Coffee in Utica!

Well, like all towns we have Dunkin Donuts and other donut places with pretty darned good coffee. Holland Farms has been voted best of the best forever.

Well, that's all and good, but for someone like me who enjoys latte's and cappucino's that are made with espresso from fresh ground coffee beans and the milk (or soy milk) is steamed to the correct temp and poured together in the right way. That is wonderful...and oh so decadent. About 4-5 years ago Cafe Domenico opened on Genesee Street, it's only a couple of blocks from my house. That wasn't a good thing for awhile there because I was stopping every morning for a latte and a scone and it was costing me more for that than gas (this was when gas was 1/2 what it is now). So, I stopped going daily and now it's a treat when I do go. Actually I went there tonight and enjoyed a latte, while trying to work on my next speech for Toastmasters.

But I do have a new favorite place! Tramontane Cafe - it just seems more relaxing and homey to me. Robin - the owner or one of the owners - has been in the coffee and food business for a long time - and she does it well. She used to own the Virgo Bat and Leo Phrog coffee house on North Genesee Street back in the late 90's early 00's. (I know I am getting some of this wrong - please let me know the 'real' story) Tramontane does lunches - homemade soups, special sandwiches, quiches - and yummy baked goods. Not to mention the wonderful hot coffee, latte's, cappuccino's etc... They offer specials for Vegans and Vegetarians.

So, while we don't have a Starbucks in Utica. And truthfully I am glad of it, we have these two coffee houses and others that have their own personalities, specialties and uniqueness. Thank goodness Utica is a city with a small town heart!