Best Coffee In Shreveport – James Stanley’s Top 5
According to Wikipedia "Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted seeds, called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. Coffee beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees in over 70 countries, cultivated primarily in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. 'Green Unroasted' coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. It is one of the most-consumed beverages in the world.
What's behind our our love for the bean? There are as many different reasons people drink coffee as there are varieties of of the beverage. For some people, coffee wakes them up and gives them energy. Some like the taste. For others, it's a painkiller (according to the March 2007 Journal of Pain, two cups can cut post workout pain 48%!). Recent research by Southwestern University has shown that coffee may boost a woman's sex drive. And of course, many are just plain addicted!
Count our own James Stanley as one of those "addicted to the bean". James is never seen in the hallways here at Townsquare Media without a cup of steaming java in his hands, and can pontificate for hours on different beans, blends, and his favorite places for a good cup of joe. We recently asked him where we could find "The Best Coffee In Shreveport"...and since independent coffee shops are rare in the SBC, we thought narrowing it down to the Top 5 would be easy. Not so much...
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The coffee that Denny’s offer’s has been through some changes over the years, but it seems they have settled on serving a Kona blend coffee, which, in my opinion, is a good choice. About 3 a.m. after a night of dancing and living large, Denny’s coffee is the star of the early morning.
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IHOP coffee is full-bodied, and seems to be a blend using primarily Arabica beans, medium-roasted, but hits a great note for coffee connoisseurs, such as myself. It’s better than any convenience store coffee you’ll find, so even if on a road trip, swing in to IHOP for coffee to-go. You’ll certainly be glad you did.
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One of the many reasons I love Cracker Barrel coffee is that it reminds me of Starbuck’s “Pike Place” roast. It’s not quite as full-bodied as Pike Place, but it is a medium-roast coffee. Since I only care for a few items on Cracker Barrel’s menu (not a fan of their breakfast), I don’t eat there much, but I have been known to walk through the front door and into the Old Country Store to pick up a pound of its coffee. As you walk in, it’s directly in front of you on the back wall. But, certainly if you have time, this would be the perfect place to order a cup of coffee and take it outside and sit in a rocking chair and enjoy the break, at least it is when the weather is nice.
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Waffle House coffee is just plain good. I’m not sure if they measure the amount of coffee they put in the coffee maker or not, but it just always seems consistent amongst all Waffle House’s across the country. And yes, I’ve taken road trips galore and Waffle House has the most reliable always-awesome coffee anytime, day or night. As you sip it you will understand why it’s in the top-five best cups of coffee available in Shreveport-Bossier, or anywhere for that matter. It helps that it’s a national chain and you never have to look far to find a Waffle House.
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Starbuck’s usually offers a “Featured” coffee of the day, the week or the month, whatever they’re pushing. But, since it came out with “Pike Place” roast about a year ago, all Starbuck’s offer that as their “House” blend, everyday. If you’re feeling adventurous, then you should try Starbuck’s “Featured” coffee, but don’t try and get a cup of it after about 6 p.m. Most Starbuck’s don’t brew anything but “Pike Place,” which is a medium roast coffee, past 6 p.m. daily. Starbuck’s still offers “House Blend” coffee, but only through retail stores which sell Starbuck’s 12 oz. coffee bags. “Pike Place” roast is considered Starbuck’s in-house “house” coffee, and it’s good.
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If you’re not able to go inside to dine and drink a cup of Joe, all of the above mentioned “best cups of coffee” offer to-go cups of coffee, oftentimes in various sizes. A couple of additional place’s where you can find a good cup of coffee are: Circle K, Burger King, and surprisingly McDonald’s. In fact, McDonald’s recently launched an all-out effort to compete with Starbuck’s and other gourmet coffee houses, even offering a variety of flavored and frozen coffee selections.
Plantation Coffee Company out of Blanchard gets an honorable mention too. I’m not sure where you can get a cup of their coffee in retail establishments, but I know they roast their own beans and have a variety of blends. It may be worth checking out Plantation Coffee and if it’s available where you shop or dine.
And there you have it. The Best Coffee in Shreveport, according to a true coffee connoisseur. Do you agree? Disagree? Is there one he missed? Hit the comments below with your favorites...
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