Indie Coffeehouses

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Given our seemingly unquenchable thirst for coffee, boutique brews are practically a food group all their own, with a place on the nutritional pyramid somewhere between fruit (2-4 daily servings) and grains (6-11).

But java offers more than needed energy and seductive aroma. It gives imbibers an excuse to frequent cafés and the social scene they create. Visit any thriving city, and you’ll find its streets dotted with one independent café after another. Detroit hasn’t been so lucky. Starbucks shuttered some of its Detroit locations as part of the chain’s nationwide contraction. And that may be a good thing. While we welcome investment from the big chains, nothing beats home-grown coffee shops and the individual quirkiness they serve along with the brew.

Following is a venti-sized menu of metro Detroit’s indie cafés, a local blend that satisfies a variety of tastes, from artistic to sleek, offbeat to cozy.

Café con Leche

4200 W. Vernor Hwy. (Mexicantown), Detroit; 313-554-1744.

Café con Leche is the little café that could. Originally located in the now-defunct Mexicantown Mercado, it became the one bright spot in the barren plaza. Owner Jordi Carbonell, who hails from Spain, moved his shop to a site across from Clark Park and the change did a world of good. Today, Café con Leche hums with activity and a distinct neighborhood feel. Posted fliers and postcards, mostly bilingual, advertise everything from upcoming concerts to free H1N1 vaccines. The décor is lovely: Comfortable leather chairs and attractive wooden tables furnish a vibrant space with high ceilings and colorfully painted walls decorated with works by local Latino artists. Leche’s large front window overlooks Vernor and Clark Park. A small retail alcove offers Latin CDs and art.
And then, of course, there’s the coffee. Latte lovers won’t be disappointed. And for the slightly more adventurous, there’s Cuban coffee and champurrado (made with chocolate and cinnamon). Visitors also may order a Jarritos (flavored soda from Mexico) or sangria soda. Sip while you listen to customers chat in Spanish, in Detroit’s best coffeehouse.

Café 1923

2287 Holbrook, Hamtramck; 313-319-8766, cafe1923.com.

When did Hamtramck get so effortlessly cool? Café 1923 has got to be the only coffeehouse where you can drink a macaroon latte and listen to your fellow patrons argue in a Slavic language while you mull over which book to select from the library of volumes on display. This bright, airy café occupies a restored 87-year-old building owned by fourth-generation descendants of its original Polish proprietors. Its features include oak shelving, ornate tin ceilings, and vintage tchotchkes displayed throughout. The café hosts bimonthly open-mic nights and regular art openings for Hamtramck artists. Bring cash: Café 1923 takes no credit cards.

The Rowland Café

Rowland: 500 Griswold (Guardian Building lobby, downtown), Detroit; 313-964-1928, therowlandcafe.com. Stella: 500 Griswold (Guardian Building lobby, downtown), Detroit; 313-964-3910; 3011 W. Grand Blvd. (Fisher Building lobby, it the New Center), Detroit; 313-664-0400, stellacafe.com.

If you need a reminder of Detroit’s glorious past and a glimpse of what could still be, spend some time at The Rowland Café. Located in the ornately tiled lobby of the Guardian Building downtown, its sweeping views of the stunning design can make your midafternoon pick-me-up an uplifting experience. Rowland serves famed Illy coffee (from Italy) and an appealing selection of sandwiches, soups, and salads.
Rowland’s proprietor also owns Stella International Café, with locations in the Guardian and the Fisher Building (another architectural gem). Stella sells Illy coffee, fresh-squeezed orange juice, New York bagels, croissants from a local master artisan pastry chef, and gourmet breakfast and lunch panini sandwiches. Its Web site says Stella offers “a refreshing alternative to the chain experience” — and it’s right.

Espresso Jazzy Café

212 E. Grand River (Harmonie Park), Detroit; 313-633-4893.

This colorful and cozy café near the Detroit Opera House has an especially good reputation for its hot chocolate. It also offers Boylan’s sodas and a selection of high-quality tea. Sit in the small upstairs balcony for a view of the action below and listen to the jazz wafting from the speakers.

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