Illustration By Preston Randall

Hello y’all! I hope spring is treating you well!

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got to drink a cup of coffee to get the gears grinding. Well you caffeine connoisseurs, I have the coffee guide for you! If there’s one thing I know, it’s where to get a great cup of coffee (in the northeast Ohio area).

Before we begin, I do want to add something. Coffee can make you anxious, and I do not recommend getting highly caffeinated drinks if you do not consistently drink water with them. Caffeine works off of the water in your system, and you do not want to harm your body by dehydrating it. I’ve been there, and it’s not a pleasant experience. The only thing I drink more than coffee is water. 

This is the same with any big kid drinks. I’m sure you don’t drink alcohol … but if you did you always should match a drink with a drink of water.

On that note, let’s get into it!

We’re going to start with my hometown: Canton.

Walkie-Talkie Espresso and Coffee (Canton)

If you’re ever in the area or looking for a destination, you need to try Walkie Talkie Espresso and Coffee. I would make the argument that you might not find a better cup of coffee in Canton.

They always keep an adventurous menu, and you can’t go wrong in choosing just one thing!

If you need help picking, try their “Walkaccino.” This is a double shot of espresso matched with six ounces of milk. It’s a strong drink that evens out with the cream of your choice (I do oat milk).

Compass Coffee (Akron)

When you’re in the Akron area, Compass Coffee offers a great cup on the run. The inside of the building is very aesthetic, but due to COVID-19, I took my cup to go.

I ordered their cold brew, which I was a huge fan of!

Nervous Dog (Akron)

Nervous Dog has a couple of different locations, each providing the same great quality of coffee. They offer a wide menu, and you can really get anything your imagination allows. The staff is always nice, and they are great at explaining what each of their menu items are and how they brew them.

If you’re here, you’ve got to try their cold brew. (I know, I like cold brew a lot!) I take my cold brew black, but you can add milk or creamer to yours. 

Scribbles (Kent)

I’ve drank many a cup at Scribbles, each providing consistent quality.

Here I get the “Black Eye.” To explain, a black eye or red eye coffee usually means that it is a normal cup of coffee with added espresso shot(s). The “Black Eye” contains one shot of espresso. The “Red Eye” has two shots of espresso added in. I dare not to get the “Red Eye” for the amount of espresso it holds. 

I would go as far as to say you could not pick a bad item off of their menu.

Tremont Coffee Company (Massillon) 

Tremont Coffee has its main and first location in Massillon. It is a very neat place to check out, but again due to COVID-19, I always take my coffee to go.

While you are here, you’ve got to try the “Honey Badger.” The Honey Badger is a lot of espresso and cream of your choice. Once again I choose a plant-based creamer. I believe they still offer macadamia milk. They also sell a drink called the “F-Bomb,” but I also do not dare to drink it because of how much caffeine it holds. If you’re hydrated and up to it, let me know how it is!

Bent Tree Coffee (Kent)

Bent Tree is a neat place to grab a cup of coffee. As they also distribute coffee, you can sometimes watch them grinding fresh coffee beans for other places. As a Cantonite, I need to tell you that you can also get Bent Tree coffee from Deli Ohio (in Canton of course). Side note: Deli Ohio is a delicatessen in downtown Canton that is a fantastic place to get lunch.

If you find yourself at Bent Tree, I seriously recommend just getting a cup of coffee. They always offer great roasts, but you need to be able to appreciate a simple cup of coffee.

Well, I hope these cups don’t keep you up too late! Feel free to save this guide and use it during finals week too. It never hurts to know about different places to get coffee.

Like I said before, make sure that you’re always drinking enough water. You gotta treat your body with respect! 

Until next time!