Progress Coffee: Love is in the Details

Progress Coffeehouse pleases us. Nice atmosphere and nice people working there. By the look of the crowd, it seems like a place that has developed a lot of regulars--dotcommer types and some eastside hipsters, as well as a sprinkling of suit and tie businessmen.

The place is spacious and modern, but warm--very warehouse meets Wabi-Sabi. We like the cream and cool mint coloring, as well as the black wooden tables. Little yellow flowers in tiny vases greet us at the table. Magazines and newspapers are for sale, but there is also a stack of The Onion (free) for shits and giggles. When we take a bathroom break, we find stacks of Ready Made magazine available for the taking (or reading, I suppose, should we need or want to. Hmmm, maybe we will leave the Ready Mades behind).

We get a mocha--served in a nice big saucer like it should be. We are all for dishware. We are also against the serving of hot beverages in tall water glasses. We do not enjoy burning our hands. Mmmm, good mocha. Not too chocolatey, no bitter, burnt coffee taste. Smooth and sweet. We also get a glass of water, poured for us out of a glass green pitcher filled with orange wedges. Nice.

Progress Coffee is tucked into a dead end on the near east side--5th Street and San Marcos, to be exact.