Photo: Lacey McLaughlin

Shakespeare greets me over cafe tables and the music of a player piano.The place is packed — like one would expect from a coffee shop settled between a college and a high school. They know their target audience.

"Sixteen-ounce cappuccino, non-fat, extra shot."

Clatter of register. Thank you. Passing of receipt. I slide across from the clerk to the barista, who looks at the shorthand scrawl on my cup.

"Excellent choice."

Scoop. Grind. Bubble. Whish.

"Would you like that a little drier, or a little wetter?" Milk poured into a frothing pitcher. Skim, of course. I like to taste my coffee. None of this Starbucks-esque, "I'm sorry, we only have whole right now. Would you like soy?"

"Dry, please."

Nod.

Froth. Whish. Distracted, I take in the tile, wallpaper, sparkling black upright ensconced in one wall, aroma.

"Here you are, sir. Is that dry enough for you?"

I take the cover from my cup and swirl it a bit. The layer of foam hardly budges.

"Perfect."

"I ended up making a second pitcher. I didn't like how the first one turned out."

Now that's someone who knows what to do with a coffee bean!

---

The Drowsy Poet Coffee Company recently opened in Pensacola, Florida. Situated on Brent Lane between Pensacola Christian College and Pensacola Christian Academy, they draw plenty of business from the older high-schoolers — and of course from the college students. Of course, Pensacola has been without much choice in coffee (Do you count Starbucks? I don't.), so espresso-lovers from across the city make pilgrimages daily, twice-daily, thrice-daily — you begin to understand?

Open from five AM to ten PM weekdays, and eight AM to ten PM on Saturdays (closed Sunday), the Poet would do well with even mediocre coffee. But it's not mediocre. It's not even good. Beyond all superlatives, it's real coffee. From me, that's high praise indeed.

The Drowsy Poet Coffee Company

86 Brent Lane
Pensacola, FL 32503
850-434-POET (850-434-7638)

5am–10pm M-F
8am–10pm Sat
Drive-through service available