Coffee Roasters and Island Paradise: Grounds for Relaxation

There are three coffee bean roasters on the island and when they are making coffee you just have to follow your nose for a taste experience you won't soon forget. Start your coffee hopping in Langley just nine minutes from the ferry.

Useless Bay Coffee Roasters - A walk in Village by the Sea, Langley will fill your senses with the smells of roasting coffee and lure you into Useless Bay Coffee Roasters. Just slide back the barn like door, and order a latte and you'll receive a carefully crafted heart or other foam art right on top of the best tasting coffee.

Coffee is roasted two to three times per week in a Probat UG15 roaster. Owner Des Rock is passionate about coffee roasting and says, "The Probat is a 1950s piece of German equipment, a beautiful machine from Europe and refurbished, it is built to last." The entire design of Useless Bay Coffee Roasters is built to last from the steelwork throughout and umbrellas outdoors to the large metal structure bandstand.

Look for the European-style outdoor seating and enter a boutique style roastery. The recently expanded indoor seating area is a great spot to get into a conversation with friends and grab a sweet roll, Italian Panini, or salad. Owner Des Rock says, "If you go online to bestoflangley.com, you'll see a video of the shop, which shows the roasting process." Only two years young, Useless Bay Coffee fits like a glove from the 50s. The look is very metropolitan, modeled after big city roasters. Des Rock says the experience will engage all your senses. "You'll find a warm welcome, a small batch of artisan roasted coffee, and a unique cafe where a number of local artists contributed to construction and design. You'll encounter a beautiful outside garden with herbs in front and vegetables in back," he said.

The roaster uses biodegradeable products and recycles all grounds back into the garden. Useless Bay gets their coffee beans from Royal Coffee in San Francisco and also has a selection of organic coffees. A few types of coffee beans available are Guatamala, Costa Rica, Panama, Ethiopia, Sumatra, and Kenya in roasts suitable for every taste. Useless Bay is located on Second Street across the street from the library and next door to the post office creating a steady flow of customers. To sum up the experience, coffee roasting to tickle your senses from the smell and taste of roasted coffee to music with summer local musicians and beautiful art. They are open seven days a week.
Read reviews here http://www.yelp.com/biz/useless-bay-coffee-company-langley.

Mukilteo Coffee Company and Brewery - One of Whidbey Island's best kept secrets is Mukilteo Coffee Company located in Langley on the south end of the island. The secret is in the location tucked away in Langley's woodlands. Grab a cup of Joe and a seat indoors or outdoors on the patio and be prepared to smile. The staff is more than friendly and will make you feel like family. The first thing you'll notice is the huge coffee brewery to the back of the building with its shiny silver roaster. Mukilteo Coffee Company is hidden in the woods just off Crawford Road outside of Langley. You can access Crawford Road coming up Highway 525 from the Clinton ferry or going west out of town through Langley on Brookhill Rd. It's a bumpy ride from that entry off Brookhill Road , but you'll be glad you made the trip. You can't miss the sign positioned just where the pavement starts or the pavement ends, depending on which route you take to get to the roaster.

The locals congregate here and recently the addition of a kitchen, Ca' buni Cafe and serving healthy breakfasts, such as organic and homemade granola, and lunches, such as organic sandwiches, has added a nice touch to the eclectic and peaceful, woodland experience.

Special events such as gourmet chef prepared dinners and live music are common, especially from Spring to Fall, and owner Gary Smith can be found entertaining guests on his guitar from time to time. The real treat is the coffee roasted by Gary. There are many types to choose from, including organic, and the care that goes into its production is evident in the robust flavor you just can't find elsewhere. From time to time you might even catch a glimpse of the mascot, a young Bernese Mountain dog. For more information either call the company line at 360-321-5262 or the Tasting Room at 360-321-5270.

Honeymoon Bay Coffee Roasters - Despite the name, this coffee roaster is in Oak Harbor on the north end of Whidbey Island, not in Honeymoon Bay on the south end. If you love European-style coffee, this is a must add to your list of coffee hopping stops. This is a small batch, family-owned, European-style coffee roasting company. Roasting is done in a cast iron roaster. Roast Master and owner, Mike Donohoe says , "We use a 22 Probat imported from London, and German engineered. It was never designed for export to the U.S. and we had to get it all up to code, to American standards. It is exactly the right equipment for the coffee experience." The roaster itself is right there in the window, you can't miss it. Mike says, "We do a Friday night roast using raw green coffee beans."

Mike describes the roasting process as an art form, and it is a true local experience to watch it from beginning to end. On Friday nights at 430 p.m. sharp, every Friday, people can experience coffee roasting at its finest, achieving the highest quality coffee. Honeymoon Bay Coffee Roasters is located at 1100 SW Boumer Drive, Suite A-101.

It is a PURE coffee experience, not necessarily a cafe. You'd describe the experience as an espresso bar and coffee roastery combination. Mike says they have six to eight different blends/varietals on sample to taste for free daily. He said, "We're more focused on coffee, making it a very personalized experience, a true boutique." There are 23 types of coffees, from house decaf to Ethiopian blend and you can order online and have it delivered to your door. Honeymoon Bay Coffee Roasters is a special environment, for a fantastic experience, whether you want to just taste coffee, have a great espresso, or watch Mike roast coffee on Friday evenings. A pure experience for coffee connoisseurs. For more information phone 1-800-781-7261 or 360-682-6654. Open 7 days a week, Monday-Wednesday 7am-1pm; Thursday 7am-4 pm; Friday 7am-6pm (4:30 p.m. Friday Night Roast - sharp); Saturday 8am-5pm.

Other coffeehouses worth mentioning are,

ISLAND COFFEEHOUSE AND BOOKS - Across the street from Useless Bay Coffee is Island Coffeehouse and Books. For a more eclectic experience what makes this coffeehouse stand out is its focus on books and art. Youth art is on sale at the coffeehouse and young people are encouraged to get involved through programs like Friday Night Live. You'll find young people contributing their artistic works, written works such as poetry and prose, as well as song. An interesting fact about the coffeehouse is it is located in an old home and has a large welcoming front yard, as well as a side patio. There is literally something for everyone. They offer free wireless Internet access and it is a quiet, relaxing place to work with your laptop while enjoying a hot cup of coffee or tea. Island Coffeehouse is located at 124 Second Street. You can reach them at 360-221-2414 and their hours are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with the exception of Friday when they are open until 9:00 p.m. for special events and bands.

There are also drive throughs along the way to include Whidbey Island Coffee with five locations and if you are a fan of Italian coffee, Trattoria blend has a home in the south end in Clinton and Freeland at Southern Cross drive throughs located just up the hill from the ferry and in Freeland across from the China Star Restaurant and next to The Healthy Pet. Their coffee is rich, bold and delicious. Don't worry, Whidbey Island has a Starbucks too for all of us Starbucks diehards. It is on the north end in Oak Harbor next to Albertsons, also "in" Albertsons and "in" Safeway.