21st Street Coffee and Tea

Hello.

We will be closed this coming Sunday May 6th for the Pittsburgh Marathon.  In the past this event has disrupted business significantly, so this year we’ve decided to take the day off.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and hope to see you during the week and on Saturday when we will be open our normal hours.

Yours in coffee,

21st Street

All the cool kids hang out here. (Taken with Instagram at 21st Street Coffee)

The Honey Badger vs. The Black Cat, coming to a hopper near you… (Taken with Instagram at 21st Street Coffee)

Friday night service, cooling down… (Taken with Instagram at 21st Street Coffee)

On Tuesday the 21st we’ll be doing a little coffee tasting/intro to coffee at our downtown location at 1pm.  That’s 21st Street Coffee, on the 21st of Feb but it’s 225 Fifth Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh, got it?  $5, taste some coffees, discuss, and maybe learn something new.  Should be fun- hope to see you there!

Regarding the Home Coffee Brewing class we had scheduled for the 23rd, we’re going to postpone it for now, but look for it again in the near future.

The internet tells us that Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day) is on Monday, February 20, 2012.  Since this is a federal holiday and the banks/courts will be closed… the downtown location will also be closed.  The Strip District location will be open normal hours for all your President’s Day needs.  

To recap:

Starting tomorrow and through early March we will be opening at 8am on Saturdays in the Strip District. Thanks!

Synesso’s looking spiffy this morning. How can we help you? (Taken with Instagram at 21 Street Coffee)

Limu Koma, Ethiopia; Holy Water, St. Stanislaus Church (Taken with Instagram at St Stanislaus Church)

We’ll be hosting another Coffee Tasting at the Strip District location on Thursday February 9th, at 5pm (we close at 4 but will reopen for the tasting).  Just like before, it’s $5 at the door.  Didn’t mean to rhyme, will try not to next ti… ok so you’ll get to taste coffee prepared a few different ways, including espresso.  It’s a nice event because you basically hang out, taste stuff, and talk about it with like-minded folks.  Hope to see you there!

Two weeks later on Thursday February 23rd, we’ll be hosting a Brew Class at 5pm.  More details to come.

Today (Taken with Instagram at 21st Street Coffee)

Warm cups cold streets (Taken with instagram)

Cappsucker (Taken with instagram)

We are eagerly awaiting Brunton’s return.

A sampling of some of the things posted regarding 21st Street to online review sites during 2011- offered without commentary, other than some editing for brevity.

I hate black coffee, but kept an open mind.  It was delicious.

obnoxious coffee shop baristas… I’ve worked at two indie coffee shops and know how to roast my own beans, so please skip the lecture about the sin of adding milk or sugar to my $4.50 drip coffee. 

staff was very friendly… treats coffee like a science… they take coffee seriously.

They greeted me warmly… They try to imbue their thoughts on how coffee should be drank. No need for sugar… beautifully rich and sweet in it’s natural state.

They serve really good black coffee. Thats it. No need for sugar or cream. Some may call that snobby, but I kinda feel like they are trying to get people to at least try the brew before you mask the flavor with those add-ins. 

stop-you-in-your-tracks good stuff.  Bright, citrusy, floral, complex….without a trace of bitterness.  Look no further for your serious coffee experience. 

WOW! I am so shocked that this place is still in business.  it’s coffee, not rocket science. You work in a coffee shop, not NASA… Just plain old coffee. You act as if you invented it or as if you have discovered a secret way to brew it that no one else on the globe can figure out. 

Coffee making is smart here. 

Always fresh, always scrumptious, and even though there always seems to be a line, it is always worth the wait!  The tea is yummy too- whether hot or cold.  This place can make any crazy morning at the Strip a better one!

have you had a cup of coffee that made your mouth water because it was juicy and tart, like handful of raspberries? That’s what I get here. The baristas also pull excellent espresso shots and pour perfect lattes. 

…coffee that was so carefully made specifically for me with people that are so passionate about the way they make it… knowledgeable… worth the few extra dollars. Coffee tasted real and bold and they even recommend drinking it black to capture it’s fully embodied taste. 

how does this place stay in business?  Coffee nazi tells me I should try it black first. I know what black coffee taste like. Also I’ve been to Ethiopia, you know where coffee was invented, and guess what dip sh*t? They put milk in their coffee. Avoid it like the plague.

I can hardly imagine that you can find a place that takes coffee so seriously in all of Pittsburgh… The staff are all really knowledgeable about their products and their craft. The drinks that I have ordered (typically espresso based drinks) are quite delicious. 

it is definitely worth a visit to the 21 Street Coffee and Tea shop for a delicious coffee and you’ll be treated with the fruits of labor from real coffee craftsmen.

I’m always amazed by how knowledgeable the staff is about the coffee they brew. The staff has always been incredibly friendly

The staff here is well trained and obviously cares…you have to be a little obsessed to do this as well as they do. If you normally add cream to your coffee, this is the place to try it black; you won’t miss the dairy. Espresso drinks are great here too, but I’ll always come for the coffee.

My new favorite way to experience coffee, for sure.

I usually take a bit of cream and sugar, but this was the first cup of coffee I truly enjoyed black.

The owners are friendly and are more than willing to talk shop with you about how they run things, make certain drinks etc. This will always be my favorite coffee shop in town! 

Not my choice.  This place reminds me of Soup Nazi episode from Seinfeld.

a must stop.  They are serious about their coffee and it shows in the quality and taste of their products!

expecting to be disappointed… was proven otherwise… very descriptive and approachable

I love this place!

one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had. You could taste all the flavors and nuances from the bean. 

Also you have to ask for cream and sugar but you only get it after first getting a lecture on trying it black first. Listen, i just wanted a quick cup Of coffee and i dont need to be told how i should take it.  I dont need a snobby coffee guilt trip. I obviously picked the wrong place

This place is beyond pretentious. Overprices coffee drinks that they snivel about in terms of fine wine, and when you get it, really it’s still just coffee. 6 dollar coffee. 

Anywho, they’re not pretentious — just care about what they’re doing with the intensity of any other well-regarded place.

If you’re a coffee lover you should check it out. The best coffee I’ve had. 

This really is the best coffee ever …service staff is knowledgeable but sometimes you just want your coffee and want to get out 

delicious, individually brewed coffee. a little expensive, but worth it if you’re looking for a good cup of coffee! 

Great coffee, experienced staff! Love them 

I usually begin with a clean, condiment free cup of coffee at the 21 Street Coffee Shop. This is a place for true coffee lover’s. The coffee is so outstanding because the temperature is perfect, the flavors are delightful, and the people who make your cup love coffee even more than you do.

I had commented that I didn’t like black coffee… they suggested a Pour Over would change my mind about “Black” coffee forever. Phenomenal, absolutely blew my mind. It was sweet, caramel-ly, flavorful, and the flavors change as the temperature changes. I never knew coffee was so complex and that complexity could be captured and delivered to your palate with a little effort and dedication. You will never drink coffee at big chain again… these folks are amazing.

21st Street Coffee and Tea is, in order of tenure, Jacki, Jonathan, Ana, Arynn, Frank, Kira, Shmuel, Kevin, Luke & Alexis. I am a bit biased, but this is without a doubt the hardest-working, friendliest, most committed team working in Pittsburgh coffee, and the best we’ve ever had.

Huge thanks to our friends at Intelligentsia, especially Jay and Jim because they put up with us the most but to everyone involved in sourcing, roasting, and delivering to us such delicious coffees and teas (and knowledge) for going on six years now.

Thanks to our terrific customers- we do it for you and couldn’t do it without you. Your support makes this a fun place to work. Now in 2012 if you could each bring two friends, and they’d bring two friends…

Happy New Year!

Luke & Alexis

Coffee is best when shared (Taken with instagram)

Sapsucker Espresso (Taken with instagram)

Manual brewing method plus price does not equal quality (Taken with instagram)

Strip District

We will be open on Christmas Eve for normal business hours (or until things quiet down), but will be closed Christmas Day (Sunday 12/25) as well as the day after Christmas (Monday 12/26).  The following Sunday we will be closed for New Year’s Day, otherwise we will be open our normal hours.

Downtown

We will be closed Friday 12/23 through Monday 12/26, and will reopen for normal hours on Tuesday 12/27.  The following week we will be closing Friday 12/30 for New Years and will reopen on Monday 1/2/12