Will Travel for Coffee: Char & Stave

Mixing things up with a special installment of Will Travel for Coffee, focusing on a local coffee chain called Char & Stave. They have two locations: one in Ardmore, PA, and the other in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia. What makes them different from the other coffee shops I’ve covered so far is they’re all-day cafes: serving coffee in the mornings and cocktails in the evenings. They remind me so much of the bars/cafes we visited in Italy. Their slogan is “quality coffee made by whiskey people” – Bluebird Distilling in nearby Phoenixville, PA to be exact. You can leave with a bag of coffee beans AND a bottle of whiskey, what’s there not to love?

Reminder: I don’t give any of the coffee shops I visit stars or number ratings, because in my experience those kinds of reviews aren’t really helpful. Opinions are 100% subjective to differing tastes, and somewhere that I loved could be a place someone else hates! So instead you’ll find an overview of the vibes, my thoughts on what I ordered, recommendations/tips for when you visit, and overall if I liked the shop or not! You can check out the rest of the series here.

Wake Up. Drink Coffee. Travel. Repeat.

Char & Stave Ardmore

Char & Stave’s flagship location is situated on a cute little side street just off Lancaster Ave in Ardmore. The inside of the cafe is open and bright, with plenty of seating, and the baristas were super friendly. We stopped by mid-morning on a Saturday and I was honestly surprised it wasn’t busier! The tables were filled with a mix of people doing work on their computers, families with small children, and friends catching up.

I figured I had to try their signature Whiskey Smash Latte: barrel-aged espresso with salted whiskey caramel and oat milk. I liked it, a lot. This is possibly my favorite coffee of the series so far. If I didn’t know it was non-alcoholic, the flavor would’ve made me think there was a shot of whiskey in it! A bag of the barrel-aged beans was unfortunately $25, or else I would’ve brought some home with me for sure. Jasper got his usual oat milk hot chocolate, which they added lucky charms marshmallows to. Didn’t order any pastries this time, but they did have a few to choose from.

Rittenhouse Place

Char & Stave – Ardmore

21 Rittenhouse Place,
Ardmore, PA

Monday – Thursday
7am – 11pm

Friday – Sunday
8am – 12pm

Char & Stave Chestnut Hill

This location gave off a slightly more hipster-y vibe compared to the one in Ardmore, likely because of the neighborhood. I’m obsessed with the green tile behind the bar, and now want to find a way to incorporate something similar into my house. You have the option to sit at either the bar or a table, unlike at the Ardmore cafe which only has tables. Both locations have different weekly specials, as well as Quizzo, live music and open mic nights.

Since I tried coffee in Ardmore, our stop at in Chestnut Hill called for cocktails! Jasper went with the Bluebird: Bluebird vodka, blueberry, mint, lime, & club soda. I on the other hand tried the Blackberry Jawn: American wheat whiskey, blackberries, honey, lemon, orange bitters, and thyme. Seeing ‘Jawn’ on any menu makes me laugh, and almost always means I’m ordering it. It was a really hot day so the cold refreshing cocktails went down pretty quick! We visited during the middle of the day, but I’d definitely like to go back and hang out here one evening.