Coffee Ride to Caffe Social - Norwalk, CT
The Ride
I open the Beeline app and plug in the destination of Caffe Social. Fifteen miles with Beeline compass mode is shown, but exploring will surely expand that. See the article on discovering new roads with Beeline.
I depart Cross River on the BMW R18 Classic, their first big cruiser model featuring an 1800cc rocking boxer engine. I head east on Route 35, passing through South Salem and crossing the border into Connecticut. The compass points to my right, so I turn onto a small side road named Olmstead Lane, initially facing south. This lane is nearly a continuous curve before letting out at Route 33, pointing east again.
I take Route 33, heading south, where it becomes a gentle winding backroad through Fairfield County leading to Wilton, CT, where the road turns east and ends at Route 7. As the road bends east, I follow the compass pointing south and turn onto Old Ridgefield Road, which runs through the town center of Wilton.
The road becomes River Road as it passes a park holding the Norwalk River before joining Horseshoe Road as it curves around a pond. Once across Route 106, the name changes again to Range Road and becomes more attractive, passing through a less dense residential area. The road meanders for a bit and then makes a 90-degree right turn followed by a 90-degree left turn to move around a property. I love old roads like this, where roads often came after the houses and weren’t meant for straight-line speed but moving with the terrain.
The road ends at Grist Mill Road near Route 7 when it becomes a highway. I’m close to my destination now, so I hop on the highway for the last few miles to South Norwalk (SoNo). I pass the exit for the Merritt Parkway, following the signs pointing to South Norwalk when Route 7 connects with Interstate 95, riding through the jughandle exit to end up on West Avenue with a large mall in front of me with signs for Nordstroms & Bloomingdales. The compass indicates I must turn right and keep heading south as my destination is just ahead after West Avenue connects with North Main Street and Caffe Social, visible on a corner.
REVER is a mobile app designed to help you track, plan, or navigate your ride. With the app, you can easily plan your route, view maps and directions, and track your distance using GPS technology. The app is an excellent tool for anyone who loves to ride and wants to keep track of their progress and distance.
We found a few excellent roads, but the coastal parts of Connecticut can get very congested, and the slower pace was perfect for a cruiser bike like the BMW R18 Classic. Our tracked distance was 21 miles, according to Rever. See the route below.
The Coffee Shop
South Norwalk is a neighborhood in Norwalk, often called SoNo. While initially a distinct city, it became a part of Norwalk in the late 19th century. While initially, South Norwalk was the more industrial town, deindustrialization in the 1950s led to the classic story of urban decay. Efforts to renew it and tear down some buildings caused some residents to resist and get buildings added to the National Register of Historic Places. Several of those buildings can still be seen today along Main Street.
But in the end, redevelopment won out. In the past 30 years, significant change has come to the town, including the maritime museum in an old factory building and lots of new construction of apartments in a modern style to create a walking downtown feel to the town. One of those buildings is the one home to Caffe Social, the downstairs store in front of an apartment building. It sits directly across from the AMC theater, so residents have several options within walking distance.
The location only has street parking with nothing directly in front. Other vehicles filled most spots mid-morning on a weekday, so plan your visit accordingly.
The outside seating is a triangle where the side road connects to the main road. I pass through the outdoor seating, noting it provides a perfect people-watching vantage point. As I enter the store, I first notice the wall of light-colored distressed wood behind a bar. A TV screen sits above the bar. This might hint toward a different vibe than a typical coffee shop.
To the right is a pillar with a chalkboard sharing the WiFi password, a riddle of the month, and some specialty alcoholic drinks.
To the right are several tables, more light distressed wood walls, and a long green leather booth seat along the wall with a button-tufted backrest like a classic office chair. It’s more of a lounge vibe, and the drink menu is primarily alcoholic drinks with just a few options for coffee, including drip, Nescafe, espresso, americano, macchiato, cappuccino, and different flavored lattes.
There are many food options, from omelets and eggs benedict to pancakes & french toast and a few salad options.
I saw several customers having breakfast items that looked outstanding… could be a good food spot. I had already had breakfast at home before leaving, so I’d have to try the big food dishes another time. I came for coffee & a pastry.
The Refreshments
Seeing other patrons’ delicious dishes gave me high hopes for the menu items I chose to order. I picked an americano & a blueberry muffin.
The americano was served in a paper cup and was steaming hot, almost too hot to hold even with the sleeve. I carried it to the outdoor seats I’d spied on the way in and grabbed a seat. The coffee was so hot I had to take the lid off and let it sit for 5-10 minutes even to sip it. While I waited for the coffee to cool, I enjoyed the scene, watching passing cars, people walking back and forth, and many entering the cafe. The outside is a sort of triangle space that is quite large, so there is plenty of room to enjoy the scenery.
Unfortunately, the excessive heat of the americano overwhelmed the flavors, leaving it tasting like burnt diner coffee, so I hope it was just an off day for the barista rather than indicative of the overall quality of the place.
On the bright side, the blueberry muffin was light and fluffy, with just the right amount of sweetness. The muffin alone would be worth the trip, so while I didn’t enjoy the coffee, the overall experience was positive.
Even if you don’t drink coffee here, the food is worth the trip.
