The Book Carriage & Coffee Shop

I’ve always dreamt of having a quaint little bookstore with a Barista serving up artful lattes…dreamy music playing softly in the background. Well, I may not have that store, but I certainly stumbled upon a local couple who does, and I was thrilled to find myself pulling up in front of it! The Book Carriage & Coffee Shop in Roanoke’s historic downtown is what dreams are made of (at least in mine). This brick building has charm written all over it, and the open sign flashed on to tell me I was more than welcome to come in. I opened the door to find books galore, an aroma of coffee hanging in the air and a “Hello” from behind the coffee bar. It was delightful! I made my way through the book shelves, fingers gliding over book spines before finding myself standing in front of the Barista ordering a White Chocolate Mocha along with a cookie from one of the glass jars. I informed her that I would be enjoying the beverage in house so a mug would be my preference. As my drink was being crafted, I walked over to two tables that were in the front of the store. Both displayed Texas books full of history of Dallas, Fort Worth and some of the smaller towns such as Roanoke. I enjoyed flipping through the pages until the Barista let me know my drink was ready. I found not just a humdrum mocha waiting at the bar, but I discovered this red mug setting on a small red plate. The whipped cream was artfully placed on top of the coffee and had a caramel layer on it. It was beautiful. I grabbed my cookie and drink and carefully made my way up the wooden steps where I found a comfy loft awaiting me. I sat in one of the high back chairs and enjoyed my delicious mocha. There was this Texas rugged feel with hardwood floors, wooden beams, exposed air vents, outdoor style lamps lining the wooden beams in the loft. Local art hung on the walls to purchase, and I noticed above the coffee bar was an open setting for musicians. How cool! I ate my toffee/chocolate cookie, enjoyed my delish mocha and made my way downstairs where I found a treasure of a book to purchase! Sure the big chain bookstores have much more inventory, but The Book Carriage & Coffee Shop has charm, a Texas feel, and a Barista who knows how to make one heck of a latte on one of the best machines available…see their website!  What a nostalgic kind of place!

http://www.bookcarriage.com/