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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