Great Bear Coffee -- Los Gatos

"The Bear" is a shop I visited some time ago, long before this blog was born. I mention it because it's another one of those spots that hooks people and keeps them coming back. Located on Santa Cruz Avenue near Main Street in downtown Los Gatos, Calif., Great Bear boasts a loyal customer base that essentially makes it immune to competition, according to general manager Eric Bailey.

In talking with Bailey, I discovered the shop stands by a very simple and rather popular formula for success: fresh coffee, good conversation and a family-type atmosphere. It's a philosophy that founder Sue Anne Van Epps put in place when she opened "The Bear" in 1991, and it still holds true today. "It's a family first and a business second," Bailey says.

Not to say Great Bear doesn't do great business. Even during recent hard times, Bailey says the shop has seen little if any drop-off in sales. It even receives orders from out of state and ships its special blends to all points across the U.S. "The Bear" roasts all its own coffee (in fact it employs a designated roaster) using only aribica beans mainly from Africa and South America. It specializes in a South Beach-style coffee, which is a longer, darker roast, Bailey says.

Physically, the shop is moderate in size and has a pleasant feel. There are plenty of seating options --tables and counter space indoors or sidewalk seating outdoors. It's definitely set up for socializing but also caters to students and professionals with free wireless connectivity and plentiful plug-ins.

Another plus: "The Bear" doesn't take road travelers too far off Highway 17, whether they're looking for a nice place to charge up before heading over the hill to the coast or a spot to recharge on their way back from a long day at the beach.

Signature coffee: Blue Note, an Italian dark roast blend containing beans from Guatemala, Ethiopia and New Guinea.

Signature drink: Chocolate Coffee Cream, basically a chocolate milkshake with caffeine that uses cold-filtered coffee and real ice cream. People can't seem to get enough of this concoction. Says Bailey, "During the summer, we'll go through 25 three-gallon jugs of ice cream in a week."

Amenities: Free WiFi, local artists on a monthly rotation.

***

Great Bear Coffee
19 N. Santa Cruz Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
(408) 395-8607
Map

Crema Coffee Roasting Company -- San Jose

Spacious is the first quality I noticed about this family-owned stand-alone coffee house on the fringe of downtown San Jose, Calif. Crema is one of those ideal spots for so-called mobile professionals to plant themselves for a few hours -- or even the whole day, if they so choose -- without feeling crowded.

Unfortunately for road travelers passing by on main thoroughfares such as I-280, I-880 or Highway 87 (closest in proximity), this shop is not the quickest or easiest option. But if time is on their side, they'll probably find it a worthwhile break from driving.

Located on The Alameda at Morrison Street, Crema knows a little about making fresh coffee, too. A full-scale roaster, owner June Tran prepares 17 types of beans and stores them conveniently in self-serve dispensers. Customers help themselves or ask for assistance from any of the shop's friendly employees.

Tran converted the former radiator shop in August 2007, saying it took "a lot of work" to transform the lot into what it is today. She and her husband then conducted extensive research, did a lot of coffee tasting and made a special trip to Idaho to nail down the finer points of roasting. They generally prepare fresh-roasted beans every other day, although the popularity of the espresso beans for the shop's many blended offerings requires a daily roasting, Tran says.

Tran considers herself "very lucky" that business at Crema has been on a slow but steady climb since its opening. Along with its regular stream of professionals taking advantage of the roomy seating and free WiFi (with purchase), the shop also serves surrounding college communities -- students and professors from San Jose State University, Santa Clara University, Mission College in Santa Clara and De Anza College in Cupertino, Tran says.

The moment you enter, there's no question it's a hangout shop more than a pick-up-and-run place, and Tran wouldn't have it any other way. It's divided into three separate spacious seating areas:

Front of the store. Large windows, eight two-person tables and a bird's-eye view of the daily morning roast.

Back of the store. A dozen or so tables (some larger for bigger parties/meetings), additional counter and stools (about 6-8) a big-screen TV and art-adorned walls.

Patio. Another dozen small tables under umbrellas spread out on stone tiles framed by flower beds, hedges and a lemon tree. Plenty of shade and set away from the street and sidewalk.

If you consider yourself a coffee connoisseur or you simply have a fondness for special coffee houses, this is one of those can't-miss spots.

Signature blend: Caramel Almond Royal (Vietnamese)

Most popular drink: Toasted Coconut Mocha

Amenities: Free wireless connection with purchase (daily code is provided on receipt); big-screen TV; patio seating; self-serve bean dispensers; monthly rotation of art from local artists

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Crema Coffee Roasting Co.

950 The Alameda

San Jose, CA 95126

(408) 295-5690

Map

Zizzo's Coffee -- Campbell

Although probably not the first option for road travelers because of its location, Zizzo's is definitely set up well for local traffic. And if you are passing by on state route 17 or Interstate 280, it might be worth a look-see.

The Campbell, Calif., Zizzo's is a small shop cut into a fairly new condominium complex -- one of those upscale urban living monstrosities that seem to be popping up everywhere. I happened in at a time when the co-owners, Joe and Joanne Mazarweh, were working, and they were quick with a pleasant greeting. Joanne said the shop is doing well with help from the adjacent Chipotle Grill, and she expects business to improve if and when the Onyx condo complex reaches capacity (she said its presently about one-third full).

The shop's European decor is inviting, although a little reminiscent of Peet's. The aquarium is a nice touch, there's a flat screen TV and the music adds to the ambience. Free high-speed wireless is available but there's little room to spread out or settle in for a lengthy work session. Since I was in the shop at lunch time, I could only imagine how cramped the place gets during the morning rush.

Zizzo's offers dozens of hot and cold drink options, the most popular being the Blackberry White Mocha. It also offers more than 20 coffee varieties, among which Joe's Blend -- the owner's secret recipe -- is the top seller. Bagels, pastries, sandwiches and yogurt are available, too.

Signature drink: Blackberry White Mocha

Signature coffee: Joe's Blend

Amenities: Free WiFi, flat screen TV, patio seating (shared with Chipotle)

***

Zizzo's Coffee

1819 S. Bascom Ave.

Campbell, CA 95008

(408) 377-1737

Map

Hot Java -- Morgan Hill

This is a quaint little shop in downtown Morgan Hill, Calif., on the southern edge of Silicon Valley. Unfortunately, its location takes it off the beaten path of the Valley's infamous commute. I've often driven past it myself only because I happen to have other business in Morgan Hill.

Physically, the shop is relatively compact, but it is tastefully decorated -- burlap coffee bean sacks, abstract paintings, wooden ceiling fans with blades carved into leaves -- and comes with plenty of sidewalk seating.

I had the opportunity to speak with barista-on-duty Mary Connolly, who was very forthcoming about what Hot Java has to offer, starting with 26 varieties of coffee, all of which are organic. She explained to me how lighter-roasted beans retain more caffeine than darker roasts, and therefore result in a stronger brew, a common misconception among coffee drinkers. All of Hot Java's beans are purchased locally from the Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company. "Zoom" is a one of their more popular light roasts and "Heart of Darkness" is a popular dark roast option.

The shop's motto is "Hand-crafted one cup at a time, just for you," referring to the brew bar, where customers can essentially get their very own customized cup of joe. Connolly "three-poured" me a cup of Brazilian Santos, the featured coffee of the month. She said some customers who prefer a stronger brew will ask for a "single pour." Connolly also let me sample a chocolate-covered espresso bean and a "Mexican Chocolate," a strange but pleasant combination of chocolate, peppers and cinnamon that's used to make a Mayan Mocha.

Hot Java also has a variety of teas and offers several cold drink options, including fruit smoothies, specially blended coffee drinks and flavored sodas. They'll even make sno-cones and slushies for the kids. True to its small-town setting, Connolly said the shop welcomes customer suggestions on new blends or flavors and will even offer taste tests, as time allows. Mochas and Italian sodas are the shop's most popular drinks.

Owner Bill Quenneville is a down-to-earth, old-school coffee connoisseur. A self-proclaimed Kona-holic, he speaks with much pride about the time and work that go into Hot Java's recipes and how important it is to keep the coffee flavorful. His business philosophy basically boils down to if you find a good, independent coffee shop, patronize it, and if that shop happens to be Hot Java, you're not just a customer, you become part of an extended family.

Among the shop's amenities are free high-speed wireless and live music every other Wednesday. One drawback is a relatively early closing time most days -- 6 p.m. Monday though Thursday, 4 p.m. on Sunday.

***

Hot Java
17400 Monterey Rd. Suite B
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408) 776-0571

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What is Road Jitters?

This blog is the beginning of a quest to inform first myself and then others about the lively subculture of contemporary coffee houses in the Bay Area and beyond.

I am by no means an expert on the subject -- at least not yet -- but from what I've gathered thus far, today's coffee house is much more than a place to pick up your daily caffeine fix. People frequent these shops for comfort, for convenience, for socializing and, yes, for consuming coffee and related products.

Another significant part of the quest is to eventually create a guide for residents, visitors and (especially) road travelers who are seeking that all-important place to recharge before getting on with the day's business. If all goes as planned, this blog will serve as the framework for a bona fide, publishable guidebook.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting a couple of nice shops in the South Bay -- MoonBeans in San Jose and Great Bear in Los Gatos -- with their own unique qualities, not the least of which was fresh, expertly roasted coffee. I'll tell you more about those places and others very soon.