It is time to ditch Starbucks and Dunkin’ and head over to one of the many local coffee shops. Here are some of the best places to get coffee in the Pascack Valley area.
Il Freno
81 Park Ave, Park Ridge, NJ 07656
Il Freno is an adorable, quaint espresso bar in Park Ridge. They offer an extensive selection of coffees and other drinks at affordable prices.
Their latte is $4 for a 12-ounce cup and $4.50 for a 16-ounce cup. Il Freno’s latte has just the right amount of steamed milk; it makes the drink delicious. I recommend getting the latte iced as well.
If you are looking for something to pair it with, the espresso bar offers some delicious pastries and breakfast foods. I found that the chocolate waffle pairs perfectly with an iced latte.
Taimoca
2 S Kinderkamack Rd, Montvale, NJ 07645
If you are still looking for the convenience of Starbucks or Dunkin’, Taimoca in Montvale has a very user-friendly app, perfect for a quick latte during lunch or before school.
Taimoca offers most drinks iced or hot. I especially like the vanilla iced latte because of the creamy vanilla flavor. The caramel iced macchiato is also a top pick of mine from Taimoca. The workers add a generous amount of caramel to the sides of the cup, a welcome difference from the major coffee shop chains. The overall macchiato flavor is delicious and just as creamy as the vanilla iced latte.
Barista Touch
66A Park Ave, Hillsdale, NJ 07642
I saved the best latte for last. Barista Touch opened almost a year ago right near Veteran’s Park in Hillsdale and serves what I believe to be the best latte in the area. It is a tiny coffee shop about the size of a one-car garage with painted walls the color of a lemon and has a small bar for convenient sitting.
The coffee shop offers your traditional coffee drinks but at a higher quality. The employees are kind and they make the coffee fast, but Barista Touch’s drinks are fairly expensive. An Iced Latte with vanilla syrup is about $7.50 for 16 ounces. For reference, an Iced Caffé Latte with vanilla syrup at Starbucks is $6.45 for 16 ounces.
Despite this, the taste of the latte is much better. The coffee tastes fresher and the vanilla syrup makes a delicious blend with the coffee.
Ultimately, I believe that it is good to support small local businesses when you can, and trying different coffee shops in the area is a good place to start!
