La Colombe Coffee Workshop — Restaurant in Philadelphia

I've been ordering La Columbe on and off for about 4 years now. They have always shipped super fast to DC, and when you receive the coffee, they have just roasted the batch. It isn't a batch that's been sitting around for a month. I've always been impressed by that. So, when I visited Philly for the first time, I had to make a stop. I was participating in the Reddit Secret Santa Coffee & Tea Exchange, and I thought my recipient might appreciate a pound of their coffee. $18 gets you a pound of coffee, a regular cup o' joe, and a cup of tea. As a coffee and tea person, I almost never order tea in a coffee house. They never get it right--the water temp is always boiling, they oversteep the tea, or dump a tea bag into your cup and call it a day. My boyfriend ordered an oolong. The barista said it would be 6 minutes. Was that alright? Huh, I think. That sounds like someone who knows how to brew tea! We wait 6 minutes for his tea. It's the perfect temperature for oolong, there's no teabag in sight, and it's steeped properly. Bonus points to Gryffindor!

I would say that this place is crazy chaotic with the line, but the operation runs like a well-oiled machine. They also offer free sparkling water and regular water on tap. The cups and saucers they use are also really pretty and colorful. If you're not feeling the people, grab a cup to go and enjoy...

Great spot for all casual affairs!

This location is perfect if you just want to grab a cup of great coffee to go, or if you prefer to enjoy it inside - there is ample seating space to sip at your leisure.

It is located within Rittenhouse area, so the parking will be tough. I typically park a few blocks south and work my way up. Walking in, the counter to order is right in front, and then the seating area is towards the left. Inside, it's upscale but casual, lots of tables and even small booths to get a group together for coffee and work. Many people seem to find this location ideal to open up their laptop and enjoy a good coffee.

The coffee is what sells this place - great roasts, with bold, rich flavors. As you walk in you can smell the amazing scents - and it tastes just as great as it smells!

The workers are pretty friendly and the menu is lean so it doesn't get too confusing when putting in your order. The feeling I got was that if I became a regular, the baristas would definitely start knowing my name and my order. It has that charm, which is pretty endearing.

Overall definitely recommend this place and this brand of coffee -...

Buying lattes here is part of my daily routine on my way to work. Coffee is fantastic, due, if I understand correctly, to their way of roasting the coffee beans so that the flavor is robust and the bitterness is gone.....(unlike a major chain coffee shop that I will not mention by name). Service is fast and courteous even with a line - have been buying here for more than a decade and have NEVER seen a rude or inattentive staffer even when under "high volume pressure". Experimental bean choices are always interesting and the chain now has their Fishtown location as a testing kitchen, every shop benefits from the research and exploration.

Important for some is that LaColombe's bean purchases from the farming sources are "fair trade" based. Makes my Quaker wife very very happy

I understand that this location is the very first LaColombe - that noted, they are growing, and I can now get their brilliant coffee near my firm's NYC office - as well as when attending/speaking at conferences in Chicago. Hope this chain grows, but maintains its rich product line and culture of service as it...