Checking out Scenic Roads and Charming Coffee at Roost Darien

The Ride

I climbed aboard the BMW R18 Classic in Cross River, NY, and pulled up to the destination for our coffee ride today on the Beeline Moto.  Just 15.7 miles was shown on the compass as I was to head nearly due south to Darien, CT.  See our article on discovering new roads with Beeline.

The ride started nice with some good back roads, like Route 35 and State Highway 124, but as I approached Stamford, I got stuck in the main shopping streets.  While trying to cross over the train tracks, I also ended up in a couple of industrial parks that were dead ends.  Finally, across the tracks, I hit another doldrums area with streets named Avenues, but really should have been Lanes as they ended up dead ends.  After crossing under Interstate 95, I quickly turned onto Boston Post Road (Route 1) and found the coffee shop Roost Darien.

Rever reported that my ride had been just 24 miles, but it felt much longer due to the slow going of the surface streets as I approached Connecticut’s more populated coastal towns. See the route below.

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.

The Coffee Shop

Roost Darien, as the name would suggest, is in Darien, Connecticut.  Roost also has another Fairfield County location in Greenwich.  Darien is part of Connecticut’s Gold Coast, so the area is quite affluent.  The town is relatively small, with just 13 square miles and <20K people, compared to the much larger city of Stamford to the west.

Located right on Route 1, the shop has a large parking lot in the back that serves several others. From the parking lot, you walk through a hallway with a floral print on the wall and white dots on the concrete floor leading to the front area, where the counter and seating are located.

You’ll find bright white walls and simple tan wood in the front area providing a clean look.  The shop was busy during my visit, with several teenagers taking up most of the seats.  After reviewing the menu, I found several options: Espresso, macchiato, cortado, cappuccino, latte, drip coffee, iced coffee, and cold brew.  If you were not in the mood for coffee, assorted teas, hot chocolate, iced tea, and lemonade were also available.  They also have a collection of food options that they proudly proclaim are locally sourced.

When I arrived around noon, I also reviewed some of the food options and made my selection. The cashier called me up quickly and took my name for my order.

With a strong takeout business, both my cortado and the sandwich were served in paper products. I found the coffee had a unique and intriguing flavor profile. A bit more milk than typical in a cortado gave it a creamier texture.

I couldn’t resist the spicy pesto chicken sandwich for my meal, and it did not disappoint. It was a flavor explosion, served on sourdough bread with arugula, pickled red onions, tomatoes, basil pesto, and breaded chicken with a creamy spicy mayo. The buttered and toasted bread added a crispy texture, and good-quality fresh vegetables were used in every bite.

With such a wonderfully delicious sandwich made from fresh local ingredients and a good cortado, plus easy motorcycle parking in the large parking lot behind the shop, it’s worth making a trip to Roost’s Darien location! The ambiance was also charming, with friendly staff and a cozy atmosphere. I also appreciated the cleanliness and the attention to detail in the food presentation. Overall, it was a great experience that I would recommend to others.