Coffee Shops in Missoula

Ahem. I know we all need to care about global warming, nukes in Idaho, delisting the wolves, and so on, but there's other things that matter too. Like coffee. Lots of coffee. Finding the best coffee. And telling others about it, since after all, we're all in this together and we might as well have a great cup of joe to help us on our way.

Most of my friends know I have a weakness for coffee shops (probably an understatement), and Missoula certainly has a number of options to choose from if you're looking for a great cup of joe. Since I've been here about 6 months now, I'll weigh in with my perspective on some of the establisments that I've discovered thus far. So here's my take on the coffee scene in Missoula...

• Bernice's - great coffee (very strong!), with a nice southern exposure and plenty of glass to stare out of. Downsides include lack of electrical outlets and wireless access, but the variety of folks who call this place home more than makes up for that - you can actually strike up a conversations with people at adjoining tables here, and I like that a lot. If you stay for lunch, try their Herb hardrolls (some kind of cream cheese stuff in the middle, for only a buck... very nice!)
  
  
• Butterfly Herbs - not only the best coffee I've found in Missoula, but also at one of the best prices anywhere ($1.50 gets you a cool mug with unlimited refills). If you like to talk to lots interesting people, this may be one of the best bets around - just belly up to the bar and wait a few minutes. Biggest downside: lack of table space and electrical outlets (I always end up feeling guilty if I sit there for more than a few hours, like I'm stealing from someone else's cache of coffee coolness). If you stop in, be sure to try the Chocolate Berry Blues (choco-covered blueberries)... I start salivating just thinking about them.
  
  
• Break Espresso - one of the best places to drink coffee all day long (eg. it's not so strong that you start shaking after 2 cups) - your best bet is to purchase the coffee card (13 drinks for the price of 10), and then refills are just 25 cents apiece. Lots and lots of tables (by far the biggest coffee shop in town). My only complaints - I wish they replaced a few of the smaller tables with single bigger ones, so you could actually sit and talk to strangers if you feel like it. That and the wireless has been pretty flaky of late. Oh yeah - you simply HAVE to try their ham and cheese breakfast bagel (but dang! they need a new toaster!). And the conversations in the men's bathroom is worth the visit all by itself (How come the woman's bathroom doesn't have stuff like this scrawled all over it? And how would I know?)
  
  
• Liquid Planet - Liquid Planet is one of the very first coffee shops I visited when I came to Missoula, and my initial reaction was "wow, this place is cool". I still think it is, but I don't find myself going in very often. Maybe it just feels a little too commercial. Good coffee, great hot chocolate (my kids LOVE it!), and the breakfast crepes are to die for. Definitely worth checking out. The internet is free now, but lack of outlets can be a problem.
  
  
• Trout River - one of my most recent discoveries, I almost hesitate to even mention this place (kind of like a favorite fishing hole). The Hunter Bay coffee is ok (not great), and refills are too expensive (75 cents), but the atmosphere is exceptional - nice big windows with a south-easterly exposure, great background music, and the place is almost empty (in other words, it's a great spot to study). I really really like that aspect (and heck, it's connected to the fly fishing shop next door... kind of like heaven in that regard).
  
  
• Catalyst - another interesting little shop on Higgins, with pretty decent coffee (and as many refills as you want). I need to spend more time in this place to really get a good feel for it, but I liked it when I visited. The balcony area was cool, but the lack of wireless means I'll probably never spend a lot of time there.
  
  
• City Brew - I used to spend a lot of time in the place back when I lived in Billings (but then again, there aren't exactly a lot of coffee shop options in Billings). Decent coffee (their Ethiopian Harrar is excellent!), free wireless, outlets, nice people, etc. But it still feels too much like a Starbucks for me.
  
  
• Starbucks - yeah, right. Starbucks is kind of a "last resort" for me. I don't think I've purchased a cup since I've come to Missoula. And I'm not missing it. Plus they charge for their Internet. Sheesh... (Hot Tip: Butterfly Herbs sells bumper stickers that say 'Friends don't let friends do Starbucks'... Priceless!). If I do have to drink at Starbucks, I avoid the coffee and order an Americano (much more consistent).
  
  
• Food for Thought - good food, ok cup of coffee, lots of local campus traffic. Nice place to hang out and watch people. But boy those chairs are hard on my butt.
  
  
• Bear's Brew (or something like that) - it's only a block away from Food For Thought. I've only been in once - the atmosphere would have been nice, but guys, can you PLEASE get rid of the little Christian fishy on the sign and ditch the whole Christian music over the sound system. Rich Mullins aside, I cannot STAND most contemporary Christian music (and heck, I'm a pastor - imagine what it feels like for all those poor folks outside of the church). Blech! Blech blech blech. Like getting coffee grounds in that last swig from the bottom of the cup.
  
  
• Barnes & Noble - I love coffee, especially when I'm surrounded by books, but its still too commercial for me (all those Starbucks complaints apply here as well). B&N is kind of a last ditch option for me, when I can't even find a Starbucks. Needless to say, I haven't spent much time here of late. (Aside: how come The Book Exchange doesn't have coffee and internet? That could be really cool...)

So that's pretty much it for right now. If someone knows of places I'm missing I'd love to hear about it. Until then, I still stand by my earlier lament (see I Need an Infusion) - what I miss most in coffee shops in this town is a big common study table where lots of people can sit together, study, and then chat every now and again when they feel like it. I still haven't found that kind of community aspect yet, but I'll keep on quaffing, and if I do, I'll be sure to let you know...

Even in Missoula

"Hey, I just want to know, do I look like him?"

That's what he was asking, the guy leaning in over the table, interjecting himself into our conversation. He looked only at me; he did not acknowledge the man I was having coffee with.

It took me a moment to understand why: Jimmy, on my right, was black. This guy standing to my left, however, was not. Yet half an hour earlier, I had asked him, "Hey, are you Jimmy?"

He had been standing alone on the other side of the coffee shop, waiting for someone, head turned to the side, unshaven face making his features look darker. And as soon as he had turned to look at me, it was obvious he wasn't the person I was there to meet. But that's the hard part of connecting over coffee with someone you haven't seen since they were in high school - neither of you knows for sure what the other person's going to look like.

So it was my mistake, and now that Bearded Guy realizes I took him for Black Guy, he's evidently insulted, insulted enough to actually walk up to our table and toss out his smart-assed comment. I was stunned. And then I was pissed. I realize that is strong language, but there are times when nothing less than strong language is appropriate.

I fumbled for words, saying something lame like "Well, I haven't seen him in years..." but Bearded Guy just sauntered off. Jimmy, to his credit, never even blinked. He just sat there for a moment and then continued the conversation.

Someone said a while back that they hoped we'd be tolerant here in Missoula. Not of this kind of behavior. Sorry folks, but its just wrong. And it pisses me off, because the church is meant to be a place where God's grace is extended to all who seek it, where there are no second class citizens, where justice rolls like water. Martin Luther King didn't make that up you know - he was just quoting the prophet Amos. Racism should piss us off, even in Missoula. Especially in Missoula. And especially in the church.

The church is meant to be a place of justice. And sometimes, that requires us to take a stand and say things are wrong. It also requires us to put our money where our mouth is and strive to make them right. Because the church is meant to be the place where heaven and earth meet, where God's agenda breaks through and actually makes a difference in the world.

If diversity bothers you, you probably won't like our church. But that's ok. After all, the kingdom of God is not for everyone...