Local cafe has what other coffee companies lack
By Matt von Boecklin
I'm from Seattle, where not only is coffee king, it's an art. The number of coffee shops and cafes in my city easily rivals the number of national bank branches. And I'm not just talking about our Starbucks.
I'm talking about the countless small cafes with individual character and vibe, with an ambiance dedicated to fit the neighborhood around them. Here in suburban Santa Clara, the Mission City Coffee Roasting Co. is that kind of place: an original space to sit and sip, with all the feeling of a big city secret.
Upon entering, I immediately noticed the flyers and posters smothering the doorway, announcing upcoming festivals, shows, and events that might sink below the radar of more "popular oriented" media coverage.
The walls of the cafe stood bare with crumbling brick, occasionally plastered and painted with minimalist decor, and providing a stark contrast to the usual modern-based design of most Silicon Valley enterprises.
After ordering my slice of coffee cake (twice the size of a Starbucks slice) and cappuccino (in an oversized white mug wider than my fist), I sat on an old wooden chair at a marble table top, right next to a 6-foot-tall coffee roasting machine. The place is extremely spacious, and throughout the hour I spent there with my own homework, no employees ever came over to ask me how long I'd be there.
The prices are expected for an independent restaurant that prides itself on individuality: not expensive but not cheap. Pastas and sandwiches range from $6 to $7. Pizzas are $7. Breakfasts hover under $5.
Coffee prices are similarly priced. My cappuccino, with a single shot of espresso, was $2.25 for a large cup, and other coffee drinks do not deviate from that range.
As I sat, I watched internet junkies sipping coffee and chomping 2-inch high, freshly-made sandwiches. As they surfed online through the seemingly endless amount of internet jacks under the tables, Bob Dylan played above my head. I saw students with notes and lined paper. Adults grabbed newspapers and discussed politics.
That's the beauty of a good coffee cafe. The mood is inviting, invoking relaxation in its cartel.
The churning of the outside world will seep away at Mission City as you munch pastries or biscotti, pastas or grilled chicken sandwiches. The cafe achieves this atmosphere much more pleasantly than our local, busy Starbucks up Lafayette Street.
On a picky note, there are two looming Pepsi and Coke coolers that vastly invade the vibe. And when you look outside, there is a big (and unattractive) hotel sign. Not to mention the corner of campus being visible, which reminds you of the homework awaiting.
But despite these discrepancies, and they are small ones, even a city boy like me from the coffee capital of the United States found himself leaning back casually, sipping from my big white mug, and soaking up the anti-silicon valley atmosphere with great pleasure, almost forgetting that I was no longer in my familiar home town.
Contact Matt von Boecklin at (408) 551-1918 or mvonboecklin@scu.edu.