Caffeine Crawl #1 (North Smithfield)

We read with great interest a recent article in Travel & Leisure about the benefits of getting out and exploring the world around you, even if that means “rediscovering what’s so special about your own hometown, city or region.”

So following along on the heels of National Coffee Day, which was September 29, and a suggestion in the aforementioned article, we decided to do a caffeine crawl beyond the national brands that may come to mind and try some of the local coffee shops in various locations around the Blackstone Valley.

The local coffee shop often generates a sense of community and is a valuable resource for gathering with friends. Case in point the fictional cafe “Central Perk” played a major role in the sitcom “Friends” as a place where the characters could unwind and drink some brew usually from very large coffee cups .
The local cafe has also been a place for local musicians and poets to perform acoustic music or poetry readings. Here, a sip of coffee and artistic inspiration join together in the community.

We headed north and visited two coffee shops featured in our Culinaria Live series – Red, White & Brew and Coffee & Cream both in North Smithfield and both family run businesses with interesting stories.

First, Red White & Brew featuring a mom and son team. If you want to know all there is about coffee, this is the coffee shop to visit. The counter where you order your coffee features artwork on the glass with images of coffee cups and descriptions of various types of coffee. For example (use the photo with the descriptions) Latte is milk (on top) Espresso (on bottom) whereas Macchiato is the opposite Espresso (on top) and milk (on bottom). If confused, just ask Michael. He is quite passionate about the coffee they serve. Their specialty is the Frozen Hot Chocolate, but we decided to try the nitro brew with a bagel. Nitro brew is frothy at the top, creamy without the cream.

They have a delightful set up of tables in their adjoining gift shop, The Budding Violet, which features items by local artists with disabilities. While we sipped our nitro and ate our bagel, we browsed with our eyes. When we finished we picked up a few birthday gifts that day and look forward to going back for early Christmas shopping while sipping their new October flavor, the Monster Mash Latte, a combination of some favorite fall flavors: pumpkin spice, mocha and hazelnut topped with whipped cream sounds hauntingly decadent.

Next up, Coffee & Cream. This is another family-run coffee shop that just reopened in their current location at Slatersville Plaza on Victory Highway. Normand Branchaud, family patriarch, opened the original shop in 1990 that was located on route 146 North for 18 years. Then in 2017, the town’s beloved restaurant suffered a major loss in a devastating fire and had to close its doors. Son Jon and his wife Heather started another chapter for the coffee shop and founded the new home.

We stopped by after a visit to Wright’s Dairy Farm on a beautiful early fall morning and had a cup of local brew from Richard Allen coffee roasters out of Johnston, RI, and a hearty breakfast with The Fiesta, featuring two scrambled eggs, salsa, toast and homefries. We also bought one of their favorites for the road the PBJ muffins loaded with peanut butter and raspberry filling. We also had a lovely chat with Heather who told me that they also serve
“beans-to-table” in which they grind Arabaica Beans and brew it right into your cup. They use a lot of family recipes, they whip their own pancakes from scratch and Jon likes to experiment in the kitchen as well.

In addition to coffee, they also serve mimosas and sangria and seek to have a full bar of beer and wine.
We chose to eat outside, but the inside decor is rustic and quaint with plenty of room to be socially distanced. (After writing this, we recently learned of the passing of family patriarch, Normand Branchaud, and offer our deepest sympathies to the family.)

To check out the Culinaria Live episodes at these two restaurants as well as visit our Culinaria website.

This is a perfect time to get out and explore your local coffee shops with their fall flavors and just as the weather is getting a little cooler. Though social gatherings are not the same, you can still enjoy a good cup of local brew and meet a friend or two. how does the song go “I’ll be there for you…

To be continued…
many more shops to check out through the Fall and Winter so stay-tuned to our next installment of the Caffeine Crawl. If you like, start your own Caffeine Crawl by visiting our website for a list of cafes & bakeries.

Written by: Patti McAlpine;
Photo taken at Red, White & Brew by: Patti McAlpine