Monthly Archives: April 2012

And, we’re off! This is the first official coffeehouse entry on this journey, and I found it fitting to make the “cornerstone” of this trip our venerable Cornerstone Coffeehouse on Market Street in Camp Hill. This is actually one of the first coffeehouses I ever visited, and while I’ve been there several times, this is the first time that I’ve ever spread the word about the virtues of this place. And it deserves that. Bohemians, hipsters, and suburban soccer moms all frequent this place in relatively the same frequency, and that’s no small feat for a niche business like a coffeehouse.

You see, I called the place “venerable” in the last paragraph because this is one of the few coffeehouses in the area that has been around for as long as most people can remember. It existed before the big-city business boom at the turn of the millennium that brought all the clubs and pubs to downtown Harrisburg and Wormleysburg across the Susquehanna. They are also one of the shrinking number of venues for live music around here. On the weekends they have a range of singer/songwriters coming in from around the area.

As for the coffee, it’s definitely good, but I must warn you that they err on the side of making it strong! Aside from that, the quality seems to be quite excellent, as is their selection of coffees. There’s also the normal coffeehouse fare; light pastries, etc. If you’re in the area, definitely check it out. Like I said before, it’s one of those “neighborhood haunts” for West Shore folk and you can always trust a place with so many regulars! Here are a few pics I snapped outside.

Here's the Market Street entrance...

And this would be my coffee.

Finally, this project has officially begun. I say “finally” because I’ve actually had the website in my name since February, but a confluence of crazy events during the early spring kept me from actually traveling around the state looking for coffee. Now all is well and I’m ready to start out on what I hope will become the only Pennsylvania Coffeehouse Journey ever attempted. At least the only one being blogged about. The truth is, most people in this area have no idea how many of these little bastions of Bohemia actually exist in this area, and will be genuinely surprised to know how many coffeehouses not only serve great coffee, but also serve as homes for the arts. The mission of this journey is to change that.

Here’s how this will go. Every week or so I’ll try out a new coffee hotspot or two somewhere in the area, starting in my hometown of Harrisburg, PA and expanding out across the state and most likely into other states as well! The focus, however, will always be right here in Central Pennsylvania. The coffeehouses will be reviewed, and basic info given about each. Whether the coffee is bitter or better, you’ll know about it; bear in mind, however, that it’s only my opinion and I recommend that you personally subject your taste buds to the coffee in all the places I review. I’ve been toying with a ratings scale for measuring not how “good’ the coffee is (since that is so subjective), but rather how well the environment of that coffeehouse stays true to the Enlightenment-era, Bohemian zeitgeist of the original coffeehouses of Europe.

The first actual entry should be coming very soon, so if you’re reading this while it’s still in the formation process, please be patient, and please stay tuned. Happy journeying, fellow caffeine addicts!