Cafe Clave

Clave is without doubt the most wonderful coffee shop in West Philly. The owner is genuinely passionate about his business and the world it pays homage to--the Latin Caribbean--and I've always found him more than willing to talk music, coffee, etc. The music selection is fantastic (but never at a volume that demands attention, live nights excepted), and the service is always quick and very friendly...often provided by the owner himself, no less. The coffee is tasty, and comes with a free refill (and cheap ones after that). They sling a wicked cafe cubano, which is inexplicably hard to find in American coffee shops but oh-so-good. And, finally, Clave is a genuine neighborhood hub--students and artists rub shoulders with cops and professors, and the neighborhood's Latin American community is well-represented. There's no superlative I won't lavish on this place...it's fantastic.

On my search for good chai, I though I'd stop by Cafe Clave at the recommendation of a friend. Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed. The chai tastes pretty much like water with spice in it. Not cool. I still give it two stars, because it has a nice atmosphere for those seeking a space to plug in and crank out work. Sadly, the terrible chai has left me too distracted to be productive! Be aware, this is cash only (another one of my pet peeves)!