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I’ve come a long way on my coffee journey since my Starbucks days. I would frequent the local drive-thru each morning like clockwork, unready to start the day until I had an iced latte with two shots of vanilla in my cup holder. Also a must: their sausage, cheddar, and egg sandwich that was always so unbelievably hot, it’d burn my mouth no matter how patient I was.<\/p>\n
Over the years, my taste in coffee has evolved\u2014though I’ll still lean on Starbucks when I’m in need of caffeine and it’s the best available option. I even invested in a home espresso machine recently that has quickly become one of my most-prized, and most-used, kitchen possessions (it’s a slightly more compact version of this one<\/a>). While I love the luxury of sipping a freshly brewed cappuccino in my pajamas each morning while Good Morning America buzzes in the background, there’s something extra special about discovering a neighborhood spot that not only serves up an excellent cup of coffee, but also has the type of atmosphere that makes you want to settle in and stay awhile.<\/p>\n There are a few coffee shops in my New York City neighborhood that have become a regular fixture in my coffee rotation, but the one that I love most is in my hometown of Delray Beach, Florida: Deke’s Coffee<\/strong><\/a>. Situated just off the corner of Atlantic Avenue, which is Delray’s main street for restaurants, Deke’s is set up in a space that actually used to be a coffee shop way back in the day. The windows are always wide open to let the breeze and sun in, there’s a long counter that invites you to hang out over an espresso or two, and it’s dog-friendly (ours, Lucy, loves to stop in and say hi to everyone).<\/p>\n Oh, and the coffee. The coffee<\/em>. Nico, who runs the place, has created a chill, laidback vibe for the shop but clearly takes his coffee very seriously. He carefully curates the selection of coffee and freshly roasts the beans in the back of the shop according to each flavor profile. Even the milk is serious business\u2014you can choose from just two options: whole milk or a house-made, plant-based milk made from cashews, coconut, and dates. My order? A simple-yet-perfect cappuccino (or iced latte if it’s really hot, which is often) with whole milk, sipped on one of the patio tables out front.<\/p>\n Of course there are many, equally beloved neighborhood coffee shops just like Deke’s around the country, so I asked the other editors at Food52 and Schoolhouse to share their favorites. Here’s what they said…<\/p>\n
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