I’m not sure if that claim can be made and backed up in any objective sense, but I can say that I have just had the best
coffee I’VE ever enjoyed in New Jersey – and maybe anywhere!
Where? Rojo’s Roastery, Lambertville, NJ.
A friend bought me a bag of Bosco’s Blend, a darker roast that is way beyond wonderful.
These folks roast their own beans on-site, and grind them to order. You can tell that they are passionate about their craft. I had a Cafe Americano in the very pleasant shop (delicious), but the real test for me was, how was this blend going to taste when it was the first thing to greet my taste buds at home in the morning?
Oh, yeah.
I’ve praised some other coffee suppliers in the past, particularly Mill Mountain in Roanoke, VA, and Storyville out in Seattle. Rojo is contending for the lead in my book. If you’re ever in Lambertville – or even within 15 miles – look them up. You won’t regret it.
As I write this, I am enjoying my first cup of Rojo’s Roastery Bosco’s French Roast Blend (Batch 4898) that Steve recommended.
It’s delicious! Very smooth and not acidic or bitter at all, with a hint of chocolate. Not as dark as I would like in a French Roast, but a good coffee to serve guests who are not fanatic about expresso blends.
My wife and I drove over to Lambertville last night and I navigated my “beautiful BMW” (hat tip to Killer Drug) around the construction detours and finally found the place at 7:30 PM in the middle of a torrential downpour!
Bad news! The place closes at 7:00 PM, not 9:00 PM as advertised on their Web site.
Good news! Dave, the owner, was working late and let us in as he was roasting the final batch that night.
After purchasing the 13 oz bag of coffee beans for $9.60, we chatted with Dave for a while, waiting for the rain to let up (it didn’t).
Dave recommended a couple of restaurants for dinner and called a client of his who owned Manon and got us a reservation.
Seems everyone in Lambertville knows and loves Dave, who looks like a survivor of the 60’s. Everyone running the shops in Lambertville looks like that! Not that there’s anything wrong with that! In fact, they are my kind of people.
One thing to remember: If you are dining in Lambertville, bring cash — they don’t accept American Express (or Visa or Mastercard or Discover). And if you use the Wachovia ATM, watch out! It charges you $2.50 per transaction!
Try OSLO next time you’re in Brooklyn. Roebling at Metropolitan.