Roasters

Has anyone tried River Road Coffee, out of Baton Rouge? I’m curious. I just came across their website. They sell bagged beans and represent themselves as a specialty roaster of the highest standards. To me, though, their presentation doesn’t say “passionate roaster*” but it does say “sales and marketing team looking for a niche.” Maybe I’m wrong. Being slick isn’t a crime.

You can get the coffee at groceries in the Baton Rouge area. Albertson’s, Wal-Mart, and others. Does it have a roast date? Are they aiming at CC’s? Starbucks? Stumptown?

Comments and opinions welcome.

*Try Me Mills’ website seems more like roasters first, marketers second.

Just a note:

The Best of New Orleans blog post Breakfast on Banks mentions that the new Huevos Coffee & Breakfast cafe in mid-city serves coffee from local roaster Try Me Mills.

Oh. . . They say the food is really good, too.

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Originally uploaded by Billy Bob Flickr

The little PJ’s coffee shop on the Tulane University campus has won a few awards from the American Institute of Architects.

This nifty glass and steel, 900 square-foot building was retrofitted into the breezeway of Percival Hall. It is visible from Freret street as you drive through campus.

The coffee shop “transforms a heavy, oppressive void into a meaningful social space” and “the light materials make an elegant contrast to the imposing structure of the existing building.”(Times-Picayune)

PJs coffee shops are a New Orleans based, Starbucks-like, franchise chain. There are locations all around the South. PJs roasts their own beans and their cafes can be a pleasant place to catch your breath. Most have wi-fi. (see location listing).

The espresso comes out of super-autos that are usually staffed by cheerful button-pushers. The shops are ubiquitous and, if you are a visitor to the city, you will probably see a PJs before you see any other coffee place (except maybe SBUX).