How many different kinds of tea do you think one coffee shop can carry? Cool Beans, this casual café in Oradell, carries over 70 varieties of teas! One of the first things you notice on entering is its huge selection of coffees and teas lined up behind the counter, next to a pretty cake display to the left. It’s a good place to relax on weekdays before 7pm; later hours tend to draw a crowd of teenagers, so it can be a bit noisier. The café also has free wifi, so it’s a good place to sit down and do some web-browsing (or work).
The drinks and cakes are a bit pricey, running $2 for a medium coffee and $4-5 for a slice of cake; lattes and specialty drinks range from $3.25-$5. The cozy atmosphere with worn-in couches, a fireplace, and a piano, on the other hand, beckons you to stay. What I liked most about this café were the old mismatched chairs, vintage artwork on the walls, and connection with the local community. Open mics are held every other Sunday at 7pm, live bands are featured every now and then, and it’s a bikers’ hub on Wednesday mornings. Check the website www.coolbeans.com for event updates.
The quality of the drinks and food offered depends on how sweet you like your sweets. The items on the menu are generally on the sweeter side. The vanilla Chai latte was quite cinnamon-y and sweet. The carrot cake was dense, rather dry, and also very sweet. The coffee was excellent – freshly brewed with a pleasing bright, mild flavor. The shop offers many different kinds of coffee, and you can choose the brew that tickles your fancy. I’ve also had chocolate chip cookies a while ago; Cool Beans’ cookies are the crispy kind – thin, almost-burnt-to-the-edge crunchy, and tasty.
There is no separate parking lot for the coffee shop, but there is street parking available, as well as the bank parking lot across the street. It’s a good alternative to the Starbucks chain when you’re looking for a place to curl up with a hot coffee and a book – or a laptop, because there’s free wifi! Maybe you can even bang out a tune on the piano if you get bored. Just be cautious if you’re going on a weeknight after dinnertime – it might not be so quiet.
Cool Beans International Coffees & Teas
304 Kinderkamack Rd. Oradell, NJ 07649
201-634-1400
Sunday-Thursday: 7am-10pm
Friday & Saturday: 7am-midnight
