Eating Boston: Barrington Coffee Company

Dear friends, I am writing to you from the lovely city of....

BOSTON!

I'm here for a workshop/conference, and the days have been so incredibly packed that the only time to explore is first thing in the morning. Lucky for me, that means that I can watch a sunrise while drinking coffee on the harbor.

I wandered around this morning, and found a hole-in-the-wall restaurant called "Top Secret Sandwiches" at the end of the Boston Fish Pier. I was so excited, and was hoping to grab a bite there tomorrow, but alas, it just closed its doors. Still, I wonder what a top secret sandwich tastes like...

Boats were just coming in while I went in search of coffee...

Barrington Coffee has a reputation for being one of the best roasters on the east coast, and is known for its high-scoring roasts and dedication to ethically sourced coffee. So I had to find it and get my fill!

The sign may have made it easy to find, even for someone who gets as pathetically lost as me.

The shop is minimalist in terms of decor, which was a bit off-putting at first, as I wasn't sure I had walked into the right shop-- that is, until I smelled the coffee.

I ordered a simple iced coffee, which is my go-to summer drink. It's also how I gauge whether coffee is good (yes, I'm a snob)-- if I have to add cream and sugar to it, then chances are it's been way over roasted (at least for my taste). 

The coffee here was no joke. The best I've had in a while. I didn't have to add anything to it-- in fact, I didn't want to. The roast they used had chocolatey undertones, and the brew was sweet enough naturally that it felt downright decadent. Good enough to get me through last minute readings for the workshop early in the morning.



Truth? It was so good that I went back and told other conference attendees about it while standing around the break time buffet complaining about the hotel coffee. I kept talking about the coffee so much that I'm pretty sure one girl wanted to punch me....

I picked up a pound of a lightly roasted single-origin bean to bring home as a souvenir. I know I'll be back there tomorrow-- and may have to stock up.