Luck Bros Coffee House

Stop Number 1 - Luck Bros’ Coffee House

A smaller establishment, located in Grandview Heights, The Luck Bros’ Coffee House is the first stop on my tour of coffee shops in Columbus, Ohio. I was recommended Luck Bros’ by my friend Bryan while we were on summer abroad in London. At that time we were attempting to visit the best places for Flat Whites in London, and I distinctly remember him talking about how much he liked Luck Bros’. So here I am.

Because there is very limited parking, I have to park almost three blocks away and walk. Today is January 21^st, and it is 11 degrees outside. Luckily, I checked the thermometer before I left the house, so I’m wearing three layers of clothing, including tights and knee socks and also snow boots. Gotta love January in Ohio.

I’m starving, so ordering the last everything bagel with cream cheese is a no brainer, but the coffee decision is a bit more complicated. I contemplate ordering just regular coffee, but when I mention it to the barista she doesn’t seem too enthusiastic about it. She’s a tall girl, who looks to be perhaps in her mid-twenties, with short dark hair and a white plastic gauge earring. Immediately, I know she is cooler than me, so I will now trust everything she says. She tells me that they make really good lattes here and I’m on board. It seems to me its hard to go wrong with something that's good enough for an employee, so it’s good enough for me.

The walls here are a nice orange color, which is really surprising only because I hate the color orange, and, I’m usually hard pressed to find a shade that pleases me. But this warm pumpkin shade is aesthetically suitable. When I first arrive the only other people in the shop is a man with headphones and a laptop inconspicuously sitting in a booth by himself and a large table of gents with books, pens, papers, computers and the vibe that they are also, much cooler than I am. A couple of them are wearing hats, two others have dark rimmed glasses, and most of them are wearing dark thermal shirts or man-sweaters. Only two of them are clean-shaven, I immediately equate this with intelligence and aloofness.

I naturally assume these men are clearly academics, participating in some sort of informal coffee roundtable, perhaps editing works of literature, or debating the creation of the universe.They are cool. They have that indefinable thing that I lack as a novice intellectual. They have a circle.

I settle into a small table across from the counter where I can observe the goings on easily. It takes me a few seconds to situate myself, latte, bagel, and laptop on this small metal table, but once I do, I feel very much like I could blend into the scenery. I take a few pictures of my latte and prepare myself for the experience.

This is probably one of the best lattes I’ve had in a while. For starters, its super cute. It is served in a white porcelain mug which is short and fat with a small handle shaped kind of like an elf ear from Lord of the Rings. The foam on top is swirled where the frothy milk meets the dark espresso below. As I cradle the smooth glass in my hands, I can feel the warmth seeping into my pores before I’ve even taken a sip.

The latte is smooth and the perfect temperature. The espresso is strong but not overpowering against the steamed skim. Really, Really Excellent. I immediately want to drink the entire cup in about .74 seconds, but I remember that I have writing to do and how sad I will be if I drink the whole latte before I even start writing. So instead I turn to my everything bagel, which has been perfectly toasted and smothered which regular cream cheese. This is my breakfast of choice, never mind that it is past noon, and I’ve only been awake for a few hours. This is the perfect way to spend a pseudo-morning. Two Enthusiastic Thumbs Up!!