Alpine's Coffee Cabin

Thursday, January 18, 2007

By Danny Uhlmann

    It’s called the Coffee Cabin, but with its impressive fireplace, seductive leather couches and substantial tables made from reclaimed wood, Coffee Castle is more like it. The new establishment in the heart of downtown Alpine feels as natural as a warm den in a backcountry cabin, but with all the refinements of a restaurant dedicated to quality and freshness.
     For general manager and owner John Thomas, the Coffee Cabin Bakery and Internet Café – a coffee shop, bagel bakery, sandwich shop, dinner hub, art venue and internet café all in one is the product of  20 years of experience with such top-end venues as the Four Seasons Resort, which gave him the tools to know what it is about a place that makes it special for the customer.
    In the case of his new venture, that something special is the Wyoming landscape and people. The café, which took Thomas seven months to renovate from its previous identity as a gift shop, is a product of its environment. It emanates a sense of Wyoming without the cheesiness that often comes with attempts to be “Western.”
     Tiles from Kemmerer line the restrooms and food-prep area. The knotty pine mantle and elk antler chandeliers were crafted by local artisans. Local artists are invited to hang their work in the free gallery space offered – right now, Rebecca Stern’s landscape and wildlife photography is on display. Upstairs, where the computer stations live, a set of floor-to-ceiling windows looks out upon the Greys River mountains of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. And the smell of dark, earthy coffee mingles with that of the fire burning in the fireplace.
     Indeed, Thomas is proud of the collaborative nature of his restaurant. While giving a tour of the grounds, he gave the name of each tile setter, stone mason, bagel baker, barista and sandwich maker who have contributed to the Cabin. While sipping a dark-roasted Caffe Ibis Coffee Roasting Company’s Café Feminino blend – which comes from an all-female, shade-grown bird-friendly farm in Peru – Thomas greets nearly every customer coming through the door by name.
     But of course, a restaurant is more than a nice building. It’s also food. The Coffee Cabin offers a full and fresh line-up of the finest New York-style bagels around, artisan breads and pastries, a full barista operation, full deli, socially conscious coffee and, soon, hot dinner at night – all while breaking ground in affordability and hospitality.
     Thomas chose Caffe Ibis as his source of coffee beans from over a dozen regional roasters. He said it’s the best in Wyoming. The dark roast was earthy and rich and complemented the Caribou Club (turkey, honey-baked ham, roast beef, cheddar cheese, wyomato (when in season), lettuce, horseradish mayo and red onion, $7.50).
     It is Thomas’ desire that anyone should be able to get lunch for under $10. Thirty to forty percent of the business comes from the drive through, where bagels, coffee and sandwiches can be purchased starting at 5:30 a.m. weekdays, and 7 a.m. on the weekends. He also offers brown bag lunches.
     Thomas wants his customers to “walk in and see something different every time.” Along that vein, one of the owner’s main demands for his employees is that they “have fun.” Thomas believes that “we come here to experience Wyoming” and wants to synthesize this desire with a higher quality of food than has been achieved so far in this area.
     The Coffee Cabin Bakery and Internet Café is located on Hwy. 89 in downtown Alpine. Hours are 5:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Sunday. For more details, or to phone in or e-mail take-out orders, call (307) 654-3872 or visit www.thecoffeecabinbakery.com.
PERMALINK:
Alpine's Coffee Cabin | Planet JH News Article: Restaurants And Dining

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