Denver’s coffee scene, which not too long ago was nonexistent, has expanded to become an impressive force on the national scale. Nixon’s, a local institution with a storefront in Englewood, threw its hat into the ring this summer, opening up a corner spot just off Pearl Street at the corner of Washington and Louisiana.
Nixon’s is located in the corner of a relatively new four story apartment building on Louisiana. It’s not far from the Louisiana-Pearl light rail station and is only a quick walk from Pearl Street. The airy, expansive space is the first aspect of the cafe that catches the eye. Two large, garage-style walls open up the interior to the bright sun beams of autumn. There are plenty of seating options ranging from communal tables to bar-style seating and a comfy-looking black couch. The long, marble, modern espresso bar is beautiful and quite aesthetically pleasing. The rest of the shop’s decorations are pretty run-of-the-mill, though, with hipster style calligraphy, tile walls, exposed ducts and industrial style lighting—basically the “circa 2016 coffeeshop” set-up. In reality, that doesn’t matter and shouldn’t be used as a con against the business. While the decoration and aesthetic might leave a little to be desired, the coffee and service make up for it.
After a long day of midterms and eye-glazing lectures, a friendly smile and pleasant conversation does a lot to brighten up one’s day. Nixon’s service was warm and impeccable, which is a change from many coffee shops’ dry and holier-than-thou attitudes. Nixon’s serves both their own brand of coffee and DU favorite Kaladi selections. The menu is pretty typical, featuring lattes ($2.75 for a small), cappuccinos ($2.75) and chai tea ($2.95). Nixon’s also serves seasonal favorites, such as a pumpkin pie latte and maple leaf latte ($4.80 for a medium iced). This reviewer had an iced maple leaf latte which was amazingly refreshing after a long day. The latte was, of course, great—if not a little too expensive. The maple flavoring was just enough to taste good without being overwhelming, which is a huge plus, as shops sometimes tend to overdo the flavoring. It definitely would be very good on a cold fall day—if that situation ever actually arises. The shop also serves simple, typical cafe-style dining options, as well as bags of Kaladi beans.
Nixon’s doesn’t really bring anything new to the Denver coffee scene, but it is still a welcome addition. It occupies a desirable location, especially for the downtown bound commuter. Its coffee is great, and using Kaladi beans was a good choice on the owner’s part. The service was really great, and the spot has a good amount of seating, which is very nice. It is, however, not the most quiet spot, and may be more suited for conversation than hardcore studying.
Nixon’s Coffee House is located at 695 E. Louisiana Ave. and is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
3.5/5 stars
Suggestions: Maple Leaf Latte, French Vanilla Latte, Venetian Creme, Strawberry Shortbread Cookie
