La Colombe Torrefaction   

There are those in this world who see coffee as a basic utility, good for a morning kick-start or an afternoon nudge. These Styrofoam gulpers would probably miss the point of La Colombe, a virtual shrine to the art of the good cup. This window-lined storefront just north of Rittenhouse Square attracts a healthy mix of professionals, grad students and the gainfully unemployed. Muted colors and mosaic-tiled tables, along with flaky pastries and a lenient smoking policy, impart the cafe's European air. It's an environment so casual as to nearly obscure La Colombe's status as a caffeine empire, best recognized in foodie circles as the supplier to such haute restaurants as Le Bec Fin. Why all the fuss? The proof is in the powder: Master roaster Jean-Philippe Iberti and partner Todd Carmichael blend and brew with the kind of exacting aestheticism usually associated with fine winemaking. Their expertise shows.