Coffee. The word alone conjures up many emotions. We give an almost magical reverence to its ability to fuel and inspire us. Count me among the devotees of this divine drip. Apparently, I’m not the only one.
Fort Worth’s coffee options have steadily grown over the years. We’ve come a long way from the days of The Noble Bean and Eurotazza. Both of these were among the pioneers of craft coffee and coffeehouse culture in Fort Worth in the ’90s.
Since then, purveyors of craft coffee in Fort Worth have demonstrated an admirable commitment to sourcing, roasting, and preparing an exceptional beverage. Coffee-obsessed baristas add to the experience by sharing their knowledge and nuance so that you can order and appreciate the elevated cup they place before you.
Places like Craftwork Coffee Co. seek to extend this knowledge with coffee-cupping classes. Think, terroir and tasting notes only gleaned from coffee instead of wine. Thanks to all this, I now know what single origin means, and I can tell a cortado from a cappuccino.
Along with a crafted cup of coffee, cultivating a community can make or break a coffee shop. After all, what good is a perfect pour over if there’s no eager audience? After spending countless hours in numerous coffeehouses over the years, it’s interesting to see each place develop a unique vibe that attracts a loyal following. This is an essential ingredient to success as a business and part of a great coffeehouse’s unofficial role in serving a community.
Recently, I was seeing frequent announcements of new coffee shops opening and new ones still to come. A coffee renaissance is brewing Fort Worth. The question is, Can we sustain it?
As a champion of the local coffee shop scene, this growth seems concerning. On one of my caffeine-seeking excursions last week, my worries proved to be unfounded. My usual go-to spot in the Near Southside was bustling and full. So full that I had to venture elsewhere to find a place to settle in. The Near Southside seems to be the nexus of most of the coffee shop activity, and that’s not surprising considering that it serves as one of the creative hubs of the city. The fact that I could hop from one crowded coffee shop to another within just a few walkable blocks of each other was something that could not have occurred just a few years ago.
As I sit here in one of the newest entries to the landscape, Black Coffee, on Fort Worth’s Eastside, I’m struck that, yes, not only can Fort Worth indeed support more coffee shops, but they are sorely needed and welcomed in areas that have lacked them in the past. Race Street Coffee is another example of a newly opened spot serving a new area. Black Coffee, in addition to serving a deliciously smooth cold brew, is already providing a gathering place for the community, judging by a recent Monday afternoon crowd.
Like the coffee they serve, coffee shops hold potential for inspiration and energy. They can be the place where you put the finishing flourish on your resume or boost your productivity. They are a great place to meet a first date. It can be a calm space to read a book. It seems to be the go-to spot for any budding entrepreneur to meet a potentially rewarding business connection. Of course, nothing beats catching up with a friend over coffee. Even if it’s just you and your laptop, the buzz of a coffee shop makes you feel like a part of something. So, yes, Fort Worth will always need these spaces to serve as catalysts for creativity and connection.
