These cups run over | Western Colorado
Photos by Christine Gallagher
Daily Sentinel intern Micah Frazho works at Copeka Coffee at 1012 N. Fifth St.
I had fun exploring the Grand Valley with Daily Sentinel summer intern, college student Micah Frazho. With school starting back up, we thought it would be interesting to find different places that are suitable for homework or remote work. Some of the criteria we looked for were a variety of seating options, good drinks, free WiFi, a quiet location, and a welcoming atmosphere. We tried food and drinks at a variety of locations and here are the six best we tried.
Our absolute favorite is one that we have both been visiting for years — Copeka coffee. The restaurant is located at 1012 N. Fifth St., near Grand Junction High School and Colorado Mesa University, and not far from downtown Grand Junction. The atmosphere is fun and eclectic, and there are a variety of seating options. There are tables, comfortable chairs and couches, and plenty of outdoor seating. The food is delicious and offers something for everyone.
Micah had a delicious avocado toast called “The Cheap Trick” and I ordered a delicious spinach and cheese croissant. I had my croissant slightly warmed and it tasted wonderful with a glass of white wine. This combination almost made me feel like I was in Europe! The avocado toast had pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta, chia seeds and truffle salt. It was accompanied by a fresh salad with blueberries. Copeka has lots of great food, coffee, tea, cocktails and many other drinks to choose from and the service was friendly and quick.
Beer flight options at Colorado Coffee and Beer.
Chardonnay and a spinach and cheese croissant at Copeka Coffee.
Here are, in alphabetical order, the other five cafes we liked:
Bestslope Coffee Company129 N. Peach St., is a nice place in Fruita. There is some seating inside and quite a bit of space outside. We tried their sparkling lemonade with blueberries and basil and a piece of delicious gluten-free pumpkin bread with candied ginger bits in it.
Colorado Craft Coffee and Beer House1144 N. 12th St., located across from CMU, offers a unique setup where you can bring your own food and enjoy it with coffee and beer. The drinks are all Colorado-made and change regularly. It’s a good study and work atmosphere with a variety of seating options.
Kiln Coffee Bar326 Main St., in downtown Grand Junction, is a favorite among coffee lovers and has a lively atmosphere. They offer coffee and tea, as well as pastries from the local Sweet Kiwi Bakery.
Main Street Bagels559 Main St., is a classic hangout in downtown Grand Junction. Their great bagels and breads pair well with coffee and their other drink and food offerings. There’s plenty of space to do homework, meet with friends, sit inside, or outside to enjoy music and people watch.
The artistic trophy302 Main St. in Palisade, is connected to The Blue Pig art gallery and is a lovely place. I loved the seating area in the gallery. The iced coffee was a hit and the shop is busy and popular. I’m not sure how much work I could get done as I would be too busy looking at all the beautiful creations from our incredibly talented local artists!
The artistic cup in Palisade.
There are countless places to study, work, or just hang out in the Grand Valley. This is just a small sampling of all the options. I hope you check out some of these local businesses. Here’s to a great start to the school year!
Iced white chocolate and mocha coffee from Colorado Coffee and Beer, 1144 N. 12th St.
If you have any food and drink related events or information you would like to share with your readers, please email me at [email protected].
