Coffee culture, Anchorage style

Even the most hardy Alaskans require at least one coping mechanism to get through the long winter: sun lamps, blackout curtains, and aromatherapy. Whatever you can imagine, we’ve probably tried it. Additionally, while long walks and Vitamin D are beneficial, have you tried coffee? Many Alaskans rely on coffee therapy throughout the year.

A steaming, frothy cappuccino, sipped in a cosy café, can be the ideal antidote to the winter blues. Alternatively, avoid the slog through a snow-covered parking lot and grab a hot brew from one of Anchorage’s numerous drive-thru coffee carts. Smugly sip in the comfort of your warm car.

Caffeinated pick-me-ups are no less necessary in the summer, when Alaskans are living on the edge. After all, is it ever truly bedtime if the sun never sets?

Which is why the locals know the names of Alaska’s coffee roasters. There’s Kaladi Brothers, which grew from a single espresso cart in 1984 to a thriving enterprise with 16 locations throughout the state (and one in Seattle). SteamDot Coffee Co.’s Midtown location features a “slow bar” with a rotating menu of single-origin coffees, ground and brewed fresh to order. And then there’s Black Cup Coffee, which serves a full menu of espresso beverages but, as the name implies, specialises in “extraordinary coffee best served black.” Undecided? Visit Sip Coffee Lounge to order a coffee flight of Kaladi Brothers and Black Cup brews.

It’s a friendly bean fight. Everyone has a favourite, but each of these coffee vendors has earned their notoriety.

However, coffee can be about café culture as much as it is about beans. A good coffee house serves as a community centre, an extension of the office, a mental day spa, and an art gallery all in one. It’s an excellent way to learn about a new location. And café culture is thriving in Anchorage.

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