By Sarah Fertsch
Last week, I had the best day of my life. In short, I spent an entire day trying local coffee to bring you the best, most informed take on what Ocean City offers when it comes to coffee. Here are my findings:
Positively Fourth
Street Cafe
This eclectic cafe on the north side of the island offers zen vibes and refreshing drinks. Surrounded by beautiful, local art, customers feel like they’re in a mosaic garden. Butterflies flutter under the cozy awning, perching themselves between flowers and vines. Positively Fourth Street Cafe has remained a cultural institution of Ocean City, and always serves customers with a smile.
Their house blend is a medium roast with a well-rounded flavor. It’s not harsh or bitter; it’s smooth and makes for the perfect cup of coffee to start your day. It has earthy, chocolatey undertones so smooth that you don’t even need cream or sugar. It’s truly a roast for drip coffee.
Their signature drink, the heavenly nut latte, is simply delicious. The subtle taste of espresso is cut with a kick of nutty sweetness. Which makes sense, because the latte consists of espresso and milk, plus vanilla and hazelnut syrups. The iced version is great for hot summer days.
“Here at Positively Fourth Street, we try to keep everything fresh, simple and delicious,” said Sharon Szabo, owner of the cafe. “Everything is locally roasted, and we are dedicated to our community.”
Jon & Patty’s Coffee
Bar & Bistro
Sitting on the main strip of Asbury Avenue, Jon & Patty’s have quickly grown into one of the best breakfast spots in the city. Their down-to-earth, comforting vibe makes guests feel at home and by the beach at the same time. The bistro offers a great selection of breakfast and lunch cuisine and an even more impressive coffee menu. With tens of specialty lattes available, guests can choose between fun, local flavors like “Vitamin Sea,” “The Swimsuit,” and “Beauty and the Beach.” They even have a Boardwalk Latte series, with flavors called “Johnson’s Popcorn,” “Wonder Bear,” “Salt Water Taffy,” “Pound of Fudge,” “Kohr Bros. Soft Serve,” and “Cotton Candy.”
People come for Earl, who has been with the restaurant for 10 years, since the beginning. Earl Gabriel, the head barista, explains that “the difference between us and others is choice. We have 50 different lattes. We change our flavors every two weeks, and we just had the Olympic series, and now we are on to summer.”
When asked for the signature drink, Earl immediately brought out “The Key West” Cafe Con Leche. Made with imported Cuban roast, the latte is muddled with sugar and steamed milk. It’s sweet and smooth, and the muddled sugar highlights the citrusy coffee taste. It’s sweet without trying too hard. The drink is one of the most popular, and for good reason!
The house blend is warm and inviting, locally roasted in Millville. It’s a medium roast, sourced from Central America. You can taste it in the middle of your palette, and it pairs well with any pastry or breakfast item. Best of all, each hot drink comes in a beautiful artist-crafted mug (or mason jar for cold drinks). For your Asbury Avenue adventures, stop by Jon & Patty’s for the best caffeine boost.
Ocean City Coffee Co.
Located on the boardwalk, on Asbury Avenue, and in Media, PA, Ocean City Coffee Company has become a staple for locals and tourists alike. Allison Cook, the shift supervisor, shared that what makes Ocean City Coffee Company special is that “it’s very people-oriented.” “We have regulars, and your coworkers are like your family,” she said. “I love it here.”
The house blend is called the Ocean City blend, which is “roasted on the beach” (on the boardwalk and 10th street). It’s a light roast, specifically a breakfast blend, and is a combination of Guatemalan, Costa Rican and Colombian beans. It tastes bright and rich, and because it’s a light roast, it has more caffeine than medium or dark roasts. These beans are also available to purchase and brew at home!
Their signature drink, a salted caramel iced latte, tastes like a handful of Johnson’s caramel popcorn. It tastes luxurious and sweet, and the caramel complements the espresso as if it was a match made in heaven. It hits the spot on a hot summer day. The Asbury Avenue shop was bustling with business, full of people picking up coffees that celebrate the town’s namesake.
Drip N’ Scoop
This doughnut, ice cream, and coffee shop draws in families for its hipster environment (decked out in wood and cactuses) and sweet treats. When you enter the shop, you’ll hear giggles, slurps of iced coffee, and patrons picking out their favorite ice cream flavor. It smells like vanilla and sweet cream. Annalise Wagner, Drip N’ Scoop barista, said, “We are open from morning until night, here for whenever you need doughnuts, iced cream or coffee. Whether you need to study or spend time with your kids, Drip N’ Scoop is perfect.”
The coffee is provided by Counterculture Roasters, and their house blend is titled “Hologram.” It’s a medium roast with milk chocolate notes and a citrusy aftertaste. It pairs well with the classic cinnamon doughnut, which is soft, spicy and fresh.
This coffee shop’s most popular drink is nitro cold brew, which is made fresh at their Asbury Avenue location. It’s punchy, bold, and smooth in taste. Drip N’ Scoop offers a variety of flavored syrups to add to the cold brew, but it’s sweet, rich, and earthy when sipped black. This cold brew tastes best while browsing boutiques on the avenue or sitting by the beach.
Ocean City has so much to offer, and their coffee selection only speaks to the town’s diverse community and passion for great food and service. While the beach is the town’s main attraction, little specialties like boardwalk lattes and city-named blends make Ocean City special. Local business owners bring so much life into the island economy, and put smiles on their customers’ faces. So perk up, Ocean City! You’ve got great coffee coming your way.
