Our Top 5 Coffee Shops Across the Country

If you didn't know, or weren't already planning something, June 3rd is delightfully known as National Doughnut Day (I hate that way to spell donut. It's donut. Right? Right?!) Since discovering this important day in our country's history, Vanessa and I got to talk about donuts....then about coffee....then about coffee shops....then about how much we LOVE coffee shops. Living in an RV forces us to get creative with how we get work done, which means lots and lots of coffee shops. First and foremost, we love coffee. Secondly, we love unique spots where we can hunker down for the day and get some work done. So, we started yapping away about our favorite coffee spots we've been to so far in our travels and thought, HEY! Let's write about it!

So, here it is. In honor of National Doughnut Day (GAH), our favorite coffee shops across the country...in no particular order.
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1. The Ugly Mug, Portland

The Ugly Mug is in the Sellwood area of Portland, which we found extremely charming and bohemian. All mom-and-pop shops, no big businesses, everyone walking around even in the rain. We happened upon The Ugly Mug in a quest for free WiFi, and they indeed have it in abundance. They also have a variety of unusual coffee drinks, beyond just the regular espressos and Americanos. Also, if you go a bit later on in the afternoon, they have very inexpensive beers to choose from. Inexpensive as in $2. For craft beer. Yowza.

We stayed all afternoon on the comfy couches—electrical outlets aplenty. They closed a bit early (6pm), which was strange, but the barista closing up shop did give us the rest of the brewed coffee in the carafe for free to-go. It was a perfect way to end a rainy, work-filled day.
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2. Black Oak Coffee Roasters, Ukiah

We loooooooved this huge hipster spot in Ukiah. They roast their own goods, they sell Chemex (we bought ours there!) there are tons of seats and couches and tables, not to mention a ginormous window to watch them roast and batch up their coffee. We loved the fact that Black Oak Coffee Roasters had an unusual menu of drinks. It wasn't just your average cup of Joe. They featured drinks like the Lovers Lane Latte, which Vanessa had, that showcased a sprinkling of BEE POLLEN. It was unusual, it was unique, it was an amazing experience. We expected nothing less from a coffee joint in Ukiah.
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3. Kay Rico Coffee, Fort Lauderdale

This is the OG coffee spot for us. Since beginning our journey in Fort Lauderdale, we have since craved our favorite coffee joint located at the Yellow Green Farmer's market. Kay Rico Coffee is family-owned and operated, and we have to admit, it's one of the greatest families around. They treat each customer like one of their own, and you can just tell they love what they do. We cannot wait for them to open up a brick-and-mortar so we can lounge around whenever we visit.

​As far as coffee is concerned, you MUST try the Bullet Proof. We've had it a dozen times and it is still as delicious as the first time we tried it. Vanessa opts for the vegan version, which any coffee shop that has vegan versions of anything is A-okay in our book.

4. ​Either/Or Portland

I have to say, I had the best cortado I've ever had in my life at Either/Or in Portland. And I'm part Cuban....so.....yeah...

​But in all honesty, Either/Or is a no frills, coffee shop with a unique menu and variety of unusual but delicious pastries. They offer espresso flights for people to try the different roasts, plus handmade Italian sodas. The seating is limited, so you my want to take your delicious coffee to-go. Also, the only gripe for me was that they had zero outlets for personal use. ZERO. I get it, they don't want people lingering and taking up precious real estate, 'specially when seating is so limited in the first place. But it was still unusual. 

However, for that cortado with steamed hemp milk, they can do pretty much whatever they want.

5. ​Maude

Ahhh, yes. Cafe Maude is nestled inside our wonderful 24-ft RV. Every morning, we brew delectable coffee from the comforts of our small RV kitchen. As you know, our Chemex has been the perfect addition to our family, and often times Vanessa and I find that staying in and enjoying a few cups at our dinette is almost always a better option than venturing out. I wouldn't trade our morning moments of coffee consumption inside of our tiny RV's belly for anything else in the world.

We'll probably make this coffee shop love list an ongoing thing the more we travel. If you have any recommendations of coffee shops in the country you think we should try, share in the comments below! We love suggestions :)

​Happy Travels!