Rain rain go away.
Today was a very gloomy day for the Coffee Shop Monday crew. The day started off by me sending my boyfriend off on a week long trip with his church, but also cloudy skies and rain were looming over the horizon. So it’s just me today, taking the photos and blogging! Hopefully nobody minds the sudden drop of photo quality, as my boyfriend has the professional camera as he travels to beautiful Colorado, and I have an old iPhone.
What better way to spend a gray day then in a coffee shop.
Today, we head to Collinsville, Illinois. In a quaint town lies our next coffee shop, Verona Coffee Company.
First impressions…. cozy! String lights, dark red walls with little parts showing the original brick of the building, old couches and black and white photographs hanging neatly. Oldies rock playing softly through the speakers. Art books strung about. This seems like the perfect place for an artist of any kind to get inspiration. Writers can write, artists can paint, musicians can create music, the inspiration flows.
I walked in, umbrella in hand and shivering, and sat down on an old blue couch to do my work, hearing the hustle and bustle of the popular restaurant Bert’s Chuckwagon next door (more on that later).
The menu was much more diverse than I expected. Teas, expressos, coffees, smoothies, even small breakfast foods like muffins and avocado toast. Unlike the last coffee place that we went to that mostly catered to the pure blooded coffee drinker, Verona had something for everyone. My boyfriend could sit down and have his favorite chai latte here, while I the crazy caffeine junky tries the coffee.
My eyes wandered to a small chalkboard with a bee drawn on it on the front counter. Their special! Of course I had to get it. It was called “Bee Sting”. An espresso with honey and cinnamon. Talk about a perfect drink for this chilly wet day.
First taste, amazing! The sweet honey and spicy cinnamon perfectly counteracted the bitter punch of espresso.
Now, as I finish this drink and take in this environment, trying to tune out the two young kids next to me fighting over Fortnite, I can write a little bit about Bert’s Chuckwagon, the place Verona is attached to.
I know what you’re thinking, this is COFFEE SHOP MONDAYS not RESTAURANT MONDAYS… but don’t worry I won’t dabble on it too long. It’s kind of unavoidable once you enter the coffee shop.
Bert’s Chuckwagon is what I call comfort food. Not good for your waist but amazing for your mind. Don’t tell me your mouth doesn’t water and you feel a high as you hear what they have: Tacos, burritos, BBQ, and burgers. You want greasy and delicious, they have it.
So this building on the corner has it all. A warm feeling coffee shop and a restaurant that has food that will make you smile ear to ear. A definite must visit while you’re passing through Collinsville. Stop by!
Next week we will be back to our usual programming as my boyfriend and I will be back as a team, photographer and blogger. See you!
Coffee Shop Monday's 