The inaugural Da Vinci Gourmet‘s Best Coffeehouse of the Nation crowned its first winner, Klatch Coffee, over the weekend at CoffeeFest Seattle. The 8 semi-finalists were whittled down by judging video-entries as well as employing secret shoppers at each location. The final nine:
- Tierra Mia Coffee Co. of Huntington, California
- Dog River Coffee of Hood River, Oregon
- Brew Coffee Bar of Santa Monica, California
- Blue Steele Coffee Company of Lakewood, Washington
- Zooey Deschanel Presents: Hello Giggles! Brew Too Cute of Silverlake, Los Angeles
- The Woods Coffee of Bellingham, Washington
- Heart Coffee Roasters of Portland, Oregon
- Pendl’s Bakery and Café of Driggs, Idaho
- Klatch Coffee of Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and San Dimas, California
There is very little recap coverage of this event available online, and it was not covered live, but sources tell us that the coffee houses had to compete in a series of “Guts” style challenges, making use of wave pools, trampoline slam dunks, and a final challenge that involved scaling the “Aggro Crag”. Klatch owner Mike Perry’s team was comprised of his three daughters, Holly Perry, Jennete Green, and two-time USBC champion Heather Perry. Their service expertise along with their stunning displays of athleticism on the Crag made all the difference, helping them secure victory in this heated battle.
Daily Bulletin: [quote style=”boxed”]Klatch came out on top of last week’s annual Coffee Fest, a trade show in Seattle that caters to the specialty coffee and gourmet tea industries. As winner of the inaugural DaVinci Gourmet America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition, the company earned a trophy and $2,500. Of the top eight finalists, three were from the Los Angeles region.[/quote] [quote style=”boxed”]”L.A. was represented well,” Perry said. “People often think of the northwest as having the best coffeehouse. The winner was from California and that was really nice to see.”[/quote]
Congratulations, Klatch! And look out, LAX! Klatch is constructing a huge 1,800-square-foot location in Terminal 7.
