Culture Behind the Cup

One word: Coffee. We thrive on it in our daily lives, during our work week and on vacation. At home: French pressed or drip pot? On the run: Independently owned or Starbucks? Whether we’re ordering a specialty coffee or a regular cup of medium roast, taking it “for here” or “to go,” sipping alone or with friends, for many people it’s an integral part of the day.

We take our coffee as seriously in Door County as any urban location. Though we’re not brimming with coffee shops every city block, we do have unique places to grab a cup of joe in every little town on the peninsula. Depending on location, each shop has a different clientele and atmosphere: fast-paced or more relaxed, more locals or visitors, board games or open mic nights.

We’ve highlighted five coffee shops from five different places on the peninsula. This sampling by no means captures every place to get coffee in the county; these five are just some of the most frequented and uniquely different.

Centrally located downtown Fish Creek on Highway 42, Blue Horse Bistro, owned by Carina Helm & Eric Rasmusson, is a summer hotspot.

The location: Steps from the marina, with indoor and outdoor seating on the front porch or back patio and a beautiful bay view.

Blue Horse Bistro

The coffee: High quality, fair trade: “We use European Roasterie. They roast the coffee, ‘European style,’ that means slow roasting and slow cooling it. It takes more space and is harder to do, but the acidity is a lot lower. You can get a really strong cup of coffee and not have it upset your stomach. Every single batch we get – especially when the seasons change – you can taste the difference,” Rasmusson said.

The menu: Fresh fruit smoothies and a variety of breakfast panini and lunch sandwiches. Rasmusson said, “We don’t put anything out there that’s not high quality. We’re not using mixes on anything we use, whatsoever. It’s all from scratch.”

The customers: A busy blend of locals and visitors.

Why they’re different: Blue Horse is open all year round. They love the busy season, but are always happy to see the locals reappear in the fall and winter.

Driving through Ephraim, you may notice the buzz outside Leroy’s Water Street Coffee. Opened in the summer of 1993 by a then 19-year-old Ryan Leary, it was the first coffee shop in northern Door County. Almost 20 years later, it is a landmark and a ‘must stop’ for locals, seasonal folk and visitors alike.

Leroy’s Coffee

“At that time…apart from the bars, there was really nothing for young people. This was all pre-Internet. I really catered to as many demographics as I could. On a national scale, I think that’s why the coffee shops are here to stay; they are a non-discriminating place for people to come together.”

The location: Across the street from the Ephraim waterfront and tucked behind a front lawn with plenty of seating and shady trees.

The coffee: Leary always had a passion for good coffee, “I wanted to create a place that I wanted to be. I wanted the best cup of coffee – because I was going to drink it everyday – good bakery, good jazz, and a nice, friendly environment.”

The menu: Bakery items and sweet treats available

The customers: Leroy’s attracts all ages. In the morning it’s an older crowd, and in the afternoon teenagers and young adults can be seen lounging outside relaxing and catching up.

Why they’re different: Leroy’s opens early and closes later than most: 7 am – 10 pm, everyday during the season. It has a relaxed atmosphere and good music, “There’s times of year when nobody is playing board games, and others when that’s all that’s going on,” Leary said. “Times of year when it’s rock and roll in the morning and times of year when it’s piano jazz.”

Take a drive over to the quiet side, in Baileys Harbor, and check out Espresso Lane. Anissa Ehmke purchased the coffee shop three years ago and continues to cultivate an atmosphere that locals love: a laid back vibe, good, affordable sandwiches, and Alterra coffee.

Owner Anissa Ehmke pours coffee at Espresso Lane.

The location: Along Highway 57 in Baileys Harbor, Espresso Lane’s wrap-around outside deck has a nice lake view and plenty of seating.

The coffee: “We get a lot of people coming for the Alterra coffee,” Ehmke said. “We have an older man who lives in Egg Harbor. He and his wife drive over here pretty much everyday, or every other, for the coffee.”

The menu: Breakfast sandwiches and deli sandwiches using fresh herbs and some veggies from their garden in the back.

The customers: Ehmke said, “People come here because it’s quieter and also because it’s more of a local place to go than a touristy one. Tourists do come in, but I don’t think I go out of my way to cater towards tourists. It’s definitely an older crowd, more retired folks, but it’s pretty relaxed. I don’t think we’re too uptight!”

Why they’re different: Espresso Lane’s totally quaint: old men talking about yesterday’s catch, ladies who lunch together everyday, couples reading the newspaper together for hours over bakery and coffee.

On your way up onto the northern-most tip of the peninsula, stop off at Base Camp in Sister Bay, owned by Joel Kersebet.

Base Camp

The location: Just below Ecology Sports and right outside the main shopping district in Sister Bay.

The coffee: In addition to excellent coffee, Base Camp offers a range of crazy cocoas, like Campfire Cocoa with graham crackers and marshmallows, or another with cinnamon, honey and some cayenne pepper. They also have 12 different kinds of loose-leaf tea.

The menu: Kersebet said, “We serve an entirely vegetarian menu. That created sort of a challenge and pushes you to be more creative with flavor. I wanted to bring back a good name for croissants and bake them fresh throughout the day.” They also make some special spreads: a tapenade and a feta, to name a few.

The customers: Northern Door locals and more discerning tourists: “You have to make the effort to drive a little farther, because you like the quiet and the beauty of the country. Of course people coming off their boats stop by and check us out. You choose to be here, it’s not the same as downtown,” Kersebet said.

Why they’re different: Base Camp stays open year-round for locals and visitors alike. Joel said, “The word ‘tourist’ can have a tone to it. I like to think of it as customers and friends, and I want all people to feel welcome the same way…I enjoy being part of the local winter life. I think it’s important to give people options for things to do.”

Whether visiting Sturgeon Bay for the day, or on the way in or out of northern Door County, stop at Glas, The Green Coffeehouse, named for their strong Irish heritage and commitment to being environmentally friendly.

Glas

The location: Just over the Oregon St. Bridge with a view of the canal and marina.

The coffee: Bought locally and brewed with love, “Everybody that works here is truly passionate about what they do. They want to give you a fabulous cup of coffee or tea. We don’t want to give a mediocre anything,” said Jill White, manager at Glas.

The menu: Anything they can buy local, they do. Glas recently switched to all local milk, hormone free from family farms in Wisconsin; they also feature local tea, honey, farm fresh eggs and cheese. “We grow what we can, right now that’s tomatoes and basil. We are really good about staying competitive, so you don’t have to come in and pay organic pricing,” White said.

The customers: As centrally located as they are, many locals and business people frequent Glas on their way to work and back home again. They have a conference room with a canal view available for meetings and local artist’s work displayed on their walls.

Why they’re different: Not only are they open year round until 7 pm, but they also host events like open mic nights every week, “It really helps people come together, specifically in the fall and the winter,” White said. “It gives them something to do that’s not at the bars.”

Additionally, Glas has a Happy Hour, Monday through Friday, from 4 – 6 pm. They also give bikers a 10 percent discount for helping to reduce our communal carbon footprint.