Openroad Coffee & Tea

I don’t seek out places devoted to eating that is mindful, healthful, organic, etc.; but sometimes I find myself in one. Occasionally, that is a good thing. In the case of Openroad, I am all about culinary virtue. This high-minded outfit, where you get coffee from beans that are “organically grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides,” is a roadside treasure.

The coffee is wonderful, available in dark roast and pourover versions and as espressos, lattes, cappuccinos, and chilled frios. The frios come topped with whipped cream that is guaranteed 100% natural, from nearby Mills River Creamery.

The food menu is minimal. There are ready-to-go sandwiches of all-natural ingredients on locally-baked bread (I love turkey & avocado with spinach on cranberry walnut bread), muffin-like baked oats, energy bars, cinnamon rolls without frosting or sugar overload, and breakfast biscuits packed with locally sourced eggs and cheese that is promised to be rBST-Free (whatever the heck that is).

It’s scones that win my heart. Whichever kind you get, it pops with flavor. Lemon-cherry is a harmonic haymaker; pumpkin spice is an autumnal triumph; there are honey-walnut, raspberry, triple berry, etc. More than flavor, what makes these scones memorable is their tender texture. Within a thin, crisp crust, they are downright creamy as opposed to the more typical crumbly — easily dunkable without disintegration.

Such a happy place, and not just because of its caffeine-induced vibe. The staff I met are ebullient folks, delighted to be serving some of the best coffee and pastries for miles around.