I have many cafés in Salt Lake that I consider my favorites. I’ll visit them frequently, or I’m more likely to stop in if I’m nearby, thirsty or not. In fact, I am proud to have “a spot” in almost every neighborhood to get a coffee. In the University neighborhood, I go to Coffee Noir. In Liberty Wells, it has to be Coffee Garden. In Sugar House, I will obviously be dropping in to Sugar House coffee, and so on. 

Downtown is where it gets trickier. In such a small amount of surface area, we have the privilege of having several great cafés to choose from. On Main Street alone, we have Eva’s Bakery, The Daily, and Three Pines all within extremely close walking distance to each other. Moving out a bit more, we have shops like Nostalgia, Publik, Roots, Blue Copper, and my current favorite coffee spot–The People’s Coffee.

My first-ever trip to The People’s Coffee was to their original location on 300 S in October of 2020, and while I really enjoyed my time there, I did not have the chance to return until they moved locations. When I finally got to visit the new spot on 2nd & 2nd, I was delighted by all of the new details: the pictures from the previous shop hung again on the wall, the shelves with plants and bags of coffee, the gorgeous blue-stained floor that immediately creates a peaceful atmosphere, and the big, beautiful custom neon sign upon the wall, illuminating the space in a soft purple glow.

I’ve since spent a good amount of time in People’s Coffee, sipping a delicious coffee, connecting with other humans. I enjoy savoring the fresh whipped cream that calls to mind memories of the past. That immaculate creamines, the taste of childhood tranquility, the–

“I’m so sorry, we just ran out.”

“Oh, no… Really?”

“Yeah. We can make some more, but it’ll just take a minute.”

“Oh! That’s okay, I’m happy to wait. That’s great, thank you so much.”

. . .

February brought one of my favorite menu items, the raspberry mocha. What a perfect compliment to deep, dark chocolate. Not to be missed, of course, are the classic mocha and the iconic cappuccino, my personal go-to drinks at any café.

But this particular café is a place I love to be. Whether getting a treat by myself after a job interview or sitting in the back discussing relationship structures with a new friend. Trying to explain the rule of thirds to my father while taking example pictures of the church across the intersection or staring out the window, tears streaming down my face as I talk to my partner about a friendship I lost. Stopping in just for a moment to pick up drinks before walking around town with my roommate or meeting up for breakfast before work to catch up with someone I’m so excited to get to know again.

The People’s Coffee has it all. The menu, the vibes, the décor, the Caffe Ibis beans. A variety of seating options and local art on the walls. A winding path through the depths of the building to get to the cozy bathroom. A centrally located spot in a relaxing neighborhood.

But perhaps most importantly, The People’s Coffee has a place in my heart. ❤