Spro Coffee

It doesn’t take long to become a regular at Spro, a coffee shop in Baltimore’s eclectic Hampden that has garnered national attention and was recently named the city’s best. Despite the press, it is full of comfortable familiarity: one local talks opera while another earns enthusiastic greetings for her giant friendly dog. The coffee is pricey, and you should be prepared to wait, but it’s not because the owner is stingy or because the baristas are unnecessarily slow. Rather, this place honors coffee itself, with seven different brewing methods customized for each cup of seasonal offerings. There are pastries, too, and a changing list of snacks, including vegan options. Feel free to forget your computer; there’s no wi-fi on the menu. Instead, choose a seat up front to watch the neighborhood stroll by, or snag the tiny table on the back porch for more privacy. Then just sit back, savor your well-crafted treat, and contribute your own perspective to the rhythms of a truly homegrown spot.

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If you could take just one photo: Pour over, vacuum pot, Chemex... oh my!

Baltimore's Spro is two parts test kitchen to one part coffee house, and with no music other than the buzzing of the burr grinders, the reverent atmosphere is also part church. You come to Spro if you take coffee seriously. When you place your order, not only do you specify the roast, you'll also choose from one of seven brew methods. All these methods are brew to order and guarantee that you're tasting these beans at their most glorious. This could all be intimidating if you don't have a Barista Arts degree from Intelligentsia, but the staff will guide you through this blown-glass jungle. When you hear a barista passionately explaining to a group of old ladies why their cup of coffee cost seven dollars, you're going to want to quit your day job to join the team at Spro.

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