What and Where:
Bombadill’s Cafe | 217 W Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, MI | (734) 544-5080
Ratings (1=terrible, 5=mind-blowingly great)
- Coffee quality: 3.75
- Service: 4.75
- General vibe: 3.5
- WiFi: 4.75
- Baked goods: 4.75
- Other food options: 4
Comments (as of 1/7/06)
- I think Bombadill’s greatest overall strength is that it is a local (for me– it’s like a 2 minute drive) and locally-owned and operated establishment– no chain crap here.
- The coffee is certainly above average, but I don’t know if it’s the best in town really.
- The service is almost always fantastic. I go in and say “hi Pete” to the owner and he says “hi Steve” to me. Ya gotta like that. There are a few “young people” who work there who are trying for that cool n’ surly thing, but even they do a good job.
- The vibe thing is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the decor and comfort of the place is extremely high– easily the cleanest coffee shop in town. On the other hand, because it’s on Michigan Ave. in Ypsi, sometimes the people watching is poor. And once in a while, the music isn’t my tastes.
- Very reliable and free WiFi access. Better yet, because of the service and “owner-operated” nature of the place, if you run into problems, feel free to ask the person behind the counter to restart the router. Try that at Espresso Royale.
- This is one of the few coffee houses in town where you can really eat well. The baked goods are excellent, the sandwiches are well-above average, and the soups are great, too. I’m a big fan of the chicken chili.
Fuck You!
I guess “Cool and Surly” is too pretentious to be “Cool n’ Surly” — all those filterless Camels, itchy black turtlenecks, and hours of reading Nietzsche makes ’em crabby! — net
Yeah, but really, C&S is more like: “Fuck you! Oh, and uh, do you want room for cream?”
Do you want room for cream… That’s awesome!
I went to Bombadill’s for the first time last week, and I must say it puts all the same sorts of A2 coffee shops to shame. The decor was pleasing, clean and not overly dramatic. The coffee (I had a latte) was excellent. The bathrooms were actually clean! And Pete gave Linda and me a sample of his lobster bisque which was excellent. Somehow I find it hard to imagine Depresso Royale or Cava Junka having or doing any of the above.