Put down the carbonated, sugary energy drink and step away from it. Actually, no, don’t step away; please recycle the can. (We’re Gators — we care.)
Listen, I get it. Back when I believed I was invincible, I used to drink them, too (often mixed with vodka). But now that I value my life and health a lot more, there is no way I would partake in a beverage from a BPA-lined can, full of caffeine, other chemicals, synthetic vitamins and sugar, or aspartame, or sucralose.
Coffee is a much better choice. While there’s no shortage of corporate coffee giants on campus and in Gainesville, those are largely the same anywhere in the world. Branch out! Be adventurous! We have some really creative, awesome local coffee shops here in Gainesville.
Bay Island Coffee Company
One local coffee spot is so small that it’s easily overlooked. Bay Island Coffee Company, located at 3270 SW 35th Blvd, is in a tiny building in a parking lot off Archer Road. Blink and you might miss it. On a foggy day, it could easily be mistaken for a stand-alone ATM. Size doesn’t matter much when it comes to coffee locations, though. The shop has a full espresso bar and a pretty large menu. Bay Island has been in business for 15 years, and the staff is very friendly. A unique menu item is coffee ice cubes. I haven’t seen that anywhere else.
8th Ave Bike and Coffee House
Speaking of things I haven’t seen anywhere else, 8th Ave Bike and Coffee is about as unique as it gets. That’s right, a bicycle shop combined with a coffee shop. Some customers come in for bike repair and pay no attention to the coffee, and other customers come in just for coffee (of course, one can’t help but notice the bikes — they are everywhere).
Ryan Aulton, 31, is one of the 3 owners of the shop. After 2nd Street Bakery closed, he saw a void in the neighborhood and decided to open his own shop.
All of the coffee and milk products that they use are organic, and all of the bikes they sell are handmade steel bikes. It’s easy to imagine that someone with such specific taste would be arrogant, but the atmosphere inside the shop is quite the opposite.
“I’m not interested in making people feel stupid if they don’t know anything about bikes or coffee,” Ryan says. He gestures at a menu board of drinks named after loyal customers, and tells me, “Our customers are like family. They really are.”
Bike sales and repair are the shop’s main source of income, but the shop does not advertise at all.
Pascal’s
I tried Pascal’s for the first time last week. I wasn’t sure what to think when I saw the “Christian Study Room” sign. Would I get a sermon along with my coffee? Would the receipt advise me to repent? Would a sip of their beverage turn me into a Stepford Wife? I was skeptical.
As I walked past multiple Ken-doll-looking guys in their CRU shirts to get to the entrance, I wanted to be too much of a badass to like it. But, of course, I needed to taste a beverage before I could critique it. I was in the mood for something with a little sugar but not too sweet. Unfortunately, they were out of Iced Thai Coffee, which I really wanted to try. At the barista’s suggestion, I decided on a cortadito. It was just the right mix of espresso, sugar, milk and foam — exactly what I was craving.
Still, I wasn’t sure if this was the type of place I’d feel comfortable. Religious books and pamphlets were on the bookshelves that are located throughout the building. All of the downstairs tables were full of people studying. There were a few tables available upstairs, but it was too warm for my comfort. I walked out to the balcony and sat there taking sips from the white mug, looking out at people cycling and running along the road, and enjoying the breeze.
They won me over.
Volta
Foodies and coffee snobs, this one’s for you. Owned by Anthony Rue and his wife, Janet Kreischer, Volta has experienced significant success in Gainesville.
Rue’s former projects took him around the world and, as he travelled, he became interested in finding really great coffee. He began volunteering for barista competitions. From there, his knowledge and expertise progressed.
“I was selected as 1 of 5 to represent our country as a judge at the World Barista Championship in Bogota, Colombia.”
Rue and his staff at Volta strive to bring the world’s best coffee and tea beverages to Gainesville. He believes that Gainesville is a perfect place for a shop like Volta because of the mix of artists, students, professors and professionals in such a small area.
Volta’s coffee and tea selection is ever changing. “Coffee follows a harvest pattern much like that of the tomato,” Rue explains. Because of this, it is not possible to feature the exact same coffee every week. People used to think that coffee was like rice or beans, and they would store the dry beans for long periods of time, he says, but in doing so, the coffee loses much of its character.
Volta occasionally features coffees that cost upwards of $10 per cup. Rue wants to bring the same level of quality and adventure that people often look for in wine or craft beer.
“You wouldn’t think twice about spending $10 on a good glass of wine or a really good Imperial Stout. That’s what we’re doing with coffee,” he says.
“We have a really kick ass tea program, too,” says Rue. All of their teas are organic. “With tea, the pesticides and chemicals are sprayed directly on the leaves,” Rue explains, so buying organic tea is really important. The shop has featured teas that cost upwards of $1000 per pound. People can spend an afternoon drinking tea that most people wouldn’t otherwise be able to get, Rue explains.
Volta will celebrate its 5th anniversary in April. Rue, a self-professed control freak, has no intentions of opening a new shop. “I don’t want to be the franchise king,” he says. “I’m happy to be one of those true Gainesville places.”
Coffee Culture
Coffee Culture is like the college-town version of The Central Perk from the show FRIENDS. (Am I dating myself? I’ll be honest: I’m turning 30 in a few weeks. I probably need to update my pop culture references.) Coffee Culture prides itself on being a down-to-earth spot to hang out or study.
William Joseph “Joey” Rump, 24, has been working at the NW 13th Street location for almost 2 months.
“We know our customers here,” Joey says.
He likes that the shop uses the older-model espresso machines, which requires barista to learn to pull shots instead of just pushing a button, like many of the contemporary corporate coffee shops.
“It makes it more of an art form,” Joey explains.
The staff strives to be welcoming and to get to know their customers.
“One of our baristas, Tristan, knows almost everyone’s order,” Joey says.
In fact, some don’t even know what they drink — they rely on Tristan to remember.
Coffee Culture offers many different flavor syrups, but Joey likes to experiment with spices instead.
“My drink, ‘The Joey,’ is made with raw sugar, honey, cinnamon and a little cocoa powder. It smells like French toast as the espresso pours over it,” Joey says. “And if it’s a true Joey, it’s made with (equal parts) half-and-half and almond milk. I think we’re one of the only coffee shops that offers almond milk.”
Coffee Culture has two locations in Gainesville: one in the Royal Plaza shopping center and the other on NW 13th Street.
