Coyote’s Coffee Keeps it Local… And Great!

As a coffee lover and enthusiast, I am always searching for the best cup o’ Joe around. Walking into Coyote’s Coffee Den in Canon City, costumers are suddenly struck with the aroma of a quality coffeehouse. With a calm and cozy atmosphere, a diner may tend to feel right at home. There’s a fireplace, an upstairs lounging area, and plenty of seating to choose from throughout the building. With friendly service, great breakfast and lunch/dinner menus, a small alcohol bar, and free WiFi, Coyote’s is a wonderful spot to catch up with friends, study, and have a delicious cup o’ Joe. And, if you’re in a hurry and can’t sit down to enjoy the soothing ambience of the establishment, then there is a drive-through window with your name written all over it!

Opening at 7:00 a.m. daily (drive-thru opening at 6:00 a.m. Monday – Friday), this award winning coffeehouse provides a classic and delicious breakfast menu, with items such as breakfast burritos, stuffed croissants, quiche, biscuits and gravy, etc. To compliment your dish, hot drinks such as espressos, standard coffee and drinks such as chai, hot chocolate and spiced apple cider appear on the menu, as well as iced coffees, smoothies, juice, iced tea, and soft drinks. I would go as far to say that Coyote’s breakfast burritos and Caramel Macchiato are the best in the entire county.

As noon approaches, the lunch menu rolls around with flavorful sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads, and a ‘build your own sandwich’ option. With fresh produce and meat, and a quality choice of bread, the sandwiches you can create make for a tasty meal. The ‘Build your own sandwich’ menu (whole $6.95/half $4.95) is set up as follows: Step 1 – Bread: -Marbled Rye, Sourdough, Wheat baguette, French baguette, or, on a croissant (add $1). Step 2 – Meat: Turkey, Roast beef, Ham, and grilled chicken (add $2/$1) – Cheese: Swiss, Pepperjack, American, and Cheddar. Step 3 – Finish with: Baby greens, Tomato, Sprouts, Mayo, Mustard (Dijon or yellow), Horseradish, Onions, and Cucumbers (add Avocado – $.50). Also, there are lunch specials daily.

And really, who doesn’t love a business with an easily accessible location? Coyote’s Coffee Den has three locations spread throughout Fremont County. Although the location within the Creekside mall in Canon City is the largest of the three, it is not the first. Alongside Highway 115 in Penrose, the original Coyote’s Coffee Den sits out in the open for all travelers to see. Opened by Pete Mugasis and his wife in 2002, the Penrose location holds live music during the summer months, known as ‘Saturday Live’. Be sure to bring a chair to ‘Saturday Live’, for it tends to draw crowds in the hundreds. Coyote’s is also located within St. Thomas More Hospital in Canon City, which has been up and running for nine years.

Winning numerous awards, including best coffeehouse and best breakfast burritos in the county, Coyote’s delivers delicious and quality food. But, food and coffee isn’t all they sell. With packaged coffee, hand crafted coffee mugs, homemade (and jarred) jellies and jams, and items such as wind chimes for sell, gifts and souvenirs are readily available throughout the restaurant. These handcrafted items will not go unnoticed, and are ideal to bring home to “cozy up” the house.

With their delectable selection of coffee drinks, alcoholic drinks, incredibly delicious food, comfortable environment, and plenty of gifts and edibles to choose from, Coyote’s Coffee Den is a wonderful place to relax. The quality food and quality staff live up to their reputation, and the coffeehouse is very sanitary. So, what is stopping you from visiting one of Coyote’s three locations? Keep this in mind: You will not be disappointed!

Montegue”s Parlour

The coffee game is a very competitive and extravagant market. There are many places from which to obtain the simple cup of coffee, whether it is for waking up in the morning or trying to stay awake to cram that last bit of information before the final the next day. Most shops that are frequented by your typical customer are places such as Starbucks or Dutch. Bros Coffee. Companies like these dominate the coffee market and leave hardly any room for the little guys, the mom and pop places. One place that I have visited recently for a good ol’ cup of Joe was called Montegue’s Parlour. It’s a little mom & pop shop located off South Tejon Street.

I ordered my regular Chai Latte. Now I usually go to Starbucks because I am usually on the run, however I was in no hurry this day. They brought my fresh cup of Chai right out to this comfortable couch I was sitting in while I was reading the sports section of the Gazette. I overall enjoyed the environment I was in and fell in love with this place. The service, the environment, the variety of choices of coffee, all of these was fantastic. The factor that struck me most however was the blend of coffee. It was delicious, dare I even say more delicious than that of my beloved Starbucks. The way they made it seemed more natural I suppose you could say. Rather than sticking it under an automatic machine and blending it for you, these guys blended it themselves and had smaller appliances than that of you see in places such as Starbucks or Dutch Bros. Montague’s Parlor has become my favorite joint to go to for some coffee and a quiet place to study or relax.

I had to tell my friends about this place and recommend it to them. They all said they would give it a shot as they too are frequent customers at Starbucks. After I had gotten their feedback, the result was unanimous, grade A coffee. Many of the local coffee goers are also regulars at this joint. When given a taste test, of regular coffee with a sugar additive, 4 out 5 people agreed that the coffee from Montague’s was richer in taste and flavor. Customers are also huge fans of the environment Montague’s provides. A majority of the customers commented on the relaxing furniture and quiet mood of the place. It is a mainly quiet setting with tables, chairs, and couches spread throughout the establishment. There is a plethora of reading material to choose from. Whatever you are interested in reading: daily newspaper, romance novel, even comic books, are all available to the customer to enjoy with their order.

Starbucks offers a good menu of items though it is limited. The most commonly ordered menu item at Starbucks according to their 2012 demographic was in general a brewed coffee, which is no surprise. When talking with a cashier at Starbucks in Manitou Springs, she said that she is often making a coffee with ginger spice. Now that necessarily is not the top choice, however at that particular Starbucks it seems to be a favorite. When talking with a cashier at Montague’s he said that he could not really put a stamp on what the favorite is because there is just so much to choose from. He was not lying either. There is literally a wall of choices; the menu takes up a big portion of the back wall. So the variety of choices on coffee, fraps, capps, lattes, you name it, are seemingly limitless.

Montegue’s Parlor does not have to try hard to catch new customers and sometimes steal some from competitors. The quality of the product is magnificent, even unsuspecting taste testers thought so. The environment the shop provides makes it a favorite among local joints to “chillax” at and get a cup of Joe. The variety of choices also makes it a popular spot downtown. With fresh baked desserts to go along with your coffee, it is almost a done deal to go to Monague’s Parlour. I highly recommend this little mom & pop shop for enjoying some well-made coffee.

Where’s Grandma

I had the pleasure of finding a wonderful little treasure that is a small but quaint coffee shop called Montague’s. It is located at 1019 S Tejon St, downtown Colorado Springs, CO. When you step across the threshold you feel as if you stepped back in time.  Montague’s Coffee Parlor allows you to remove the modern day stress and leave it at the door. The service can be a bit confusing when you first visit Montague’s. When you enter your first instinct will be to find your favorite chair.  If you find a seat first you may have to wait a while for someone to take your order. The expectation is to go to the counter when you first arrive and place your order, then to find your favorite seat.  I was guilty of this on my first visit; I sat in this very comfortable chair for  approximately fifteen minutes before realizing that I should have ordered first. During my second visit, I stopped at the counter to place my order. While standing at the counter to give my order all I could do is to look around to ensure that my favorite chair was still available.

When you order the coffee don’t expect the cups to match. Very few cups match just as you would expect at grandma’s house. They offer an assortment of drinks and would satisfy even the most critical barista’s expectation.  The cups are so large that you will be satisfied with the portion and taste. Montague’s offers other drinks like you would expect at any coffee shop. My favorite is the Carmel cappuccino.  Don’t hesitate to bring your children because they will make the kids old fashioned flavored soda drinks. If you enjoy tea then expect to experience a real tea time. Montague’s serves your tea in an old fashioned tea pot with a cup and saucer. It reminds me of when my grandmother would have visitors come and she would serve tea.

Coffee and tea is not the only reason to visit Montague’s there is a good variety of menu items offered at Montague’s. The food is all-homemade in their kitchen that is just a few steps away from where you will be sitting. When you first look at their menu it may seem to be a bit confusing. If you’re not familiar with some of the items you may need to get an explanation. An example of what can be confusing is the lox and capers. This is a bagel with cream cheese, salmon and capers which is very healthy and delicious. One of the customer favorites is the baked oatmeal. It sounds a bit different but is enjoyable and you can choose different flavors.  The soups are tasty just like the kind your mother made when you were a child.  They have breakfast, lunch and dinner items on the menu. So it will not matter what time of the day you choose to visit you will be able to enjoy a drink of your choice and something from the menu.

If sweets are your cup of tea then Montague’s is the place for you. The counter is filled with fresh homemade cookies, cakes and pastries. My husband will take time out of his day to visit Montague’s with the intent to quench his strong craving for his favorite sweet the coconut cream cake; he swears it melts in his mouth. There are other sweets to choose from like the red velvet cake, German chocolate cake, cookies, pies just to name a few.  Your taste buds will thank you for a visit to Montague’s because the sweets are made fresh every morning. The location is easily accessible and has a great little parking lot that is just large enough for their customer base that is able to find this jewel. The primary customer base seems to be long time customers. If you’re a new customer it is probably because you heard about it from word of mouth or accidentally tripped into this little jewel.  Monique’s does not advertise like the other chain coffee shops. This is a part of what makes it such a wonderful find.

The price can be considered a bit much for some of the menu items. Some items feel like you just got a bargain; it all depends on what you order. The cakes and sweets come in large quantities. You may even wonder if you can eat all that is brought to your table. If you order the quiche you wonder if some slide off the plate on the way to your table.   If you love the outdoors then there is outside seating. The views have a lot to be desired. The deck in the back faces the parking lot. If you like to keep an eye on your car then that is the place for you. If you enjoy exhaust with your coffee then I would suggest finding a seat in the front patio area, it is beside a busy street. With all of that taken into consideration I am now going to tell you my very favorite part of Montague’s.

The Ambiance, makes up for the small imperfections. It reminds me of sitting around in grandma’s living room, talking and having fun with my family. It can be busy and a bit crowded at times. The overlarge stuffed chairs are so comfortable that you feel like you have to crawl out of it when you want to stand up. It leaves you feeling like you got a hug from grandma. If the first chair doesn’t fit you just right, try another one. It’s a bit like the three bear’s house; you will be able to find the chair that fits perfectly.  When life seems to be a little overwhelming I take a good book then head over to Montague’s to order myself a Carmel espresso. When crawling into those wonderful overstuffed chairs, it’s time to let the troubles roll away. With a few hours spent relaxing in the presence of good food, great coffee and an interesting book life is so much better. Montague’s was awarded Best of Winner by the Colorado Springs Independent in 2012 and the award is well deserved.

This Doctor Makes House Calls

There is a small store front located at 6455 Omaha Blvd, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It can be easily overlooked, causing some people to never find it at all. It might not be the ideal location for local business owner Desirae Leipply, but once a customer tries a cupcake from The Cupcake Doctor, they will never overlook this place is again.

The Cupcake Doctor started out as a delivery only service on September 1^st, 2011. One year to the date, Desirae opened up a store front to go along with her delivery service. She just celebrated her 6 month anniversary. It has been an adventure for this young entrepreneur, facing some uphill battles that include long hours, seven day work weeks, the high cost of rental fees for her store front, and overhead, just to mention a few. This has given her have a real appreciation for what all small business owners do for a living.

Desirae always greets everyone who walks in with a warm hello, and even remembers customers by name. The baked goods gave off an unmistakable aroma that was heavenly. There isn’t any seating, just a display case that is shared with another bakery business. The establishment may be small in size, but is big on customer service. It is really important that cupcakes are made fresh daily, and not sitting around for long periods of time. She expects customers to get fresh cupcakes every time. With over 50 different varieties, including gluten free cupcakes, and the use of fun and unconventional flavors, customers are sure to find a cupcake that will quickly become a favorite. She has a whole line of chocolate cupcakes that include: Chocolate Mint, German Chocolate, Colombian Coffee, and Red Rocks Red Velvet. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also used in her cupcakes such as, Lemon Blueberry, Coconut Avalanche, Banana Toffee Crunch, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, and Kirby Carrot Cake.

One of her most popular cupcakes and my personal favorite as well, is the Fireman’s Favorite, a rich chocolate-covered banana cupcake. This unbeatable chocolate cake is topped with a luscious chocolate ganache and a banana buttercream frosting, and then drizzled with homemade chocolate syrup. All of her cupcakes are very moist, but not so moist as to leave a greasy residue. Customers can bite into one of her cupcakes, and it doesn’t crumble, the rest of the confection remains intact. Every cupcake is more than just flavorful and delicious, it is recognizable. The frosting is always creamy and fluffy. It is sweet but not overly sugary. There is always the perfect frosting to cupcake ratio as well, not overwhelming where someone has a hard time even finding a cupcake under a mound of frosting.

The Cupcake Doctor offers a full line of happy hour cupcakes as well. These amazing “adult beverage” cupcakes are a must to try. The flavors include a Raspberry Chocolate Vodka, the Colorado Mudslide, Creamy Coffee Liqueur, Pina Colada, Irish Delight, Bananas Foster, That’s Amore Amaretto, Summer Night Southern Comfort, and the Drunken’ Punkin. There is a fun line of cupcakes for the kids as well, including, S’more Please, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and a sweet corn cupcake that is called Hot Dog. This cupcake is baked with real hot dog chunks and topped with a honey mustard buttercream frosting. It is amazing that there isn’t any actual corn in this cupcake and it is gluten free.

Most days there is an average of six to ten different flavors available, but if someone has a favorite, they can call in advance, and The Cupcake Doctor will have their order ready for them. Custom orders are available as well, “Custom orders are part of the fun”, said Desirae, “if I can do it, I will.” If there is a special event in need cupcakes, or if someone has a special needs cupcake, the doctor can cure what ails them. A mother and son recently came to The Cupcake Doctor with quite the dilemma. Her son apparently was allergic to everything. She asked the doc if there was anything she could do. Desirae developed an allergy proof cupcake! This cupcake contains no wheat, dairy, eggs, corn, soy, cocoa, nuts; yes, it does exist! They were skeptical at first, and he was scared to try it, but he finally did and there wasn’t a single allergic reaction! Desirae’s specialty is flavor development, as is evident by recently winning “Favorite Cupcake” in the 2013 Colorado Indulgence Festival. Some baking experts may question some of doc’s methods, and say “You can’t do that”, but since she never went to culinary school, she doesn’t know that “this just won’t work”, she just decides to do whatever it takes to make every customer satisfied.

Desirae understands that being a small business owner, it isn’t always possible to make everyone happy. She works hard every day to do her best, and to continue to improve all the time. So why does she do this? “It’s just cupcakes, but in the end they are gifts, they can be presents, and even surprises” and that means everything. Desirae comes from a military family, and eventually growing and expanding her business to serve more of the military population is something that is very important to her.

The prices are reasonable for the quality of these cupcakes. One advantage The Cupcake Doctor has over the big chain stores is the customer service. This alone is worth the few extra dollars. A dozen cupcakes costs $22, and to have them delivered will run $27. A single cupcake costs $2.25-$2.75.The Cupcake Doctors’ hours are Monday thru Friday, 6:30am until 7:00pm, and 8:00am until 7:00pm. Sundays are up in the air. Although they are closed on Sundays, you can usually find the doctor at the establishment working her magic. For more information, please visit her website at www.thecupcakedoctor.com.

So, if you are ever in need of a quality cupcake, with quality customer service; look no further than The Cupcake Doctor. One bite, and you will be certain that you don’t need a second opinion.

Successfully Accomodating Your Caffeine Addiction

 

As you step inside accompanied by colorful leaves from the bustling downtown street, you see that this looks like any other coffee shop at first glance. What’s different about this locally owned establishment is that it offers more than other more popular, brand-name coffee shops. Looking to the right, just inside the front door, there are posters tacked higgledy-piggledy to a notice board that describe upcoming concerts, shows, and events happening in the Colorado Springs area. A customer walking in will hear the babble of guest’s conversations, music playing overhead, the clinking of forks on plates, and the whirring of the coffee machines. Pikes Perk is a coffee & tea house that is located in downtown Colorado Springs. Since 2004, I’ve been visiting this coffee shop weekly, accompanied by friends that I met through Inside/Out Gay and Youth Services. We came here after our meetings because it is an ideal place for large groups to meet and the Pikes Perk family supports all kinds of people. The employees didn’t have a problem with twenty gay kids showing up every Wednesday and Friday evening. Coupled with the fact that Pikes Perk offers a wide variety of food, beverages, and even live music three to four times a month, this coffee shop is a desirable spot to spend time away from home.

The first floor of the coffee shop is well lit by floor-to-ceiling windows and densely-populated by different sized tables, chairs, and bar stools. To the left of the appealing menu-board is an interesting, colorful mural that almost looks like it moves the longer you stare at it. However, while the couches upstairs threaten to envelop anybody that utilizes them into a level of comfort not often experienced, the atmosphere on the second floor isn’t as good as it used to be. The large windows are still there but are now covered with thick, dark curtains that don’t allow much sunlight to permeate the room. I assume that this is an attempt to prevent glare on laptop computers but the effect is depressing. The painting of Pikes Peak that used to be on the inside wall has been painted over; taking away from the establishment’s local feel. Nevertheless, despite the shortcomings of the top level’s design, the overall atmosphere in the coffee shop is above average.

Waiting at the waist high counter at the back of the store is one of The Perk’s well trained baristas. They are prepared to make the usual coffee or tea with a bagel. However, for the less mundane customers, they are ready to whip up a real fruit smoothie or made from scratch milkshake to go with a piece of German Chocolate Cake. To add another level of ‘local realness’, the German Chocolate Cake uses a recipe provided by the owner’s mother. After you’ve finished the GCC, why not order a steaming hot espresso or even an Italian cream soda. If you’re in for lunch, I suggest the three inch thick, artfully crafted, reasonably priced($6.99), turkey bacon avocado sandwich. Which, by the way, is made fresh when ordered and not sold in a package like The Perk’s competition across the street(Starbucks). The lettuce is crisp, the tomatoes are fresh, the bread is toasted to perfection, and the bacon is so thick and tasty, you’re forced to wonder how many pigs were sacrificed to create this masterpiece.

For something to do on the weekend, visit The Perk and you may be lucky enough to sit in on a free show performed by a local musical artist. If you’re really lucky, you may come in on a night when The Perk is playing host to a well-known artist. In the past, Mat Kearney, James Blunt, and One Republic have all played here. If the prospect of playing in front of a live audience isn’t enough, depending on if the band performing draws a large crowd; they will get a 20% share of that night’s profits.

If you’re not interested in the band playing that night, you can sit off in a corner and play a board game provided by the coffee shop or surf the internet using the store’s free Wi-Fi. However, if you’re coming in just to mooch off of the free Wi-Fi, the staff will ask you to buy something. When I sat down with one of the store’s managers, John Mangrum, he told me how business groups used to buy coffee at Starbucks and then cross the street and hold meetings in the Perk because there was more room. It’s quite understandable for the staff to ask guests to buy something.

So, if you’d like a quiet place to study or get some work done, stop by during the week and enjoy an iced coffee and a sandwich. If you’d like something to do on the weekend, bring your friends and enjoy a live show by a local band. Either way, this is a terrific place to accommodate one’s caffeine addiction. Good luck finding parking.