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| - Tree City is such a gem. With the closing a few years back of Susan's Coffee & Tea, a beloved & independent local spot, Tree City is a welcome pseudo-replacement in newly revitalized downtown Kent. Spacious & modern, with a sort of industrial-but-cozy ambiance, this local joint boasts organic, fair-trade coffee & a short but sweet food menu of fun twists on PB&J sandwiches & a host of homemade pastries.
Their website touts a "stay-put atmosphere," inviting customers to camp out with a laptop or a textbook - no pressure to hustle out as soon as you're done with your latte. Clientele is varied, from students to professors to local color, & seating options accommodate all kinds of visitors - big tables, small tables, lounge chairs, & a couch around a fireplace for folks who just want to chat or read a copy of The Kent Stater newspaper.
I considered docking one point for snooty baristas (not all of them, but a distressing number) & for not having low-fat cream cheese. They specialize in healthy & organic, but I've gotta order full-fat cream cheese? Annoying. But I've got to give a full five points - & enthusiastically so - for tasty lattes (try the maple!), creative seasonal offerings, low prices, high standards, a calming atmosphere, a super-clean facility, & providing an alternative to corporate Starbucks down the road.
My cream cheese grudge aside, this place is really a gem among gems - my favorite coffee shop, period, including all the ones I've frequent in big cities like D.C. & Boston. As downtown Kent continues to grow & thrive, I hope to see Tree City "rooted" here for a long time to come.
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