I suppose that, like most of you, I usually prefer my own espresso to that which I can get outside my home. However, yesterday I was on a couple of appointments in the Mt. Lebanon area of Pittsburgh's South Hills and whilst passing through the intersection of Rt 19 & Gilkeson/Painters Run Road I spotted a sign for...

Blue Horse Coffee
It is on Rt 19 just across from the Galleria. They had a 2 group Linea & a couple of big Mazzer grinders (badged Rio) and buy their beans from Counter Culture in Charlotte. Well, I have never been to CC but have heard of them mostly on Coffee Geek (whose site is down yet again this morning). Apart from the fact that the lady thought a single cino should contain ~1 oz. of espresso lost in a 12 oz. cup and the fact that she didn't seem to know what micro-foam was, the taste was real nice. The milk, foam was too dry leaving a big "wad" of foam on the bottom 1/3 of the cup. The owner was not there at the time, so there is no reason to expect that the owner doesn't know how to properly froth milk - other than the fact that they left the bar in the hands of someone who doesn't know.

There was no way to know when the beans they were using were roasted...but the taste was WONDERFUL. The espresso had a rich, full coffee taste but was uber-smooth. Well done, Counter Culture!

Aldo's Coffee
Further North on Rt 19/ Washington Road right in the middle of Mt. Lebanon was the Aldo's Coffee: http://www.aldocoffee.com. They also had a 2 group Linea and some Mazzer Grinders but their main grinder was a very large thing 2 hoppers and with auto tamping built in. It ground and tamped for a double in a couple of seconds!! They get their espresso beans from Intelligentsia and the barista seemed to all be conscientious and experienced. The espresso looked really nice and had excellent body but...but...but...maybe the taste is not as smooth as that at Blue Horse.

Again, I don't know when the beans were roasted but suspect that had I asked, the barista would have known.

Are any of you familiar with either or both of these Mr. Lebo establishments? Which do you prefer and why?

Len

Aldo I know. I spend several evening there when I was out there last year. I still trade an occasional email with the owners, Melanie and Rich (paniniguy). Just a FYI, Belle (training Barista) placed 4th at the Mid Atlantic Barista regional and competed at the nationals as well. She works mornings if memory serves, and worth the trip. Rich also makes some very good cannoli, from scratch. One of their Barista (please forgive me Rich but I forgot which one) won the latte art at the Mid Atlantic.

I was also taking to Rich a week or two ago and he told me that they would be getting some Fazenda Santa Ines CoE for press pot service early in July. I believe details are on their web page.

I enjoyed my experience there, nice shop, good drinks and wonderful conversation with the Barista and owners.

Hello Dave!

The folks at Aldo clearly have a good understanding of all things "coffee". It is a nice coffee bar!

I guess you never made it to Blue Horse...it is south on Rt19 ~1 mile from where Aldo's is located, but, it is out of the little "downtown" area of Mt. Lebanon. Here the barista wasn't too well informed, but eh espresso (from Counter Culture beans) had a really smooth coffee taste.

Len

It is amazing to hear talk of great coffee near Pittsburgh. I lived a few miles away from the Galleria for 9 months eleven or twelve years ago and the only available espresso was a stand in the Galleria (run by Seattle ex pats who imported coffee from Seattle), or to go down to the "Strip" where occasionally you could get a pretty good cup from the Italian vendors. My family finally bought me a Saeco from Starbucks and I started importing coffee from Seattle.

Same was true all over the state. Now I import some of the best coffee I get from Caffe Fresco in Pennsylvania. Curious the changes only a few years bring.

Worldman wrote:Hello Dave!

The folks at Aldo clearly have a good understanding of all things "coffee". It is a nice coffee bar!

I guess you never made it to Blue Horse...it is south on Rt19 ~1 mile from where Aldo's is located, but, it is out of the little "downtown" area of Mt. Lebanon. Here the barista wasn't too well informed, but eh espresso (from Counter Culture beans) had a really smooth coffee taste.

Len

I believe I drove by it one day. I got lost on a back road on my way to Aldo and remember driving past another cafe. When I mentioned it to the barista at Aldo they knew who I was talking about and told me that their espresso was pretty good, if that is the same place.

hperry wrote:It is amazing to hear talk of great coffee near Pittsburgh. I lived a few miles away from the Galleria for 9 months eleven or twelve years ago and the only available espresso was a stand in the Galleria (run by Seattle ex pats who imported coffee from Seattle), or to go down to the "Strip" where occasionally you could get a pretty good cup from the Italian vendors.

Hi, Barry! There is some good coffee to be had in the Strip as well as some awful swill. I prefer my own "home spun" to what I get at nearly every bar.

hperry wrote:My family finally bought me a Saeco from Starbucks and I started importing coffee from Seattle. Now I import some of the best coffee I get from Caffe Fresco in Pennsylvania. Curious the changes only a few years bring.

Sacre Bleu!!! You live in Seattle and import PA coffee!!! Wonder of wonders! I never heard of Caffe Fresco but find that they are in Pittston, PA which is >5 hours away form my home. (My "guess" is that I shan't visit them soon.)

Why don't you buy from some of Seattle's noteworthy roasters?

Len

I do like Seattle Coffees - was really fond of the late, lamented Hines. And I buy from Vivace, Good Coffee Company, Victrola, Cafe e'Arte and others from time to time. But, for day to day quality delivered time after time I probably prefer Caffe Fresco, particularly their Ambrosia, over most of the other espresso blends I've had. Not to knock Seattle coffee at all, but one of the great things about the revolution that started here is that it has spread so broadly. Which is a good thing!

And you can beat the 5 hours because they ship economically.

Hal,

I have been buying my beans from a local Roaster here in Pittsburgh for 15 or 20 years. It is La Prima and they roast in 2 25 pound San Francisco roasters every day, Monday through Friday.

Here is a picture of their roasting operation:


You can buy from them c/o their website at: http://www.laprima.com/index.html

They have a new Fair Trade Organic Espresso that is INCREDIBLE *- though I don't see it on their site. I am sure they will send it to you if you contact them.

* = The first of the FTO espresso I had was "to die for". The next couple were pretty "poopy". Katie (the chief roaster babe) told me today that she figured out what was wrong with the FTO espresso (since I complained about its inconsistency). Some coffees had been switched and they were using the wrong beans for a couple of weeks. It is a stupid mistake, but, hey, I've made a few in my life. FTO is now back to being smoooooothhh...

Len

Evening Len. Caffe Fresco has some good stuff, Tony's (the owner) ambrosia blend is pretty darn good. He is a HB sponsor as well.

Worldman wrote:Aldo's Coffee
They also had a 2 group Linea and some Mazzer Grinders but their main grinder was a very large thing 2 hoppers and with auto tamping built in. It ground and tamped for a double in a couple of seconds!! They get their espresso beans from Intelligentsia and the barista seemed to all be conscientious and experienced. The espresso looked really nice and had excellent body but...but...but...maybe the taste is not as smooth as that at Blue Horse. Again, I don't know when the beans were roasted but suspect that had I asked, the barista would have known.

Len,
Thanks for the kind words. I'm assuming you were in during the morning between Mon-Wed, which would be either Andi (short blond Hungarian accent) or Lois (dark hair older). Both are extremely competent. Sorry we didn't get to chat.

That "very large thing with 2 hoppers" is the Swift grinder, which does a pretty good job of consistent tamping (although Andi, Belle, Lois and Frank use the Mazzer and only use the Swift's decaf hopper) but is about the fussiest damn piece of equipment we have.

The beans come in once a week and whatever's left after a week becomes an employee benefit. And you're right, the baristas know when the beans come in.

We'll have to take another look at Blue Horse to see if they changed blends recently. We like CCC a lot and have friends there, so we're fans too... but a year ago we felt our Black Cat had whatever blend Blue Horse was using beat for taste and mouthfeel. We tasted a couple of other solid CCC offerings at the SCAA show in Charlotte and we've had great shots of CCC 'spro at Murky down in Arlington, so the quality doesn't surprise us... although you didn't mention you'd had a separate shot - if not, how could you taste it?

We might also have to make sure the folks at Intelly see this post ;-0

In addition to trying Intermezzo on Smallman (although if you didn't like the Black Cat here, you probably won't like it there either) one other place that's trying real hard is The Vault up in Brighton Heights. Haven't been there in a couple of months. They've got a massive Nuova Simonelli (might be a 4 group) and buy from Orinoco Roasters in Maryland (three Venezuelan brothers). I believe it's owned by folks who split from Affogato. A little out of the way for a South Hills guy, but if you're ever on Ohio River Blvd...

Btw, we're living in Upper St. Clair (for now).