America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition debuted at CoffeeFest Seattle 2012

Although I spend most of an average day immersed in coffee culture and coffeehouses, CoffeeFest Seattle was the first industry event I have ever attended.  I was surrounded by people who speak my language and share my passion.  It was absolutely invigorating!  Or … maybe that energy came from all the espressos and lattes I sampled while navigating through the rows and rows of exhibitors.

The CoffeeFest is held every four months and rotates between Seattle, Chicago and New York City.  This  event featured the first annual America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition, sponsored by DaVinci Gourmet.   According to The Gourmet Retailer, it took 60 days to determine the top coffeehouses in the western U.S. with a “60-day process of elimination by secret shopper evaluation and public vote”.  Eight semifinalist coffeehouses were chosen based on ratings in categories like customer service, drink quality, ambiance, cleanliness, organization and efficiency.

Read More