put a message that says that and then if it takes shorter the customer is pleasantly surprised and you have manage expectations appropriately.Simply giving no feedback at all is not good. How do you (not you but your company) figure it’s ok to not give any progress info? They did that back in the 70’s.By the way in case you are filtering because people are using disqus as a spam host for images you can still treat some animals differently than other animals.[1] Have you ever noticed when you call a phone company or the electric company they overshoot estimates? Even though they are making the changes in real time they come out ahead by exceeding expectations.