Hey friends, how have you been? Lately, I’ve been doing way better than I was during the winter. Once the sun starts to shine and the weather is good for walking around I am so happy to be outside. As you know, it is almost time for my favorite season. Fall. It’s time for cinnamon-sprinkled lattes, cooler days, changing leaves, hay rides, and the best season for fashion if you ask me. Layers on layers do an anemic woman so good. My favorite part of this upcoming season though is coffee shop work days. I do my best work at coffee shops – the ambient noise just does something for me.
With so many folks moving to Denver I wanted to share some of my favorite coffee shops to help newcomers or even folks who grew up here shuffle through the hundreds of coffee shops Denver has to offer. What makes a good coffee shop you ask? For me, it is the atmosphere, menu, accessibility, and taste – I’m not a coffee aficionado but I know a good cup. How will these reviews work? As a devout tea drinker and only a semi-enthusiastic coffee drinker who finds no shame in drinking instant coffee – sorry not sorry… I realized this “coffee” tour needed a legitimate coffee aficionado. Enter, my husband Jake who will also be reviewing with me. We will be doing the tough work of traversing around Denver and drinking copious amounts of coffee and tea so you don’t have to! No, no need to thank us, your readership is enough 🙂
We’re kicking off ironically, with the shop Jake used to work at and the shop I share a name with, Jubilee Roasting Co.
Jubilee Roasting Co. (JRC) is one of my favorites because of the quality and intentionality of every detail. JRC supports local artists, local vendors, and the surrounding community. Their mission is to create well and be good neighbors and to support good people doing good things which they do so well. They have two locations an Aurora location (1452 Kenton St. Aurora, CO 80010 7am-2pm Mon-Sat) and a Denver location which is featured today (1075 Park Ave W, Suite 110Denver, CO 80205 7am-3pm Mon-Sun).
Atmosphere
JRC Downtown gives off cozy, industrial vibes and features exposed brick, hanging plants, and murals by local artists (@_chloemakes_). Aesthetically, it complements the general atmosphere of Downtown Denver but adds a distinct warmth that it maintains in rain, snow, and shine. The music here is chosen by the Barista clocked in, so it depends but generally it’s some variation of soulful indie or hip-hop. It stays fairly mid-tempo which is perfect for encouraging creativity and productivity. The music is not loud enough to be distracting but also not too quiet to hear. JRC is attached to Asterisk, a local event center located right off of Park Avenue and Broadway in the heart of the city of Denver.
Accessibility + Details:
JRC Downtown is located at a very busy intersection again, in the heart of downtown which can make parking somewhat of a challenge. However, we always find parking either right in front of the shop or right off of Arapahoe. Since it is downtown you’ll of course want to be mindful of the signage wherever you park. Some places are off-limits. The entrance to JRC Downtown has a ramp making the shop wheelchair accessible. There are bathrooms available to customers as well (not always the norm in Denver) which you can find at the back of the shop. JRC also has a decent amount of outlets so it’s likely that you’ll be able to plug your laptop in if it is falling short on battery life.
Menu:
JRC is one of the rare shops where their drinks are good enough that they can get away with not having a huge menu. They get pastries delivered daily from Rebel Bread and burritos (veggie, meat, and vegan options) from Bonfire Burritos. They offer all of the standard milk and milk substitute options.
As far as coffee goes their downtown shop is an extension of their roastery about 30 minutes away so they use their own delicious beans. They offer standard syrups. Vanilla, Honey Cinnamon, and Vegan Chocolate and also glorious seasonal flavors. They also have a great loose leaf tea selection and matcha. They also carry a bunch of incredibly rad merch.
Flavor:
JRC’s baristas go through quite the onboarding which I only know because Jake used to work there. It ends up being a great thing because it keeps their quality consistent throughout each shop and each visit.
Jake got an oat milk cappuccino. Eastside was the blend on espresso the day we visited.
Eastside | Yepocapa, Guatemala the notes are Praline & Stone Fruit
From the coffee aficionado himself,
“It’s good coffee, good coffee makes me feel good. It makes me feel good. The milk is always steamed to perfection, and the latte art is always clean.” My husband is a man who says what he needs to say and that it haha.
A Jake Tip: You’re more likely to find good coffee at a coffee roastery. If you’re googling shops near you look for multiple good latte art pictures.
I got a Chai which is Sancturary Chai – It was good, as always… and the milk? Steamed to perfection. The chai has a deep honey flavor and minimal spice.
A Jake Tip: You’re more likely to find good coffee at a coffee roastery. If you’re googling shops near you look for multiple good latte art pictures.
So if you’re in the mood for a good drink and great vibes check out Jubilee Roasting Co!
Jubilee Renee 