Coffee connection

A tour of local coffeehouses

by Margaret LeRoux

I recently spent a few days in Seattle, a city with many attributes, not the least of them being access to great coffee. The smell of it wafts over the city; you can't walk a block in any direction without finding cappuccino bars. Everywhere you look people are going about their business with a coffee mug or takeout cup in hand.

I flew home on a caffeine buzz of my own and compared downtown Seattle, where there's so much going on, to downtown Worcester, where there's not. Do you suppose there's a connection? If coffeehouses were on every corner, would Worcester's population be stimulated into action? Could caffeine be the missing ingredient in plans to revitalize downtown?

If coffee is the answer, we clearly have a challenge ahead of us. Searching for a Seattle-like experience in Worcester, I found only five genuine coffeehouses. Perhaps we'll see that coffee connection at work after all.

Probably the most popular spot to be seen sipping coffee in Worcester is Caffé Dolce on Shrewsbury Street. A couple of friends and I stopped in around eight o'clock on a recent Friday and snagged the last table in the cramped, non-smoking area. Caffé Dolce's decor -- marble-topped tables, tile floors, walls sponge-painted to look like frescoes -- and the chain smokers in the main seating area give the cafe its European feel.

Specialties here include caffé shamrock ($4.50) with a shot of Irish whiskey, and the namesake caffé dolce ($4.75) with Kahlua, brandy, Bailey's, and Amaretto. Our favorite desserts are chocolate sabayan ($4.25), dark chocolate mousse on a thin cake layer, and there's ricotta mousse pie ($3.95), which is rich and vanilla flavored. One of the specials, fallen chocolate cake ($4.75), was dry and dense.

The Java Hut, on Main Street near Webster Square, is a second home to many students. It's furnished with couches as well as tables and chairs; place your order at the counter and settle yourself into the cushions to visit with friends, to read the paper, or to listen to good music (often live) and poetry readings.

If you're in desperate need of caffeine, try the Psycho Blast: nine shots of espresso for $9.99. According to Java Hut owner Roberta Surro, it's one of the more popular items on the menu.

The Java Hut offers an extensive menu of salads, soups -- cheese tortellini ($2.35 a cup; $4.25 a bowl) is a winner -- pizza, and homemade desserts. Don't miss the tiramisu ($3.85).

I sought out the Bean Counter on a chilly, rainy afternoon and found a warm, welcoming atmosphere as well as the best slice of pound cake ($2) since Mom's. This time I tried chai tea ($1.95); though spicy, it's a little too sweet for me.

The Bean Counter's green and white color scheme is soothing, and the tables are spaced far enough apart, so you don't have to hear all the details of your neighbor's love affair. I can imagine spending a leisurely morning with the paper or writing in a journal with a cup of coffee and one of the shop's delicious brownies ($2).

The youngest coffee fans in the city congregate at Coffee Kingdom on Richmond Avenue. From after school through the evening hours tables are filled with chess players. I liked the strength of Coffee Kingdom's decaf latte ($2.20); so many places serve decaf weak. Desserts include brownies, muffins, and a very good slice of cinnamon coffee cake ($2).

The coolest new coffee spot in Worcester is Cool Beans on Green Street. With a lime green and periwinkle blue color scheme and a juke box, a couple of sofas and a handful of tables, the scene is set for lively conversation. A friend and I stopped in for lunch, when the crowd is more staid. The menu includes salads -- a not overly large Caesar ($3.50) was tasty -- and sandwiches. Tuna wrap ($3.25) was the recommendation by our waitress. But don't forget to try homemade cookies, muffins, and a wicked cappuccino cheesecake ($3.25).

A short drive to Marlborough will bring you to Starbucks, as close to the Seattle coffee experience as you'll get in New England. There's always a long line on a weekday mornings. A friend and I visited on an afternoon when there were no crowds but, alas, no scones left from the morning rush. My favorite Starbucks indulgence is their maple frosted scone ($1.50) with a latte grande ($3). This time we shared a flaky croissant ($1.25) and a caramel apple bar ($1.75).