One-time barista Liz Goulding drinks coffee around Dallas so her head doesn't hurt and so she can help keep yours from hurting, too. Got a place to suggest? Leave it in the comments.
I didn't think I'd like Number One for a few reasons, namely its address in the Park Cities (because I'm a Bizarro Snob) and its name (Number One what? I need a noun at the end, please.). Also, all I had heard about was the juice. So much juice. And I have my limits on juice, because I generally like chewing my nutrients.
But I wasn't there for the juice. I was there for the coffee. And the coffee was worth the trip.
See also: At Mudsmith, a Decent Cup of Coffee, Beer, and Plenty of Room to Camp Out
I was a little nervous about my visit to Highland Park Village, so I grabbed a big-beaded necklace on my way out the door in the hopes of blending in with the natives. Upon arrival I discovered that I had failed miserably, because rich people wear expensive workout clothes all day. My non-Dryfit pants gave me away.
I ordered an Americano and a snickerdoodle at the counter and found a seat near the door. The cookie was grain-free because it's that kind of place. While I was waiting the barista brought me some water. It was infused with mint and cucumber. Is this what all water tastes like in Highland Park? The two cookies arrived on a tiny square plate and something inside me melted a little. They were adorable.
The coffee was delivered to my marble table in a white cup with a matching saucer. I took a sip and it was bright, smooth and delicious. I was officially in love.
Number One uses Blue Bottle Coffee, and those folks aren't playing around. Based in Oakland, they deliver all their coffee to their clients within 48 hours of roasting and pride themselves on using high-quality, organic and shade-grown beans. The barista who made my coffee was friendly and welcoming, but not in an overly caffeinated kind of way.
Besides really great coffee, Number One has juice from Vim + Vigor along with a selection of salads, soups and sandwiches. I am never going to try their juice because it is expensive and I can't afford to fall in love with it, too.
The two guys next to me were drinking juice and having some sort of meeting. They were discussing business-type things like economies of scale, profit margins and ongoing negotiations. If you have $100,000 and an adult offspring that needs employment one of them would like to talk with you about a business venture. A little while later a man came in with a fine leather briefcase and I'm pretty sure that was a coffee shop first for me. The two ladies beyond him both had an early-'90s Diane Keaton vibe and were discussing how great Paris is.
The faint smell of leather and success and other things I'm lacking were making me squeamish, but I pushed that feeling deep down inside with a bite of my grain-free cookie. For a healthy cookie, it wasn't so bad. The trick is to always remember you are eating something not as bad for you as a real cookie so you aren't disappointed when it doesn't taste quite as good as a real cookie.
The music was mellow but upbeat, which basically describes the whole café and boutique. Everything is crisp, bright, clean. The bathroom had some kind of amazing candle burning and aromatherapy hand soap. I highly recommend the multi-sensory experience.
On my way to my car I passed an older couple with Starbucks cups and I wanted to run and tell them they had made a horrible mistake, that life (particularly theirs) is too short to drink coffee like that when there is a place with such good coffee right here in front of them. But I didn't say anything, because it's not my job to change hearts and minds, and plus they were old so what's the point?
This shop is good for:
- That juice cleanse that everyone wishes you would stop talking about already - Pretending you are the 1 percent - Ladies with round turtleshell glasses - The most adorable first date of all time - Really good espresso
1 Highland Park Village, Dallas, TX 75205
