Cranberry's Grocery & Eatery

One of the reasons it's taken me so long to write a real first post is that I've been debating which local place to tackle first. I finally (and humbly) accepted that the place I mention first has no bearing on the state of the world, so I'm going with Cranberry's because it's freshest in my mind.

Coffee is not the primary function of Cranberry's. It's a health and natural food grocery store with an eatery in the back. They offer delicious vegetarian and vegan options as well as "normal" foods, too (like Polyface sausage and eggs!). In addition, the grocery portion has plenty of herbs and spices along with natural vitamins and medicines and such.

On to the coffee... The coffee at Cranberry's is a brand called Lester's Best. Named after its owner, it's roasted in Staunton by Lester himself, who mans the eatery counter throughout the week, adding a nice personal touch to the experience.* They offer their house blend, called Lucky No. 7 everyday, as well as a "Flavor of the Month" and a Columbian Decaf option. I'll speak to Luck No. 7 today and touch on the monthly flavor on a month-to-month basis.

I will be direct and say that Lucky No. 7 is my favorite cup of coffee in Staunton. It's a full-bodied, medium-dark roast with a spicy kick at the end. There's a nice touch of cinnamon as well. I once asked Lester what the blend of beans was (before reading it on the website of course), suspecting it to be a mix of Sumatra (spice) and a Latin American bean. I hit it pretty close when he told me that it was Brazil and Sumatra (there's a touch of Costa Rica, too).

As an eatery, Cranberry's is not set up as a "coffee shop," so it's not ideal to sit and sip on a cup or two for an afternoon. A to-go cup is your safest bet if you're not there for a meal. But if you decide to stick around, the for-here mugs carry a free refill with them. As I mentioned, the menu is solid. Lindsey and I can both eat there for about $20 or less, which is "dreamy"** when considering that the ingredients are all organic/fair trade, etc. Coffee to-go will run you $2 flat during the morning rush to work, but the price goes up after 9:30 to $2.21. Don't let the $.21 increase be a deterrent for you, because you're getting the best cup in town. If you haven't been here, check it out. And if you have been here, go again soon.

Details:

7 S. New Street

Staunton, VA

Coffee: A+

Selection: C (House blend, Special, Decaf is standard)

Atmosphere: B+

Prices: B

*How many of us know someone who roasts coffee for Starbucks, let alone Howard Schultz himself?

** Apologies for the pun.