There are days when I just feel empty. Plain empty. Trapped between so many ideas, not enough time and limited resources. Those days when I wake up early to go to yoga, only to realize that I looked at the wrong day and missed it completely. Those days when I question my determination, when I see how far others have come. Those days when my room is a mess, I haven’t gone grocery shopping but I’m late for work so that all goes on the back burner. Have you had those days?
I find that those are the days when I need to let go of control and stop fighting the flow. When a great space and warming liquid is my only magic charm. When my tried and true solution is to go to a coffee shop. But it can’t just be aaannyy coffee shop. I’m a picky lady.
Enter: Constellation Coffee.
I’m continuing my Unwritten Guides to Coffee & Cake in my new home of the moment; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Although the options are far less concentrated than Amsterdam, there are some true gems that this wild and welcoming city has to offer. I’m on a mission to introduce you to the best of them.
I discovered Constellation Coffee through my always in-the-know roommates. My roommate, Connor, used the word “exquisite” to describe the place. That word stuck with me when I visited for myself, exquisite indeed!
Amy Weiland, the visionary behind Constellation Coffee, has distilled the space down to an experience as rich and nuanced as her espresso shots. With a calming color palate of steely blues and grays, memorable artwork on display and plenty of natural light streaming through the windows, Amy has created the perfect environment to work or enjoy a warming conversation with an old friend.
[for those of you who are just here for the vital info, you can skip down a bit to where I answer the basic coffee and cake questions]
The attention to detail is what sets Constellation Coffee apart. With fresh cut flowers on each table, lemon slices by the water glasses and a select offering of delicious baked goods (try the muffins!), the small touches make the experience polished and modern. These fine-tuned details, along with the clean space and delicious coffee (of course!), is why I keep coming back. I believe that the energy of a space can affect your thoughts, and I love the open, enlightened feeling in my mind that comes with working at Constellation.
And now about that coffee..the coffee at Constellation is complex and never bitter. Amy wants customers to appreciate the flavor of the bean and isn’t one to offer lots of sweetners, she even has laminated cards with images that describe the flavor of each coffee. I opted for an iced coffee that day, and though I normally put a splash of soy or cream in my iced coffee, I didn’t want to spoil the flavor of this one with any additives. It’s that good.
Here’s a snippet about from Amy about the coffee she serves:
“The coffee is mildly roasted to accent the sweetness inherent in the bean.”
-The Coffee Questions-
What kind of coffee do they use? Ceremony Coffee Roasters
How is it brewed? Espresso machine, drip coffee, Chemex, iced brew.
What kind of milk do they have? locally produced rBST-free whole milk is the standard, but also, soy milk and almond milk are offered for non-dairy options
What’s on the menu? Americano, espresso, cortado, cappuccino, latte, masala chai, hot cocoa, drip coffee, Chemex (of any bean you’d like to taste), iced brew
What’s the price? Ranges from $1.85-4.00.
What sweeteners are offered? Raw sugar, truvia, simple syrup.
There is not a wide offering of baked goods at Constellation, but what is there is delicious. I tried a blueberry muffin that day, and it was moist, flavorful and bursting with berries.
-The Cake Questions-
What’s on the menu? Baby bundt cake muffins and scones from Threefifty, crushed almond and pear tarts, vegan ginger cakes and nutella pop-tarts from Plum Goodness (a baker based out of Polish Hill) and vegan, raw, gluten free cookies made just for Constellation by Eden.
Are the ingredients organic? Yes, mostly.
Are there vegan options? Yes.
What’s the price? From $2.25 to 4.00
How are the portions? The muffins are plump and full, the scones were also a decent size. (Those were the only options the day I visited.)
Other food options? No.
I highly suggest you scoot yourself on over to Constellation Coffee in Lawrenceville next time you are in the neighborhood. With friendly vibes and delicious coffee, you are sure to leave feeling energized and refreshed.
Constellation Coffee’s Hours:
Monday-Friday: 7am-6pm
Saturday: 8am-4pm
Sunday: closed
Address:
4059 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA
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