The Bardo Coffee House

Chris Graves decided to open a coffee shop after 25 years of hanging out in them, all the while taking stock of various details and inconveniences that he would change at his own place. "There were just little things about them that bothered me," he explains. "Like, why is the CD player skipping, why is it so cold or so hot, why is the coffee bad, why are the baked goods dry? All these little things just drove me nuts." And from the moment he opened Bardo Coffee House in April 2010, he's paid attention to all the details – opening early and staying open late, and serving Kaladi Brothers coffee and baked goods provided by Burrito Kitchens along with more substantial fare. He also clearly spent time researching proper coffee-shop ambience, because Bardo has everything: booths, couches, meeting tables, two-tops, window seats, movable tables, multiple rooms, even a patio. The lighting isn't intrusive, the artwork is minimal and tasteful, and Otis Redding can be heard through the speakers (without skipping) at all hours of the day and well into the night.