After moving to Loma Mar from San Francisco over 7 years ago, spending
time at a good coffee house always required a trek. No longer. Pescadero
now has Downtown Local, a wonderful place for good coffee, quality baked
goods, and comfortable space. Rather than 40 minutes in the car, I now have a respite within 15 minutes from home. Opened just two months ago on Stage Street, just across from Duartes and down the street from Pescadero Country Store, Downtown Local seems a bit out of place in this small coastal town. Yet, the motorcycle in the window, Italian newspapers on the walls, the turntable playing music, and the assortment of vintage items on display do create an inviting space that appeals to the diverse personalities that live in the area and tourists that come through.
As usual, cacao-me ordered a mocha. But my first sip caused me to do a double-take. The mocha at Downtown Local is a far cry from the overly sweetened versions I've unfortunately grown accustomed. Using TCHO chocolate, Downtown Local's mocha provides the shades of an excellent dark chocolate, which pairs with their Sightglass Coffee, to create a wonderful bite of complex quality and subtle fruity undertones. The tastes echoed of the "hot cacao" I continue to make from ground roasted cacao beans. In addition, Downtown Local had almond milk, which made their mocha even more perfect.
Though their selection of baked goods was small (4 items), each looked beautiful, screamed of quality, and were provided by Companion Bakery in Santa Cruz. I enjoyed a dark chocolate cookie with sea salt that was divinely inspired. Highlighted by just a touch of salt, the bittersweet notes of this thick, dense, crunchy chocolate cookie sang with perfection. (And the banana nut bread was also excellent, dense and moist and not overly sweet.)
I stayed for nearly 2 hours, reading, journaling, chatting with a couple visiting from New Zealand, enjoying the eclectic hipster decor. A spill of chocolate on the table, which someone outlined and wrote "Ooooh chocolate!" (see picture) also made cacao-me feel at home. Downtown Local is wonderful respite from work and school, now within minutes from home. I now need to try their hot chocolate on my next visit.
Along with all the other wonders of the area, Downtown Local now provides yet another reason to visit Pescadero -- the coffee!
(Click here for a great review of this place by the Half Moon Bay Review)
