When driving to Columbus from Athens, the most irritating part of the journey is always Nelsonville. That one time that you make it through the town without hitting any red lights becomes a time for great celebration. And when driving through Nelsonville, it's hard to miss the giant billboard sign advertising a little restaurant called the Coffee Cup Restaurant, with the tagline: A Great Place for Friends to Meet! Located at 615 W. Washington St., the Coffee Cup is the place to go for a throwback, family-centric, slow-paced cup of coffee. If Bob Evans hadn't gone commercial, the Coffee Cup is what it would be. Seriously, this is a place that you would expect to see featured on Guy Fieri's Food Network show Diner's, Drive-in's, and Dive's. Although, I've only had coffee and dessert there, I can't speak for the quality of their food, but I bet it's fantastic.
From the moment you walk in, you forget that you live in the fast-paced college culture. The Coffee Cup is most definitely a restaurant and not a coffee shop. It is set up with two rooms, one that looks like the Coffee Shop did when it opened in 1971 (to learn the adorable story of how this place was established, head on in, grab a menu, and read away). The only coffee and espresso drinks served are coffee, lattes and cappuccinos. But when asked to have a latte, the waitress said she wasn't really sure the machine was going to work. So I went with regular coffee, and it tasted just like coffee your parents would set down for you if they wanted to engage in a deep conversation. A lot of sugar, a lot of cream, all in an adorable mug.
When I glanced at the menu, the first dessert that caught my eye was the When Harry Met Sally Cake, which claimed to give everyone an I'll have what she's having moment. If you've seen this fantastic movie starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, you know what I'm talking about. The moist, rich, dark chocolate cake with ice cream was delectable, and the four-layered carrot cake was incredible. I would drive past the Rocky Factory Outlet Store and the rest of Nelsonville to get some of that carrot cake any day.
If you want a break from the hustle and bustle of Athens, which I know is an odd thing to say about a tiny college town in southeast Ohio, but seriously, if you want a break from it, head on over to the Coffee Cup. It's worth it just to see the giant fork and spoon hanging on the wall.
4 Opinion
Elaine McKinley
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