Review of Local Coffee Shops Around Grand Rapids

The Sparrow
The Stray Dog Coffee, Tea and News stand opened in November of 2007 with high hopes from Jason Brown, the co-owner of the cafe. The wide array of journals that adorn the right wall of the shop span from Time, to literary journals and art journals along with National geographic as well. In summation of this cafe, if you look in the dictionary under hipster, you'll find it. It's promotion of fair trade, organic and environment friendly coffees and teas is what makes this place unique. Their teas come from "Light of Day Organics" based in Traverse City, MI. Their coffees are something unique. Not elitist in the sense that they take their coffees too serious where you won't be able to ask for cream or sugar, but the names of each drink is a la modernism. You'll find the Rashkolnikov as well as the Major Major named after Crime and Punishment and Catch-22 respectively. The prices for tea are a little bit more expensive being that it's all lose leaf and they have to pay for the "Ingenuitea" that seeps each drink (around 2.50-3.00 dollars). The coffee ranges around the same price of a Biggby or a Starbucks costing around $3.50. All in all, this quaint little cafe is a nice atmosphere with great drinks and great service. I've been known to sit and study there for a whole day. It's open Monday through Thursday 7am to 12am, Friday and Saturday 9am to 10pm, and Sunday 9am to 12am, so check it out and give the once "Stray Dog" now "Sparrow" a try.

The Bitter End
The Bitter End is another one of the hipster joints located in the western part of Grand Rapids. It's very well known for being open 24 hours. It being open during these times is great for the college crowd that surrounds it. If studying isn't a reason to go, then The Bitter End is just a good place to spend some time talking, drinking coffee and tea, or playing games such as "Connect Four" or "Scrabble" (and the bathroom is even installed with a one-way mirror to make sure your buddy isn't cheating). The teas that they use are made by Bewley's and is very common in terms of flavors- such as Earl Grey, Jasmine Green, Gunpowder Green, Chamomile, along with a few others. The coffee at The Bitter end is much like the coffee from The Sparrow and runs around the same price being $3-$4. Mostly, people don't go to The Bitter End for exquisite coffee or top-notch tea, but instead for the lax atmosphere and it's unlimited availability.

Madcap Coffee Company
Madcap Coffee Company is the coffee shoppe (spelled with two Ps and an E to show how fancy it is) for coffee lovers. The coffee company just placed 3rd in the Michigan regional "barista competition," which guarantees a sure smile on the coffee-drinker's face. Madcap Coffee opened in May 2008 and it has been producing its signature ever since. Now it has its own roasting materials well-equipped with El Salvador's "El Porvenir" beans (The translation of that being "the future"). The coffee does get a bit pricey, but it's perfect for the coffee lover. Paying $2.50 will get you two shots: one of espresso and the other of Perrier. Make it $3.00 and you can get the Perrier along with a macchiatto. This climbs all the way up to a mocha for $4.50, but everyone I've spoken with has said that "it's well worth it." If you are available from 7am to 11pm on a weekday, go ahead and hit up Madcap Coffee Company, and I'm certain that, if you are a coffee lover, you won't be disappointed.