Heavenly Cup Espresso

I got it into my head that I wanted to do coffee shop reviews sooner, rather than later. If I wanted this blog to get even a little traction, I had to provide value for the time invested...which means more than pimping Folger's Black Silk. So I decided it was time to strike out, and unearth some of the lesser known gems in the caffeinated world.

So I punched in my address on Google Maps. I told it to look for coffee shops nearby. I got back, quite a few Starbucks. A ridiculous amount. There was a sprinkling of Tim Hortons, a couple Dunkin Donuts, and more Starbucks. To paraphrase the Talking Heads, these were not the gems I was looking for.

So I kept going down the list. And I found this promising name: "Heavenly Cup Espresso." I clicked on it, found out it was in uptown Westerville (just up the road in my fair village).

The website was nice. Someone put a lot of effort into it, put a lot of information out there, and I appreciate when someone does that for me. I personally found the greeting page to be a little cheesey, a little too welcoming. I read it a few times and started to feel a lil intimidated about visiting the shop. But I did go, and I'm very glad I did.

If you're not familiar with uptown Westerville, you find Heavenly Cup Espresso by pulling off I-270 onto OH-3 North and keep driving. Soon the suburban sprawl slows to a 25 mph zone, and you're in a Rockwell downtown scene. Walls of two story buildings line both sides of the street, with shops selling antiques, flowers, and even insurance flashing their wares at you from pictures windows on the ground floor. In the middle of this oasis of Mom and apple pie, we find the espresso we came for.

You enter the shop through a door cut into the corner of the building, and before you even step in the building looks cool. It used to be a hotel, and now it's part Heavenly Cup, part art gallery, and part gunshop. The space Heavenly Cup calls home is small. After you get past how small the room is, you start to realize it's hip. Heavenly Cup is a neat mix of old timey charm (the walls, floor, counter etc all look like they would fit in with the original architect's plan) and cool modern vibe (menu done up in multi-colored chalk, tables and chairs mis-matched with tile mosaic tops, the walls covered in art on loan from the next door David Meyers gallery). If you've ever been to Burlington, VT or Manitou Springs, CO and enjoyed yourself, you'll feel right at home.

You'll also like this place if you enjoy baked goods. The front of the counter is covered in cookies, bagels, biscotti, muffins, cake, and cinnamon rolls that make you forget about the coffee...almost. Their website speaks highly of the pumpkin cookies with cream cheese icing...Sarah and I tried one, and it was well worth the $1.50 we spent. If that cookie is any indicator of the overall quality of Heavenly Cup's bakery, then this is a perfect place to pop in for a light breakfast or afternoon snack.

I'd never heard of the blend of coffee Heavenly Cup serves (Kaladi Brothers Coffee of Alaska) but after trying it, I can call myself a tentative fan. I didn't go for a straight espresso drink, because after I saw the selection of Torani syrups my sweet tooth wouldn't let me. However, the coffee asserted itself through the flavor, and it takes a serious blend to make itself known over Torani flavoring. And yes, the shop DOES smell like coffee.

I tried a small "frosted shortbread" latte ($3.25 for 12oz) which had vanilla and cheesecake flavors; absolutely delicious. Sarah had the "pumpkin cheesecake" latte, and after a few sips she remarked, "I could totally drink this every day." And Sarah, for the record, can't stand coffee. $4.50 will get you the 20oz large, which is good to me when you consider the quality. They offered everything on the menu in decaf, as well as hot chocolate and cider options for the non-coffee fans. They also had a selection of sugar-free options when it came to Torani drinks for those of us keeping an eye on the sugar intake.

Like I said, the space is small...but they do offer free wifi, and have three 2-person tables where you can camp out and knock out your homework or coffee blog post. When we walked in there was a tutoring session going on in one corner, with a pair of ladies catching up in the opposite corner. Both groups looked as if they'd been settled for some time when we arrived. The lady friends decided to leave after more people arrived behind Sarah and I, a sign that I took to mean regular patrons are sensitive to sharing the limited atmosphere. Maybe not the place to drag the whole posse, but perfect for a date or meeting up with a friend or two.

If you're ever in the North of Columbus, I'd definitely make a stop in to Heavenly Cup Espresso, and enjoy yourself a tasty treat in a truly neat space!