If you’re looking for a place to get your caffeine fix in Pacific, stop by Little Ireland Coffee. This adorable coffee shop features lots of windows to let in natural light, ample seating, a cozy nook at the back of the shop that has soft seating options as well as high-top tables perfect for group or solo work, book clubs, and study groups.
Although the shop offers a fair selection of teas and other drinks, I’m all about coffee. Here, and at all coffee shops, I typically get an iced latte, unless it’s really cold out. And the shop serves Park Avenue Coffee Roasters beans, which is one of my favorite regional coffee roasters as I find the flavor of their coffee to be smooth and never bitter.
Iced and hot lattes and a cinnamon roll. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
In addition to the drinks and the welcoming atmosphere at the coffee shop, I often like to treat myself to a little something to go along with my latte. One of my favorites are the cinnamon rolls, which are everything you want in such a treat: sweet, soft, and gooey, especially when you ask the barista to warm it slightly before serving.
Video credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz The cozy nook near the back of the coffee shop features a soft seating area.
There’s also a selection of pastries, muffins, scones, and cookies. If you’re looking for something a bit more filling, the shop offers a number of breakfast burritos, bagels, egg bites, and biscuits and gravy. And if you want to indulge a little, but still stay on track with your protein and healthy eating goals, pronuts, or protein donuts, which are made by The Kind Kitchen, are often available at Little Ireland Coffee.
If you’re looking for a place that has it all: breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, without having to make a drive to Washington, you should stop by Dahlia Cafe in Union. I like to think of this establishment as a hidden gem that’s a bit under the radar, but I’m probably wrong about that. One trip to the cafe and you’ll find that it’s almost always bustling, and for good reason: because the food and the service are simply that good.
For starters, Dahlia Cafe has a diner-style feeling when you walk in, but with a diverse menu offering. There’s regular drip coffee as well as the iced variety, and you can even opt for Irish Coffee. In addition to those drinks, there’s juice, soft drinks, and a large selection of brunch-style cocktails to choose from.
Iced coffee. Photo via Dahlia Cafe’s Facebook
Breakfast and brunch selections range from skillets and omelets, to French toast and fluffy pancakes to eggs benedict (my favorite!) and crepes, (which I still haven’t tried because I love their eggs benny that much). I always order the eggs benedict with crispy hash browns, and the menu has two variations on the benedict, and both feature a generous amount of velvety Hollandaise. The classic version features Canadian bacon, while the vegetarian offering is loaded with spinach, tomato and mushrooms, but for me, it doesn’t get much better than the traditional benny.
Veggie benedict. Photo via Dahlia Cafe’s Facebook
Lunch includes tried and true favorites like burgers, try the patty melt! There’s also a large selection of wraps and sandwiches, like the chipotle chicken wrap, another favorite around here. The lunch menu also features hearty sandwiches like a pork tenderloin, ribeye, French dip, and Cordon Bleu, with sides that range from side salad or steamed broccoli to fries, or opt for fresh fruit or onion rings for a small upcharge.
Berry Bacon Spinach Salad. Photo via Dahlia Cafe’s Facebook
Dinner selections include tacos, build-your-own bowls, steaks and chops, chicken and seafood. There’s also a number of starters like shrimp scampi or spinach artichoke dip. Dinner side selections range from comforting options like mashed potatoes, to squash, steamed veggies or rice.
Although we’re in the middle of “Galentine’s” season, do you really need a reason to gather with your friends, sisters, mom, or other important women in your life? What matters is getting together for coffee, cocktails, brunch or lunch, and maybe even working in a little retail therapy.
Swallows Nest in Washington is the perfect place to do all or any of the aforementioned activities any time of the year or day of the week. Part cafe, part boutique, this adorable spot is in a dreamy two-story historic brick building that features lots of architectural details like exposed brick, hardwood floors, and gorgeous wood trim, plus cute, vintage furnishings in the cafe’s dining area. The result is a cozy, welcoming cafe area that invites guests to linger.
On the menu is a number of breakfast choices like avocado toast, waffles, and a biscuit and gravy offering, as well as lunch choices like salads and sandwiches. There’s also a rotating selection of freshly made pastries and other delicious desserts. In terms of drinks, the coffee menu ranges from lattes, served hot or iced, drip coffee, and cold brew, as well as a number of teas, soft drinks, wine, and cocktails.
Iced latte and cranberry bar. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
After eating, you’ll want to linger awhile to browse the boutique which features lots of cute, often boho-inspired clothes, jewelry, and other accessories, as well as home decor, and a section called The Refillery where you’ll find products such as laundry soap, bath and body care products that can be purchased using reusable containers that customers can bring in and refill when they need to be replenished rather than continuing to purchase those items in single-use plastic containers.
The Kind Kitchen & Express Kiosk is a Pacific-based business owned by Sam Mueller, a self-taught personal chef. While a big part of her business is offering healthy prepared meals to people, Sam is also passionate about partnering with other local small business owners and bringing the community together at events, like classes she leads where attendees can learn a new food-related skill.
I attended the most recent event, a charcuterie and wine pairing class held at Winehouse 66, a wine bar and event space in Pacific. The evening was fun, educational, and of course, delicious. During the course of the evening, myself and the other guests of the class sampled four wines that were paired with a charcuterie item that accompanied the wine.
Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
After each pour, Natalie with Winehouse 66 shared details about the specific wine, while Sam delivered a charcuterie selection and explained the components in each selection. And since nothing can enhance a great wine like cheese, naturally, there were a lot of different cheeses. Everything from an amazing truffle cheddar to a soft, silky goat cheese, brie, and Manchego were present. Paired with the cheeses were savory bites like Genoa salami and capicola, to sweeter pairings such as dried apricot and blackberry jam.
Once the tasting portion was complete, we got started on making our own charcuterie boxes. Sam provided the delectable ingredients like olives, fruit, crackers, meat and cheeses, and demonstrated techniques, like how to make a salami rose, that helped us make Pinterest-worthy charcuterie boards in the class, and that’s a skill I know I intend to use in the future. Everyone who attended the class was able to take their charcuterie box home with them, except for people like me, who couldn’t resist snacking on it as soon as I’d assembled it to my liking and snapped a quick picture!
Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
More about The Kind Kitchen
While the events are a fun way to bring people together, most days you can find Sam preparing meals in a private commercial kitchen in Union. The selections vary from week to week, but they’re shared on the business’s website, where customers can pre-order their meals and pick up their orders at the kiosk, located inside the Beauty & Barber Bar salon at 203 N. First St., Unit 1B in Pacific. Customers that choose not to pre-order meals can also drop by the kiosk and pick up grab and go meals or snacks.
Options typically include a breakfast offering, such as breakfast bowls, entrees that can be eaten for lunch or dinner, like soups, bowls, and sometimes simple, yet healthy, selections like a protein and one or two kinds of vegetables.
No matter the offerings, at the heart of The Kind Kitchen is the mission to provide meals that nourish the body through using fresh ingredients and a focus on healthy, protein-forward items that are as flavorful and delicious as they are nutritious. Protein is such an integral part of the menu, that Sam created a protein dessert option called pronuts.
The delightful treats are something you can feel good about eating, while also helping you hit your daily protein goals. As the name implies, pronuts are a protein donut that come in rotating flavors and are available at the kiosk, as well as at the nearby Little Ireland coffee shop.
To find out more details about the menu offerings and ordering options, as well as any upcoming events or classes, visit The Kind Kitchen’s website or follow it on Facebook.
Small Town Socialite 