Black Key Coffee

Andrew is usually behind the counter at Black Key Coffee in Avon, and the day's trivia question is posted somewhere on the wall, which is the kind of small daily ritual that turns a coffee stop into a routine by the third visit. The Colorado Avenue storefront is small enough that one customer almost missed the turn, and the parking is limited enough that overflow goes next door at the ABC brewery lot, which is the kind of neighbor-sharing arrangement only a small town would come up with on a handshake basis. The shop roasts its own beans and runs a deliberately simple, not-overwhelming menu that fits the small footprint and the small-batch roasting program behind the counter. The room is cozy and peaceful enough that one regular regularly studies there, which is the working definition of a good small cafe: not too busy to think in, not too quiet to feel uncomfortable in. Order the mocha with house whipped cream (the cream is thick, the way it should be when someone makes it that morning), the Lucky Charms cold brew if you want to commit to a gimmick that turns out to work, a black cold brew if you don't, a caramel latte, a traditional macchiato pulled tight. Eat the Oreo scone, or split a couple of the mini white chocolate raspberry scones with whoever you came in with. Quiet studiers and locals who like talking to the owner over a small menu get the most out of this place. Groups arriving by car together will fight for parking, so consider the brewery lot or splitting up the carpool ahead of time before someone ends up circling the block. Show up for the trivia question, stay for the whipped cream on the mocha, ask Andrew what he's roasting this week and how it's drinking. The simple menu and the owner on the floor are the place's two best features, and they reinforce each other in a way that bigger shops with longer menus and rotating staff have a hard time matching consistently. The ABC brewery overflow lot is the operational detail that makes the small storefront workable on a busy Saturday morning.