Coffee with a cause: Boise shop’s drinks fund charitable donations
I’m on a mission to try coffee shops all across the Treasure Valley to find out what makes each one unique, from the atmosphere to the espresso.
Go to Awakenings Coffee House when: You’re with a big group. This spacious shop offers plenty of seating near floor-to-ceiling windows or on cozy couches. Stop by for its Brush’d painting nights or coffee brewing 101 classes too.
Order this: A regular coffee or Americano is the best way to get the full flavor of Awakenings’ house-roasted beans. Try a pour over for truly smooth, robust coffee or sip plain shots of espresso to really experience Identity Coffee Roasters.
The last thing I thought I wanted on a cold, rainy October day was an equally chilly coffee. Awakenings Coffee House, 10650 W. Overland Road, proved me wrong with its dark chocolate cold brew with coconut milk.
The coffee shop roasts Identity Coffee Roasters beans in-house each week, so I wanted to be sure to order something that would showcase those flavors. A cold brew coffee, left to steep for hours, was the perfect way to do that. The dark chocolate drink is sweet and smooth (cold brewing helps rid coffee of bitter notes). At first sip, it’s almost reminiscent of chocolate milk, leaving a nutty coffee aftertaste.
The cold brew is part of Awakenings’ fall menu — a time when baristas get creative with cozy menu items. Awakenings offers the ever-popular pumpkin spice latte, but tempers the traditional sweetness of the drink so you’re left with a slight nutmeg-gy bite and sweet pumpkin. For a real twist on fall’s pumpkin craze, try an espresso con panna — shots of espresso over homemade pumpkin-flavored whipped cream.
Of course, Awakenings offers something for coffee purists, too. Identity’s house-roasted beans make for Americanos that are bold and smooth, made with an espresso that Awakenings describes as “nutty and buttery.” A rotating menu of single-origin coffees from across the globe means a regular cup of coffee at this shop will be an experience in all the flavors coffee has to offer.
If tea is more your speed, Awakenings has an extensive menu of loose-leaf offerings, as well as local kombuchas and wines.
The shop’s menu is an experience, and its atmosphere is no different. Brush’d painting classes are held in the spacious coffee house, along with monthly brewing 101 classes. Moreover, Awakenings donates proceeds to local charities that support women and children — as if you needed another reason to stop by.
Nicole Blanchard is always looking for the next spot to grab a shot of espresso. You can reach her at nblanchard@idahostatesman.com or follow her on Twitter @nmblanchard.