Truly great coffee in Harford or Baltimore Counties?

[E_M]

I have decided to upgrade my coffee drinking. I have been researching the need for a burr grinder and such, and one of the things that has been pressed upon me is the need for FRESHLY ground coffee beans. Does anyone know of a place in Baltimore or Harford Counties where I can experience such a cup, so that I can properly understand what the finished product is supposed to taste like?

Thanks.

[oliviainbmore]

I definitely second Spro and Zeke's. Milk and Honey in Mt Vernon (not far from Balt Co) has excellent coffee, I've never tried their espresso drinks, but I've heard they're very good as well.

[elspeth mcdoodle]

Yes! Had both a latte and a regular cup of house coffee at Milk & Honey recently. PERFECT. They seem to take coffee quite seriously @ M & H.

[tmadams06]

If you're will to make the trip Cafe Pronto in Annapolis has excellent coffee with a great selection. They roast all there own bean and the staff has no problem walking you through the differences in coffee.

[zebcook]

Never been to their cafe, but their Seattle Roast is all we drink at home. Common Ground in Hampden carries their beans.

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Common Ground
819 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211

[terpfan8]

Love Baltimore Coffee & Tea and regularly buy their Black Raven Blend by the pound. Just inside the City line, Bonjour Bakery & Cafe on Falls Road near Lake Falls Village has great coffee. The Bonjour Blend is perfect.

[JRMRJ]

Ditto for Bonjour re the coffee. Don't forget the pastries, either. Excellent! For years I passed the place and sniffed, what kind of cafe paints their building Easter-egg lavender (yeah, I can be a real snob sometimes). Then I finally tried it--it's now my favorite place.

[youami]

There's also Coffee Coffee and Shamrock Coffee, both in Bel Air.

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Shamrock Coffee
22 S Main St, Bel Air, MD 21014

[E_M]

Thanks for all your replies. I will try Baltimore Coffee & Tea.

[Mer_Made]

Zeke's Coffee? Since they're my favorite coffee, I should not be considered an unbiased source.

http://zekescoffee.com/

[ReeseRoo81]

I second the Zeke's recommendation! My fave too..

[JonParker]

I'm also a huge Zeke's fan, and they're really friendly and willing to help you find the coffee that suits you best.

[girleatseverything]

Another one for Zeke's! And the shop of Harford Rd is great because they offer coffees brewed in a variety of ways.

[jvanderh]

Me too. Seems like a particularly natural choice if you're close by.

[ivysmom]

Tastes in coffee, as with food and wine, vary. And there are so many coffee regions, roasts, blends. But the journey will be fun for you. Don't be afraid to try different things, buy 1/4 lb and give it a try. Baltimore Coffee & Tea in Timonium is a place where you can taste freshly ground brewed coffee.

[elspeth mcdoodle]

Didn't have any luck at this place. They seem to offer a lot of flavored coffees and teas, like almond and peach. The brewed coffee I got there was unremarkable -- maybe similar to a Dunkin Donuts or an IHOP brew. I bought a 1/2 lb. of loose leaf from BC&T too. The tea, though expensive, was of such low quality that I eventually threw it out. Hope it's improved since I visited.

[ivysmom]

I have to be honest that I'm not a fan, either. I am an unashamed Starbucks fan. That said, many people I know rave about BC&T so I passed it along, I am not one of them. My husband is one of the people who likes their coffee, but for tea he prefers Stash brand. If no one has mentioned it, Sidamo in Maple Lawn does have good coffee, I like it and many other Howard Countians are fans also.

[elspeth mcdoodle]

Mmmmm..,.. good tip. Will have to try Sidamo next time I'm in the neighborhood. I actually tried Spro today based on several recommendations on CH and this discussion, and had a delicious café latte, though it was a little bit on the cool side. This was fine by me, but weird b/c of how seriously the Spro folks seem to take their coffee... It's like a lab in there! Zeke's also takes prep seriously, but they're not so fussy about it. Still, I'm happy Spro is exists because at least they're trying.