Cafe Denver

I noticed it when I discovered 17th Street. On corners, in houses, it was unmistakable, that feeling of belonging, of good conversation, the nostalgia of college and a hint of Europe. I felt invigorated, inspired to write, and couldn’t wait to discover more. This thing that made me fall in love with Denver, that made it feel like home, is its blossoming café culture.

Denver is hardly famous for a cafe culture nor often characterized as “European.” Rocky Mountains, progressive attitudes, green space, and a western style define it – sidewalk cafes and good coffee? Maybe not. But as I walked along 17th Street that day in March, my future in Chicago now in question, I passed the independent coffee shops and they invited me in, warmed me up, and had me soon considering a future in Denver.

While each café is uniquely its own, they all share a sense of community. This is where Denver gathers, chatting away an afternoon with a friend or a dog, watching life float along the sidewalk and in the street. This is where the city reads, writes, and philosophizes, where it makes new friendships and rekindles old ones.

Denver’s café culture is locally grown; its coffee shops located in old houses and used bookstores. Mostly independent, they face little threat from those cookie-cutter corporate cafes. The shops in Denver welcome pets inside, despite the ample seating outside. They have creaky floors and fireplaces and worn-in sofas. Some are Russian with vodka-themed drinks; others are hippie with psychedelic curtains and fluorescent green walls. The baristas at Denver’s cafes ask my name and about my day, give free refills, and invite me to come again. Best of all, they recognize me when I return.

These qualities are certainly not unique to Denver, although a city with a community-centered café culture is quite telling. These cities value local businesses and encourage their success. They value neighbors and neighborhoods, leisurely afternoons and a home-away-from-home. They enjoy congregating somewhere other than bars, malls, and overpriced restaurants. They value good coffee and the simple life.

Most of the time I wrote in Chicago was at a coffee shop. There, cafes were merely a place to plug in and get my writing done. Tables were hard to come by and it often took two or three attempts at two are three different coffee chains to find one. I never felt that any place was mine, and my memories there are impersonal and replaceable.

In Denver every cafe has a table just for me and I feel comfortable taking it. I belong here and this is a community to which I want to greatly contribute. It is my home and I look forward to sharing it with you from the table of great café.