PRESS
Iced Tea
Quench your thirst with these riffs on the classic summer beverage.
By Amanda M. Faison
July 2010, Top of town issue
Iced tea used to consist of the basics: Lipton, sugar, and a squeeze of lemon. But in recent years, it’s become big business—big enough that Tazo Tea now operates under the Starbucks umbrella, and, as of last spring, McDonald’s began serving Southern-style sweet tea at all of its U.S. locations. In Denver, we’ve got a handful of tea shops putting their own spin on the refreshing sip.
Crema Coffee House
While not solely a tea shop (in fact, Crema exists primarily to showcase the art of coffee making), Noah Price’s establishment infuses iced black, green, or white tea with freshly juiced fruit such as pear, pineapple, or strawberry, along with herbs like mint or ginger. Don’t miss the cool strawberry and basil. 2862 Larimer St., Unit B, 720-235-2995, www.cremacoffeehouse.net
Thanks Amanda & 5280 Magazine!!!
This nice little piece is from The Onion AV Club. Big thanks to Megan Quicke, Tuyet and Matthew Novak
When Noah Price moved DVLP Clothing to Denver from Durango in 2007, he drove up and down every street until spotting a “For Rent” sign in the warehouse district near Five Points. Drawn to the rich history of the area, Price and the rest of the DVLP crew settled in quickly to the already transitioning neighborhood (these days referred to as NoDo, or northern downtown).
Price worked diligently with partners Rustin Coburn and Mike Ossell for five years to establish DVLP as a lifestyle brand—up until last fall, when Price decided to trade fashion for food, opening Crema Coffee House (2862 Larimer St., 720-235-2995) just a few blocks away from the DVLP warehouse. “It just came to a point when I realized I didn’t have time for both,” the 28-year-old says. “Running one on its own is tough. I didn’t want to hurt DVLP with my lack of time. I had been looking for a good coffee shop in Denver for a long time—this neighborhood needed it.”
Businesses like Crema have been an impetus for growth in northern downtown—the old stomping grounds of the likes of Jack Kerouac—along with spots like the Larimer Lounge and the Walnut Room. Price and Ossell renovated Crema from a 400-square-foot garage, using mostly found objects. “The metal on the outside of the building is from an old refrigerator,” Price explains. “The front door is from an old school building. Everything aside from food-grade stuff is recycled or reused material.”
It’s commonplace to see Price sitting like a sphinx on one of the old red theater seats outside of Crema—a space he’s established as a creative crux for the network of acquaintances he’s acquired throughout his years in the snowboard, fashion, and coffee industries. Price’s demeanor is surprisingly calm for a coffee man. He sits, basking in the Colorado sunshine, watching luxury vehicles from the shop down the street circle the block, chatting up patrons who drop by.
“It’s awesome,” he confesses. “I get to hang out with my friends all day and drink coffee.” No doubt—way better than driving up and down the streets of Denver, looking for a sign.
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Last night, I had the best cup of coffee of my life.
It was the Novo-roasted Brazil Cup of Excellence poured from a French Press, hot and complex, and so good I wanted the owner of Crema Coffee House, who sells the java, to relinquish the whole pot, letting me blissfully drink myself into a caffeine-induced anxiety attack.
That cup of liquid gold was the send-off to seven fantastic courses prepared in a makeshift kitchen in an unassuming warehouse space in Five Points by a group of chefs from some of Denver’s best restaurants, including Jonathan Power from Root Down and Andrew Van Stee from Potager. Those chefs and a couple of cohorts are the organizers of the Noble Swine Supper Club, an invitation-only dinner group that now has five events under its belt.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A GREAT FIRST FRIDAY
Recently opened on Upper Larimer is the fine and quirky coffee house Crema, which specializes in French Press coffee’s made daily from the finest beans. Crema also has a nice selection of juices and breads that can be toasted and accompanied by your favorite luxurious spreads for a morning or afternoon treat, the remainders magically turning into Strata for those with a more substantial appetite. We recommend checking them out, Crema is open daily starting at 7am (9am on weekends) and located at 2862 Larimer Street just up the block from Plus. This Friday they host their official grand opening party from 7-11pm, suitable for a quick pick-me-up after visiting Plus.
Coffee. Some of us get a little crazy about it. And some of us think a neighborhood without a good coffee shop is hardly a neighborhood at all. Enter Crema Coffee House at 2862 Larimer, opened by Noah Price (of DVLP clothing) a couple weeks back to the relief of the undercaffeinated of Five Points and Cole. Just down the street from Andenken, the soon-to-be HQ of Futuristic Films, and the freshly remodeled Good Building—and more importantly, in one of our neighborhoods, where things are looking up. A smartly simple interior and a very fresh facade, with an assist from the talented Alex on bread pudding and other delectables and from Jeff King on art (at least when we were there).
SOME FUN CUSTOMER RESPONSES:
“This is the best thing to happen to this neighborhood since the crack dealers moved out”
“This is a great latte… and I was just at stumptown”
-Stumptown is one of the premier coffee houses in Portland, and some say the country. So this is quite the compliment, I feel quite honored to be compared to such a fine establishment as Stumptown
CREMA COFFEE HOUSE / DENVER COLORADO