Whole Bean Costa Rica Coffee from Bridgeport Coffee House (1 lb. bag)

Item Purchased: Whole Bean Costa Rica Coffee from Bridgeport Coffee House (1 lb. bag)
Location Purchased: Bridgeport Coffee House / 3101 S. Morgan St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $10.00 + tax

Review: During the week, I make myself a cup of Greek coffee. A single serving (actually, a double) for the morning crunch before I have to be at work is good enough for me. For those lazy weekends, when I lay around the house trying to convince myself to wash the dishes and do laundry, I like to have a full pot brewing. By mid-day, I'm as wired as a Google server. Unable to hold a dish, let alone wash it, not much in the way of chores gets done, but damn if I don't get something creative out of the cobwebby nooks of my consciousness.

Bridgeport Coffee House is the perfect place to stock up on brain cleaning seeds. Their coffees are locally roasted, not too dark and more affordable than the more recognizable names in the legalized drug market.

The Costa Rica blend from BPCH is a medium roast that drinks like a light. Inner flavors of the coffee bean become full and bloom in your mouth. The slight earthiness reminds you that you are drinking coffee while the smooth and crisp finish prepare your palette for another cup. A perfect coffee with a midrange price for a perfect guy with a midrange... uh... nope... can't tie that one up poetically.

I guess I need another cup.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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Breakfast Sandwich from Bridgeport Coffee House

Item Purchased: Breakfast Sandwich from Bridgeport Coffee House
Location Purchased: Bridgeport Coffee House / 3101 S. Morgan St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $3.25 + tax

Review: I live equidistant from Bridgeport Coffee House and a Dunkin' Donuts. Those of you who have read the site for a while may remember that I was somewhat addicted to DD's Breakfast Sandwiches, but when given the choice, I'd take this handmade creation any day. Though similar, the ingredients used at Bridgeport Coffee House are not kept in single-wrap modules and filed in drawers, but in refrigerators and on the counter like they would be in your kitchen (well, maybe not your kitchen... I see that ramen cupboard). You get to choose from four types of cheeses, three types of bagels and a plethora of toppings for your sandwich. I chose cheddar, bacon, eggs and tomatoes for mine. Like Dunkin' Donuts, the sandwich is microwaved to warm it up, but Bridgeport Coffee House takes the time and care to put the tomatoes on after the nuking. This small step gives this inexpensive sandwich a fresh taste that is rare in the convenience breakfast sandwich world.

I'm not sure where else I can score a fresh and tasty breakfast for $5.00 in Chicago. I'm not sure I need to worry about it, though. I'm just a short walk from this great neighborhood cafe, and I like it that way.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

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Coffee from Bridgeport Coffee House

Item Purchased: Coffee from Bridgeport Coffee House
Location Purchased: Bridgeport Coffee House / 3101 S. Morgan St. / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.29 + tax

Review: People who say Bridgeport is a desolate area of Chicago with no character have never been down to Bridgeport Coffee House. Spend just a few minutes at this tucked away neighborhood establishment, and you will not only see a destination for the locals, but a comfortable hangout that any visitor will want to come back to. Bridgeport is a more diverse neighborhood than its rap would suggest, and the crowds at Bridgeport Coffee House are a great representative of this. The owners and workers are always friendly, remembering and referring to their customers by name, sharing a story or two, or just asking how your day is going with a laid back genuine tone that is all but gone from coffee shops in the city. Did I mention that there is also free Wi-fi access for students and bloggers like myself?

If all of that isn't enough to get you down here, Bridgeport Coffee House is also a coffee roaster. Even though they have only been in business a little over two years, the owners invested their passion and money into their own commercial grade coffee roaster. Roasts are made fresh every day and are available by the cup or the bag. Coffees are less expensive and more delicious than most other roasters here in Chicago (or Seattle, for that matter) and usually a light-to-medium roast with none of that charred coffee flavor people have been duped into enjoying. The flavors are full and the aroma will make you feel as if you are inside of one of those commercials where it is the best part of waking up. Of course, coffee is always the best part of waking up for me.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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