Coffee Shops in Howard County

I need coffee so badly that I'm a terrible person to ask for recommendations.

I love my morning coffee -- the jolt of caffeine and the ritual of unscrewing my thermos as my work day begins. But that means that I'm not the best customer for Howard County's coffee shops. I'm not a latte guy. I'm 30 miles away most weekdays. And I'm cheap enough to brew my own thermos rather than spend $2 on a cup each morning.

That said, I really like the coffee that I have bought on a tour of coffee shops from Rte 40 to Rte 216, including Java Grande and Bean Hollow in Ellicott City, Mad City, Lakeside and Riverside in Columbia, and Sidamo Coffee & Tea in Fulton. When we ran out of the Pele Plantation beans that we carried home from Hawaii, I went out looking for a Starbucks alternative. Strong flavor, but not bitter, I told each shop. I bought whatever each shop recommend, and I liked them all.

Remember that I'm an addict at heart. If you inject caffeine into a shoe, I'll soak it in water to release my fix. But these were flavorful coffees. I like the vibe especially at Riverside, Bean Hollow and Sidamo. In a large way, these coffee shops are little meeting places and lunch stops. They all serve at least baked goods and sandwiches, although I admit that I haven't been inspired to try much except the bulgogi panini at Riverside. The sandwiches look fine, but not worth driving past Bon Fresco or a taco truck. I'd love to know where you get your favorite espresso or which coffee shops serve a spectacular lunch or treat.

Here are some thumbnails about the coffee shops where I sampled coffee:

• Bean Hollow in Ellicott City. Downtown Ellicott City near the bottom of the hill. Seasonal drinks like the "Indian summer soda."
• Casey's Coffee in Columbia. In the Dorsey Search village center, but I haven't visited yet.
• Java Grande Coffee Cafe in Ellicott City. Sunny location on Rte 40 just west of Rte 29.  (Update: Java Grande closed, but the pottery shop moving into the space also runs a coffee shop.  See below.)
• Lakeside Coffee in Columbia. In Town Center near the Mall and the lake. A great place to talk local politics, according to Tales of Two Cities.
• Mad City Coffee in Columbia. On Cedar Lane between Rte 175 and Rte 32. Definitely a music venue.
• Riverside Coffee in Columbia. In the shopping center off Dobbin Road just south of Rte 175. Very cozy place. Small Korean menu to supplement sandwiches.
• Sidamo Coffee & Tea in Fulton. New in Maple Lawn just off Rte 216. Has an Ethiopian coffee ceremony at 2 pm Sundays.

In some ways, I'm being limited with that list of coffee shops. Mostly, those are places that use the name themselves. But there is a "coffee shop" atmosphere -- an emphasis on coffee, a limited menu of sandwiches and baked goods, an atmosphere that makes it okay for people to hang out a while whether they're working on a laptop or getting together after school. Sometimes, there is live music.

With a slightly broader focus, you can also get coffee and sometimes different food at bakeries in Howard County, including Touche Touchet in Columbia, Bonaparte Bread in Savage and a trio of places in downtown Ellicott City: the Little French Market, the Old Mill Bakery Cafe, and Sarah & Desmond's Bakery & Cafe. The Little French Market is a relatively new place without indoor seating, but it appears to be connected to Tersiguel's and serves some great-looking lunch items. Sarah & Desmond's offers a larger kitchen than most coffee shop, and the food ranges wider from sandwiches and soups to muffins and cupcakes. I believe they serve the Zeke's coffee described by Katie below.

As a side note, I fondly remember the Orinoco Coffee that closed last

year on McGaw Road. While the retail closed, Orinoco still roasts coffee in Columbia, and you can buy bags of its beans at the MoM's Organic Market on Rte 175 in Jessup.

Who serves the best espresso? Who sells great beans -- and what varieties? What do you eat at these coffee shops?

What coffee shops am I missing?

This is part of the "What I Learned" series of posts. They're organized in rings. See below to continue on the ring about different cuisines. Or click to switch to the posts about shopping in Howard County or posts about areas and ideas.

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Bean Hollow Cafe

8059 Main St
Ellicott City, MD 21043-4861
(410) 465-0233

NEAR: This is on Main Street in downtown Ellicott City. It's in the lower section between the river and the light at Old Columbia Pike.

Casey's Coffee

4725 Dorsey Hall Dr # N

Ellicott City, MD‎ 21042

(410) 997-5682‎

NEAR: This is in the Dorsey's Search village center. This is off Columbia Road just north of Rte 108.

Pottery Stop Coffee (in the former space for Java Grande Coffee Cafe)

9050 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042-2623

NEAR: This is on Rte 40 just west of Rte 29. Coming from Rte 29, you turn right into the first shopping center and curve around to Pottery Stop Coffee, which overlooks Rte 40.

Lakeside Coffee

10227 Wincopin Cir # G16
Columbia, MD 21044-3401
(410) 772-3694

NEAR: This is in the base of one of the buildings overlooking Lake Kittamaqundi across from Columbia Mall. Park in the lot that serves Clyde's, Tomato Palace and Sushi Sono.

Mad City Coffee

10801 Hickory Ridge Road

Columbia, MD 21044

410-964-8671

NEAR: This is actually right off Cedar Lane just south of the intersection with Hickory Ridge Road. Mad City is on the bottom floor of a commercial building. This is a block south of the Howard County General Hospital.

Riverside Coffee

8865 Stanford Blvd
Columbia, MD 20723

410-312-0004

NEAR: This is in the same shopping center as Frisco Grille, Hanamura, Pub Dog and Noodles Corner. From the north, take Rte 175 and turn south on Dobbin Road at the intersection with a Chik-fil-A on the corner. The shopping center is on the left after the second light. From the south, take Snowden River Parkway and turn left on McGaw Road at the light with Apple Ford. Turn right at the light with Dobbin, then look for the shopping center on the right.

Sidamo Coffee & Tea

8180 Maple Lawn Blvd
Fulton, MD 20759

NEAR: Sidamo is in the Maple Lawn development across from Ranazul and Venegas Prime Filet. This is on Rte 216 west of Rte 29.