Browsing Tag

Nevada

Coffee Shop

Cowboy Joe Roasting Co.

376 5th St.
Elko, NV
Get Directions

Contact: 775-753-5612

WWW.COWBOYJOECOFFEE.COM
IG @cowboyjoeroastingco

Yee Haw! Even Cowboys are fueled by coffee. This coffee shop started over 25 years ago in downtown Elko. A gorgeous cafe with hardwood floors, tons of tables, booths, and a sweet patio in the back. Home to many locals and travelers passing through. It was time to find out what this place was all about, I had to keep calm and cowboy on.

This is when I met Christina, the barista. She told me that the owner has many talents. A few of the things he’s done include taking all of the photos in the cafe, making the ceramic mugs, and roasting all of their coffee. Blown away is an understatement, DAMN! I would’ve loved to meet him but I heard I had just missed him for the day, I will have to come back.

Currently, the most popular drink is the Cowboy Joe Latte. And let me tell you, it tastes delicious! I was impressed to see six different milk alternatives: heavy cream, skim, soy, coconut, oat, and almond. They also offer a loyalty card for drink specials and extra punches on Thursday! If you’re hungry, Cowboy Joe’s has you covered too. Bagels, breakfast burritos, and pastries are just a few of the things available to eat. My favorite part though: sipping my coffee at the bar in front of their gorgeous roaster.

Thankfully, when you can’t enjoy a cup next to the roaster, you can make Cowboy Joe’s coffee at home. A wide variety of Cowboy Joe’s roasts are available for purchase, as well as teas in a variety of flavors. Some of my favorite coffee accessories I discovered were the handsewn coffee and Airpot sleeves. I’ll attach a picture below, super cute. Need a new dog collar or leash? They sell awesome ones made by Jordan Wright. You have to come check this place out.

The bathroom was small but cute. I did like the photograph of the saddle and the way they hung a bean bag on the wall. For this, I’ll rate it a clean 8/10.

October 25, 2019 by Spencer Buchness

Coffee Shop

#38 XP Gaming & Cafe

XP Gaming Cafe

730 1250 NV-227
Elko, NV
Get Directions
Drive-thru Available

Contact: 775-299-2848

XP-GAMING-CAFE.BUSINESS.SITE
IG @xpgamingcafe

Facebook

Date Visited: October 25, 2019

One of the coolest gaming cafes I’ve found so far! You are going to wish this was right down the street from you. This is a haven for kids, gamers, and coffee drinkers. XP Gaming & Cafe was created by Kyle Ashley and Caleb Tapia in May of 2018. I was lucky enough to visit when Kyle happened to be there. Awesome guy, no wonder this place has been doing so well. They are starting to have a large number of regulars come in for coffee, games, and a great place to relax.

This cafe was so beautifully set up – you could tell how much time and thought went into getting this place up and running. Although there were concrete floors, no couches, and strong metal chairs, I felt cozy. I felt like I was back in time at the little game shop down the street from me when I was a kid, with my dad buying some new Magic the Gathering cards, or even playing Pokemon in the cafeteria in middle school. Maybe it was the more recent feeling of watching my friends back home play Dungeons and Dragons, I missed them. I would have loved for my friends to be there playing cards and drinking coffee with me.

XP Gaming did a phenomenal job with the color scheme, soft lighting, game organization, finished concrete floors, full drive-thru, and a super clean shop. I asked Kyle what the most popular drink was on the menu and he told me the “Nick Lewis,” named after one of their most popular customers. This drink was a latte made with caramel and vanilla. Before I knew it Kyle had made me one, it was so freaking delicious! Please put this spot on your must-visit list! They were awarded both the 2018 and 2019 Readers Choice for ‘Best Family Recreation Business’ in the Elko Daily Free Press.

The bathrooms get a perfect 10/10. I loved the original Nintendo controller on the wall, Magic the Gathering posters, and the abstract Pink Floyd looking poster. My favorite sign was on the outside of the doors that read “Whatever, just wash your hands.” Perfect!

October 25, 2019 by Spencer Buchness

Coffee Shop

#37 Cafe 345

Cafe 345

345 S Bridge St.
Winnemucca, NV
Get Directions

Contact: 775-625-2345

WWW.CAFE-345.COM

Facebook

Date Visited: October 25, 2019

I have to start by telling you how aesthetically pleasing this place was. The color scheme out front, the wall art inside, the bakery-style setup, and the most organized hodgepodge of interesting items I’ve encountered in any coffee shop so far. It didn’t feel cluttered at all, yet there were so many cool objects everywhere I looked. Full of colors and coffee, I was hooked.

This is when I met Domi, one of the baristas behind this operation. She was awesome, I told her I had already had a bunch of coffee today and she treated me to their most popular non-coffee drink, the Orange-blast. Full of carrot, apple, orange, lemon, and ginger, and known as “the drink that packs a punch”! It was by far the best healthy fruit/veggie drink I think I’ve ever had. She insisted I try the chicken salad sandwich – chopped chicken breast, celery, red onion, walnuts, and cranberries, served up on a basil focaccia roll. I was going to say no, but it sounded too amazing to pass up! And it was. Once I was back on the road, heading East, I pulled out that delicious sandwich and devoured it in seconds! Packed so full that my only recommendation is to please pull over before eating, I had to!

Domi told me that Cafe 345 has been around for about 6 years. Customers can utilize their free WiFi while enjoying a drink as they shop around the store. Fun fact: everything in the store is for sale! Additionally, Cafe 345 offers a delicious assortment of sweets and food, just look at this display! They make roughly 80% of their pastries and the pumpkin flavoring for drinks is a homemade recipe. They offer tons of board games for kids to play. I found it cool that there’s also a $1 program for people to stop in quickly and get a small coffee. Yes, it gets rid of the coffee shop interaction and experience, but sometimes life throws a curveball and people in a hurry do not want to wait in line. Genius!

I was walking around the whole place checking out all of the pottery, paintings, and other knick-knacks, when Domi said she had to show me something. She informed me that this shop was indeed haunted! She took me over to the exact cookie jar that rattled on one of her shifts. Nothing in the whole place made a noise except for this jar and she doesn’t have a clue behind the cause of it. Ah, spooky, make sure you visit when the sun is out.

A little less spooky in here, thank goodness! This bathroom was small, but it did have all of the essentials. And, there’s a nice smelling hand soap. I’ll rank this one an 8/10.

October 25, 2019 by Spencer Buchness

Coffee Shop

#36 Brew 95

Brew 95

91 Melarkey St.
Winnemucca, NV
Get Directions
Drive-thru Available

Contact: 775-625-2739

WWW.BREW95ORDER.COM
IG @brew95_winnemucca

Facebook

Date Visited: October 25, 2019

I would consider Brew 95 a perfect stop while driving across the country on Route 80. I had a very memorable experience here. The front reminded me of an old ski lodge, which was funny to me because it was about 80°F outside. The inside was set up similar to a brewery with fermentation vessels, but instead, there is a roastery attached to it. I was intrigued so I made a lap around the cafe and planted myself in front of the gorgeous San Franciscan coffee roaster.

This is where I met Michael, the owner of the roasting operation. Such a cool guy. We spoke for a while about coffee, life, and happiness. He has been officially roasting here since April 2019 and I think he’s been doing a damn good job. Previously, he was running a side business for years roasting locally with a small hot-top coffee roaster. Then, one day the owner of Brew 95 came up to him at Church and said, “Come roast for us.”That was the calling he needed. Michael invested in a San Franciscan coffee roaster and turned his hobby up a notch! This guy was fascinating, he was still doing this on the side while working full-time as a gold mine engineer.

Michael’s slogan for Kubes Coffee, the roasting company, is, “Coffee as it was MADE to be.” He went on to explain that a great cup of coffee does not just happen. Within each coffee bean lies this potential: to produce a beverage that tastes, smells, and even feels good. And my favorite quote that he says about all of this is, “Just like people, each coffee bean is unique and has an amazing purpose inside of it. It only takes the hand of a master to make coffee as it was made to be.” Very parallel meanings to taking control of your own life and making the most of it. I couldn’t agree more and that’s exactly what I strive to do. Make sure you tell him Spencer says hi when you stop in.

I walked over to the other side which was the main coffee shop and it was super cute. Tons of fall decor, barn style designs, and a beautiful Brew 95 sign that lit up. This is when I met Ashley and Maria, two very welcoming baristas. They informed me that they serve alcoholic coffee drinks. This was the first time on my adventure that I encountered something like this. Some of their alcoholic favorites are the spiked Irish cream latte, caramel shortbread latte, and the coconut Rumchata latte. I was intrigued and if I didn’t have more shops to interview, I would’ve been down to try one. Other things they serve are beer, wine, scones, muffins, bagels, breakfast burritos, avocado toast, and ice cream. Quite the happening place!

I ended up ordering a cup of the Black Gold House blend. The cupping notes for this blend read balanced and smooth, Black Cherry, and Chocolate. It was so good, I see why they call it Black Gold. Also, I enjoyed how Brew 95 went the extra mile and stamped their logo onto each coffee sleeve. Coffee shops with their name on the sleeve get extra points in my book. I walked back over to Michael and he let me sample a taste of the nitro coffee and dang was it smooth! I could’ve hung here all day, a great place if you’re looking to meet a friend, do homework, or go on a date. They even had some patio furniture outside for you to enjoy the beautiful day. I plan to come back here one day.

The bathroom was gorgeous and spotless. Not to mention there were two of them. No complaints. For this, I’ll rank it a clean 10/10.

October 25, 2019 by Spencer Buchness

Coffee Shop

#35 Global Coffee

Global Coffee

508 W Winnemucca Blvd. ste A
Winnemucca, NV
Get Directions
Drive-thru Available

Contact: 775-625-1000

IG @globalcoffee.nv
Facebook

Date Visited: October 25, 2019

On September 16, 1868, the Central Pacific Railroad reached Winnemucca, Nevada, bringing travelers east from Sacramento. Eventually – with the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad – transporting people and goods through Winnemucca to the existing eastern United States railway in Iowa. Today, Winnemucca remains a prominent pass-through for travelers over 150 years later. Global Coffee Espresso, in particular, is a popular stop for those traveling across the country and from around the world.

Since 1994, Global Coffee Espresso has been caffeinating weary travelers and today I was one of them. Situated next to a Verizon Wireless, the awning reads “ESPRESSO” so I knew I was in the right place. I headed inside to find a clean and comfortable coffee shop where I exchanged a warm and friendly good morning with Taylor and Anna Rae. Right away they noticed my shirt and I told them what I was up to. Immediately they pointed out the giant map behind me that allows customers to mark where they’re from. It was covered with travelers from all over the world. Anna Rae told me how some out-of-town travelers will stop in once or even four times a year, many making a point to say hi every time they come through. I drew a little X near Maryland and marked Find That Coffee’s birthplace.

I ordered a medium coffee and walked over to pour myself a fresh cup. I tried the French Roast, Ethiopian Marta Alema, and the Yirgacheffe roast. They were all tasty and scorchingly fresh. I decided to go with the Ethiopian, I was digging the medium roast. I walked around and was loving what I was seeing. I always find it really cool when a small coffee shop has a drive-up window, it shows how popular and essential these small cafes really are when you may be in a hurry. I even witnessed someone drive-thru and order coffee right when I snapped a picture. Global Coffee Espresso had hung up great sayings, motivational quotes, and other banter. Not to mention the bathroom was filled with them but I’ll get to that in the bathroom review.

I threw my questions at my new friends. Their most popular drink is the Saskatchewan which is caramel, English toffee, and vanilla latte. Ah, that sounds good! Winnemucca is the original home of Global Coffee Espresso, but they also have another location in Reno, NV. Reno is also where Global Coffee Espresso sources its beans: they use a roaster called Drink Coffee, Do Stuff. Food options are pastries, scones, and breakfast burritos. Customers are welcome to use two desktop computers free of charge, and they also offer free wifi. I had a lot of fun getting to know the baristas, they were cool. Anna Rae and I spent at least an hour discussing caffeine intake, brewing techniques, and other fun facts about coffee.

The bathrooms were great! There were two and both super clean. Inside you’ll find a wide range of motivational quotes. I think Global Coffee Espresso really strives to make sure you have an amazing day whether you’re stopping in for your annual visit or you come by daily. They certainly improved my day! With that, I’ll rank this bathroom a 10/10. Good job! I look forward to checking out their other location in Reno, located in an old post office. Cheers!

P.S. Bathroom motivation below!