Divino Cafe

I didn’t plan on discovering my new favorite coffee shop today. You can’t predict what Midtown will reveal. But today, with my belly still full of Starbucks Caramel Macchiato, Midtown decided to show me a coffee shop.

Divino Café Organic Coffee and Tea is tucked into a short brick retail strip just west of 31st and Leavenworth, 3169 Leavenworth is the address. It doesn’t stand out visually, but it is certainly a midtown stand-out.

The décor doesn’t adhere to any brand guide from corporate. Walls are lined with burlap tea sacks and pictures of coffee. The coffee bar in the back isn’t trendy, sleek or modern. In fact, the base of the bar is decorated with faux brick running the wrong way. In this case, faux brick is far more honest than decorator directed real brick could ever be.

Although I was there about 11 am on Friday, late for the coffee rush, the half the tables were filled. Glass jars marked with hand-written labels are displayed on the bar. The effect was a bit mysterious, like a laidback old-world apothecary. The jars are filled with mixtures of identifiable leaves, fruit and herbs. These teas are beautiful! They resemble potpourri more than tea. I chose rosehip tea with honey because I loved rosehip soup as a child. The tea was hot and sweet with true rosehip flavor. Far better than the fake powder-from-a-pouch rosehip soup I’d been nostalgic about. Also, at under $4, a far better choice than the Carmel Macchiato I drank earlier. I’ll be back often, after all, I haven’t tried the coffee yet or the gorgeous Mexican pastries on show beneath a glass bell jar.

My rosehip tea has gone cold now, but it’s still delicious.

-Annika Phillips