Our love affair with coffee and tea shops often feeds a personal desire for a little “me time.”
Freelance Writer For The Baltimore Banner
If you subscribe to The Baltimore Banner, the full story can be found here. If you do not live in and around the Baltimore area, I store my freelance stories here for you to catch up on.
Having lived in and around the Annapolis area for many decades, I’ve watched a small town of multicultural families and immigrants grow this town into the chic east coast hub that it is now.
Imagine my enthusiasm when I was asked, by The Baltimore Banner, if I would contribute food and drink related stories from around Anne Arundel County as a freelance writer.
And so it is with great pleasure for me to tell you about some of my favorite Coffee and Tea shops in my hometown and why they are my favorites!
Coffee Tea or Me Time In Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County offers a number of novel shops , whether you’re seeking a quiet spot for a little remote work, a cozy seat to share with a friend or a good book, or just a cup of coffee to go…
Or perhaps you have a hankering for some great pastries or baked goods prepared by your neighborhood coffee or tea shop. Well, I’ve got the scoop on some fabulous places you will want to frequent!
Brown Mustache Coffee – 35 Maryland Avenue Annapolis
Opened in 2016, the whimsical Brown Mustache coffeehouse can be found on one of the few remaining cobblestone streets in Anne Arundel County, tucked inside the Old Fox Book Shop on Maryland Avenue in downtown Annapolis, where they support Ceremony coffee roasters, Open Seas coffee roasters and Tea Smugglers teas, to sip and sample locally sourced pastries while admiring the vintage typewriters tucked among shelves of books.
If the weather is nice, find bistro seating on their porch or lower stone garden. Owner Joel Bunker believes “coffee is like wine when you get into it, with a variety of flavor notes in each blend.”
Curate Annapolis Cafe & Bakery – 141 West St Suite 101 Annapolis
Located in the heart of Annapolis Arts District, Curate opened in March 2021 by Bunker and his wife Coleen owners of Brown Mustache, offering fresh-brewed coffee, premium teas along with breakfast and lunch offerings.
Curate serves a wide selection of baked goods made in-house which change seasonally and at the whim of the expert baker. After-all, what’s not to love about an Apple Blackberry Galette or Pumpkin Swiss Roll in autumn. Having left behind their fresh fruit summer galettes for autumn specialties, we are filled with anticipation for holiday offerings!
A short walk from the downtown city dock, the cafe features a unique collection of wines from around the world, as well as skilled and friendly baristas and sommeliers.
Bean Rush – 112A Annapolis Street, Annapolis
Visiting Bean Rush feels like grabbing a great cup of coffee and an amazing bite at a friend’s house. With front porch seating, and plenty of casual seating inside, the down-home feel matches their home cooked all-day lunch, freshly ground and brewed coffee blends and extensive loose leaf tea collections rarely seen in a neighborhood coffee shop.
Bean Rush is the perfect location when darting between downtown Annapolis and the busy shopping areas at the Town Center and Annapolis Mall, and I have returned often for both a Panini or grilled wrap and countless Wellness Lattes to-go!
The West Annapolis Bean Rush location is 2.8 miles from Luminis Health Center, 2 blocks from the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, a 25 minute walk to the Naval Academy, and less than one mile to the Rt. 50 Exits, making it conveniently located with lots of on-street parking.
Black Market – 155 Mitchells Chance Road Edgewater
Brendan O’Leary says his family has served Anne Arundel County for more than thirty years. His father opened Tom’s O’Leary Seafood followed by the iconic Tex-Mex Chevys. Their most recent venture is Black Market Bakers in Edgewater.
In the midst of the pandemic the family placed a bakery-goods food truck in Chevys parking lot. “Knowing that our community was in want of an indulgent way to start each day, our family became one of the Covid babies in attempts to provide this!” O’Leary said. It wasn’t long before they turned their attention to under-served Edgewater, finding a location in the South River Colony Shopping Village.
With spacious seating inside and on a patio, Black Market Bakery serves breakfast sandwiches on sourdough bread, and lunch sandwiches on baguettes, focaccia or English muffins, with plenty of classic pastry options for take-out. When asked if the baked goods are made ‘in-house’, Brendan replied “We don’t sell it if we don’t make it!” Their Caramel Chai Buns, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones and Apple Crumble Danish were all tempting! For some of the best baked goods, a great cup of coffee and spectacular ‘me time,’ be sure to visit the Black Market Edgewater bakery or their Black Market Port Annapolis location at – 7074 Bembe Beach Road Annapolis – serving Bay Ridge, Arundel on the Bay, Eastport and of course boaters!
Wyrd Bookstore – Specialty Coffee Teas and Gifts – 135 Mitchells Chance Road Edgewater
Not just a bookstore, Wyrd hosts Real Tea Parties served from the vast assortment of local artisanal teas produced by ‘The Happy Seed,’ known for their boutique tea and herbal garden store.
The shop offers a cozy setting among an extensive collection of both new and gently loved books. For those unfamiliar with Orinoco, a local fourth-generation specialty coffee company with roots in Venezuela, try your first fall flavors of caramel apple, pumpkin spice, maple spice or hazelnut.
Owner Amy Murphy seeks to curate a positive experience for her loyal community of customers who delight in holding small group gatherings in this Edgewater location, classes and celebrations of various types. Thrilled to celebrate its one-year opening, Wyrd has already embraced its community with artisanal how-to events and gatherings. Just minutes from Annapolis, Wyrd is that get-away spot you are sure to visit often for a little ‘me time’
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.