Espresso Yourself At These Southern Utah Coffee Shops on National Espresso Day

November 23rd is National Espresso Day and with that, I wanted to let you know about some local coffee shops you can visit to celebrate.

According to the National Coffee Association, no one knows how or when coffee was discovered, but one of the first instances can be traced back to an Ethiopian legend. “According to the legend, a goat herder named Kaldi noticed that after his goats ate berries from a certain tree, they became so energetic that they didn’t want to sleep at night”. Coffee cultivation and trade began on the Arabian Peninsula and by the 15th century, coffee was being grown in the Yemeni district of Arabia and then by the 16th century, it was known from Persia to Turkey.   

Coffee came to Europe by the 17th century and was becoming popular across the continent and began to replace the common breakfast beverages of the time beer and wine. Coffee then came to the Americans by way of Amsterdam and France “when the Mayor of Amsterdam gave a young coffee plant to King Louis XVI of France.” A French naval officer brought a seedling from the plant to Martinique and fun fact, “the seedling from that plant was the parent of all coffee trees throughout the Caribbean and South and Central America.”   

Espresso, which is a small and strong coffee that is brewed at a high pressure that produces a crema on top, originated in Italy.  

According to Smithsonian Magazine, “The method that would lead to espresso is usually attributed to Angelo Moriondo of Turin, Italy, who was granted a patent in 1884 for a steam-powered coffee machine.” 

Now that you know a little bit about the history of coffee and espresso, let's check out some local coffee shops.

Perks: With locations in St. George, Hurricane, Zion National Park, and Cedar City it’s easy to find a location. With teas, smoothies, Italian sodas, coffee, baked goods, and more you should be able to find whatever you’re in the mood for.   

Bristlecone: located in the heart of historic downtown Cedar City Bristlecone offers coffee, food, yoga, and merch. The comfy and contemporary interior makes it a wonderful place to sit down to enjoy a meal and just chill.   

The Grind: also located in the heart of historic downtown Cedar City. They’re family-owned and offer breakfast and lunch items and beverages that include coffee, tea, and smoothies. They also host open mic nights and are attached to Main Street Books, which as we all know, coffee and books go together like peanut butter and jelly. 

21 Eleven Coffee House and Event Center: located on the north end of Cedar City offers coffee, tea, and smoothies. They also buy their coffee from suppliers that support The Coffee Trust. The Coffee Trust works with coffee farmers to overcome poverty by supporting health, food sovereignty, and alternative income projects. 21 Eleven also hosts a Food Pantry every Wednesday from 2 pm-6 pm.