Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we give our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems.)
I am what you might call a “beverage girly.”
Water, coffee, juice and whatever fun drink has caught my attention that day tend to crowd my kitchen table or desk, forming a sort of altar of possibilities. They sit there waiting for me to decide what I’m feeling.
Maybe itap the rush of choice that excites me.
I enjoy searching for the “best beverage,” whether that means trying a new coffee shop like in Southlands, ordering a seasonal special at Milk Tea People, or checking out in Lakewood.
But that search keeps bringing me back to , a coffee bar in Aurora serving specialty coffee, matcha and pastries. Its menu draws on Asian flavors such as ube, black sesame, yuzu, pandan and hojicha, offering plenty of options for anyone who wants to try them all.
Carbon Coffee is nestled between Modern Market Eatery and a UMB Bank at 12230 E. Colfax Ave.
Whenever my husband and I walk in on a Saturday morning, the space is usually poppin’. Groups of friends laugh as they wait for their orders, college students settle in at tables along the wall to study, and, in the corner, girls compare the Sonny Angels and Calico Critters dangling from their bags.
My favorite order is an iced Kinako Hojicha Latte, a warm, nutty blend of hojicha powder, toasted soy powder and brown sugar.
But my all-star — the crème de la crème — is the Tokyo Fog.
The drink was featured during before returning to Carbon’s summer menu. Itap a play on the London Fog, combining oolong tea with Earl Grey syrup and topped with matcha cream. A simple order, but I would leave with an additional drink every time.
I think about the coffee shop often.
Thatap part of what makes Carbon special: There is always another drink to try. Its seasonal menu offers a rotating mix of flavors, giving me plenty of excuses to keep checking back.
Beyond the drinks, one of my favorite parts of Carbon is talking with the staff and the owner, Benny, who often stops to check in on how we’re doing or what we have planned for the weekend. Those small conversations give the coffee bar a sense of familiarity, turning a quick and fun drink run into something that feels a little more personal.
Carbon Coffee is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
