As a college student, one will inevitably come across many a coffee shop during his or her scholastic career. Most will probably be mediocre, a few exceptionally bad and even fewer so exceptionally good that they will become a new hang out for you and your friends. Using this criterion, Bardo is a coffee shop that is at least exceptionally good, if not the new go-to.
In many ways, the true test of a coffee shop is the atmosphere, and the atmosphere here is exactly what you would want. As you first walk in, the floorboards creak, giving the impression that this place has a history and isn’t just a brand new corporate coffee creation posing as rustic. The aroma of coffee and the warm, dim glow of the lighting create a cozy atmosphere. Art from local artists hangs on the walls for sale, and is refreshed often. There is an entire shelf of board games including Jenga, Monopoly and plenty that I’ve never heard of. Where wall-space isn’t taken up by these two things, there are posters for upcoming concerts, yoga studios, psychics, dog-walkers, meditation circles and art shows. This might give you an idea of the clientele that Bardo typically services.
The baristas recognize the regulars, giving the place a very hole-in-the-wall feel. I ordered the Bardo coffee and a slice of blueberry coffee bread, which is supplied by City Bakery Denver, a local bakery that home-makes all-natural breads and pastries. They offer cookies and pastries, as well as burritos and sandwiches with interesting flavors that I would probably never be inclined to try. I also realize that hipster-chic is possibly a dress code, although their friendliness certainly reflects no signs of snobbery. But really, they all have at least one piercing.
The shop is located on an exciting and eccentric bit of Broadway, about a ten minute drive from DU. Next door is an Illegal Pete’s, just in case you need to fulfil a sopapilla craving right before you get some coffee.
Once you get your coffee and food, you will then be faced with where to sit. Bardo is like the mullet of coffee shops—it’s business in the front and party in the back. When one first walks into the shop, she sees many a table full of hard-working students on laptops, well-dressed twenty somethings on dates and bearded men scribbling strange things into notebooks. It’s very quiet and an ideal place for studying.
Further back into the establishment, however, the vibe changes. The back room is very dimly lit, and couches are arranged in circles around tables. There are still a few people pecking away on laptops, but lots of people are also conversing. The furniture arrangement creates a very open atmosphere where talking to strangers is acceptable. I decided to sit in the back.
The Bardo coffee is absolutely delicious. It manages to be sweet, but still have a rich, distinctly coffee taste (unlike many Starbucks drinks, which are usually so frantically sugary they might as well not have coffee). The foam on top is the perfect accent, and it even has a heart in it. The bread is thick and moist, with real blueberries. One can taste the difference in the quality of these locally-made products as opposed to products sold in large, corporate shops. My friend’s apple cider, with real caramel added, was a warm delight. It tasted like a nap on a cold winter’s day in a cup.
As we sit enjoying our drinks, we begin chatting with several of the people around us. I meet a software designer who had been an opera major in college, a few stoner high schools students and a tarot card reader. The fact that this compilation of people could gather in the same place at one time, and be able to converse about their life experiences, is a testament to the type of coffee shop that Bardo is.
According to my tarot card reading, I will find love in the near future. While that remains to be seen, I see one thing in your future—checking out this awesome, homegrown coffee joint.
