When I was abroad in the fall of 2019, I wrote a very well-received and super famous article about the best places to get iced coffee in Florence, Italy. By well-received, I mean it was probably read by my friends, and then the editors that edit all of these pieces. But, I didn’t care that nobody was going to read it, I just knew that where to get an iced coffee in Italy was of major importance to me.
I run on caffeine. I really truly completely run on it. Friends know that I either have in my hand a Yorkshire Tea by the Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate (sponsor me please, I’ll do anything) or a black iced coffee.
It’s easy to get stuck in that rut of simply making the run to Dunkin’ or Starbucks just because it’s known. But, in knowing that, wouldn’t you rather be supporting the local small businesses that exist only in Fairfield?
So… I’m here today to introduce you to the best places to snag an iced coffee all around the town of Fairfield! Oh, and let me introduce you to my favorite drinks at each location.
1) Donut Inn:
Donut Inn was not on my radar for a very long time. It took some convincing from friends and an early Sunday morning coffee run to convince me that it’s one of the best, if not the absolute best, for a breakfast run for my whole apartment.
Donut Inn is good if you’re looking to get just a normal coffee and a bagel. If you are someone who gets quite fancy with what you want in the beverage, or options on bagels, this is not the place for you. Donut Inn looks like it’s stuck in 1982, which works perfectly for me and my roommates… as we love it!
I usually order an onion bagel toasted with cream cheese, and a caramel iced coffee black.
The iced coffees here are so good because they are not made using a sweetener or syrup of any kind. They brew special flavored iced coffees, meaning that the caramel drink you order at Starbucks that makes your teeth hurt isn’t going to be a replicated taste at Donut Inn. The coffee has just a hint of caramel, while still tasting like true coffee.
2) Las Vetas:
If my future house was going to look like anything, it’d be the inside of Las Vetas. In general, if you’re looking for a cool place to do homework and don’t even really drink coffee, Las Vetas is a super cute option.
Located on the same hill where the train station is, Las Vetas is a trendy coffee shop. They have great food, and a whole collection of different flavored coffees and teas for customers to try.
My friend Rebecca would always get Dom’s iced green tea with peach and honey. This is a sweet, fresh iced tea that does a lot more for the excitement centers of the brain than something like a black iced tea from Dunkin! You know?
If I ever go to Las Vetas, I usually snag an iced chai red eye. It’s an iced chai with a shot of espresso. With this drink, you don’t have to miss out on any caffeine fix while getting something fall themed with the spices… oh, it’s a treat.
Las Vetas would also be a good place to do school work, but because it’s such a popping place, it gets incredibly busy! If you want a seat, you have to get there really early in the morning.
If not, it’s so easy to do a quick run in for a delicious flavored coffee and move to the next thing in your day!
3) Shearwater:
This was the first coffee shop I popped into during the early weeks of my first year at Fairfield University. Thus, it holds a very special place in my heart, and is somewhere I love to visit and meet a friend for coffee out on the porch.
It lacks some of the incredible business of Las Vetas, but still gets packed on the earlier side. If you’re looking for somewhere to do work on a weekend, I would still get here early in the morning.
I use Shearwater more as a meeting place for friends and family. They have a lovely little side porch that seems to absorb sun. This way, even as the temperature starts dropping, a little hot latte and a jean jacket is just a perfect pair for a Sunday morning at Shearwater.
I usually go for some avocado toast, or avocado on a bagel with a large cappuccino.
There’s really not a wrong place to grab coffee locally in Fairfield. I never pick just one perfect place and stick with it; I seamlessly move between grabbing an iced coffee from Donut Inn on Tuesday, running to Las Vetas on Thursday and spending Sunday morning sipping a cappuccino from Shearwater with my sister. Not only do you get to have a delicious coffee, but you get to do your duty as a local resident in supporting the small businesses that make Fairfield so unique.
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