Most of my trips to Florida are to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. I usually struggle to find a satisfying cup of coffee in this area. High rent and a transient customer base is not fertile ground for growing a business focused on the bean. I’m not interested in how many flavors of syrup are available, even if they are hand-crafted. I don’t care how many types of milk are steamed, frothed or poured into the cup. I like coffee. Good, fresh coffee. Our spring training trip to Florida provided me a couple great coffee experiences.

Crux Coffee Roasters

A couple shops in Jupiter looked promising. I found Crux Coffee Roasters, very near our destination of Roger Dean Stadium. Crux is located at 1155 Main Street in the Abacoa area adjacent to Florida Atlantic University. Having roaster in the name hints that someone at the heart of the business cares about the beans.

The shop is very well appointed, bright and modern with furnishings tastefully arranged away from a large, efficient service counter. Lots of muted wood tones compliment the neutral color scheme. Electronic displays present the menu of drink options as well as details on the featured food items. A large roaster operates near the entrance but somehow blends in to the interior space. All this is great but doesn’t matter if the coffee isn’t decent.

Fortunately, coffee is the star of this show. Nearly a dozen different single-origin beans, roasted on premises are offered to customers daily. The barista was knowledgeable in helping choose from the many varieties. Based on recomation, I chose an Ethiopia pour-over. There were even options available for my wife’s cold brew.

The extensive coffee selection was complimented by a variety of quality food offerings. My wife declared the cinnamon roll delicious and I found the spinach and egg in a pastry shell to be satisfying. My only disappointment at this stop was that I didn’t have time to sample all the different beans they had queued up, ready to grind and pour over.

Lineage Coffee Roasting

My second positive coffee experience happened on our last day in Florida. After a relaxing stroll through Leu Botanical Gardens we shared some shrimp tacos nearby then headed to Lineage Coffee Roasting. The location on Colonial Drive was a short drive and well worth the trip. Bright and open with sparse furnishings, the white service counter is the center of the shop. The clean, modern look was similar to Crux even though their markets appear quite different. A younger, more hip clientele occupied the Lineage location during our visit.

The barista was helpful and willing to engage in conversation about their business and the coffee they offered. The owners source the best beans for their roasting and retail operation, making personal visits to farms and co-ops worldwide. Pour over, Chemex and cold brew methods compliment the espresso drinks available at this location.

I had a Rwanda pour over that was carefully brewed and quite pleasant. My wife went with her stand by cold brew which was strong but smooth. A small retail area offered freshly-roasted beans, cupping guides and a small selection of coffee accessories. After so many bad coffee trips to Orlando, it was nice to find a shop committed to high-quality beans, brewed into tasty beverages.