Coffee Ride to Mimi’s Coffee House - Mt. Kisco, NY
The Ride
This was a quick ride to a local coffee shop, so the Vespa was our steed for today. The Beeline was just 7.6 miles, but there are certainly a few winding roads heading to Mt Kisco. See our article on discovering new roads with Beeline.
I departed our starting point in Cross River, headed west on Route 35, and quickly turned left to head south on Route 121. This travels along a bit of the Cross River Reservoir and, just after turning onto the road, passes by the Ward Point Ridge Park, the largest county park in Westchester County at over 4,000 acres! The park has The Leatherman’s Cave, so named because it is said to be where the eponymous person would camp when in the area. The Leatherman was so-called due to his seeming obsession with leather that wandered through the area in the late 19th century. Today, there is a trail run named after him, and the site offers a detailed history of the Leatherman legend.
I continue on Route 121 south as it becomes a causeway over the Cross River Reservoir and then make a right onto Pea Pond Road. This is a fun little stretch of road with switchbacks that pass by the Caramoor Center for Arts & Music, originally a country estate of Walter & Lucie Rosen. The grounds and stucco villa are beautiful to explore. A little further down the road is the estate of Martha Stewart, and the road ends as it intersects with Route 22.
Left onto Route 22 heading south, and then turn right onto a minor road called Matthews Mill Road, which crosses over the Stone Hill River on a narrow bridge with the old millhouse and wheel visible on your right. As you climb and end at Harris Road, this becomes a winding road heading up a hill with an old barn visible on the right.
A right onto Harris Road eventually passes under Interstate 684. Then it curves around the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, a women’s prison with previously held prisoners like Amy Fisher - The Long Island Lolita, and a couple of Weather Underground members involved in the 1981 Brink’s armored car robbery.
We continue up the hill past the prison and make a left onto Babbitt Road, a more residential area that leads us into the village of Bedford Hills and eventually connects to Route 117.
Route 117 isn’t an excellent road for bikes here… It’s a main shopping street with car dealerships, grocery stores, fast food, and other retail shops, but we are close to our destination.
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. Check out our full review of Rever.
Route 117 continues to a light in downtown Mt Kisco, where you can turn left and continue on it or go straight into a parking lot behind several shops and a small river running through the middle where we find Mimi’s Coffee House. According to Rever, we arrive after just 12.4 miles but with plenty of sights along the way!
See the route below.
The Coffee Shop
Located on the back side of the shopping area in downtown Mt Kisco, Mimi’s Coffee House is conveniently located near the large parking lot. The exterior is a clean, modern brick like other buildings in the shopping center, but it belies the interior design.
As I entered, I was greeted with distressed wood columns on the deep red painted walls, corrugated ceiling, and a mishmash of different chairs and tables, creating an old, authentic atmosphere. Brightly colored artwork is hung on the walls, offsetting the warm tones.
Along the counter is a display case with pastry & cookie options, bagged snacks below, and a sign proudly showing they serve Counter Culture Coffee. The counter is also made of the same distressed wood on the walls, creating a lived-in sensation that I immediately felt at home.
Behind the counter are several chalkboards with their options. Coffee options include drip coffee, espresso, americano, macchiato, cortado, latte, cappuccino, mocha latte and au lait. You can also get your coffee cold; several other beverages, including teas & lemonade, are available. Food options like wraps and small plates are also available if you are hungry for more than baked goods. The chalkboards continue around the corner and have drawings that are periodically refreshed.
Lest the aesthetic limits the typical modern amenities, free WiFi and Apple Pay are available.
The friendly staff quickly crafted an americano served in a tall speckled mug with a mismatched saucer. Looking at other customer’s drinks, this mismatch theme consistently adds to the place’s character.
Some light acoustic music adds to the feeling of relaxation. Each track on the playlist just reinforced the welcoming atmosphere. It is elementary to see people spending many hours here.
The owner, Selamawit Weiland-Tesfaye, known as Mimi, also had an Ethiopian restaurant next door, Lalibela, which opened in 2010. I had dined at the restaurant multiple times before the pandemic but hadn’t visited her coffee shop until today. Sadly, like many restaurants affected by the pandemic, Lalibela closed in 2021, allowing her to focus on the coffee shop.
The Refreshments
I’m a big fan of coffee served in an actual ceramic cup rather than a paper one, so Mimi’s is ahead already. I bring the coffee to one of the open tables. This table had splattered paint on it and had been weathered, sticking with the style of the space.
A layer of crema lay at the top of the coffee, beckoning to be sipped. The wide mouth of the mug allows both small sips and giant gulps, so however you like to imbibe your coffee, it is possible with these cups. The Americano was full-bodied yet smooth with no bitterness.
This was my first visit, but it won’t be my last. It’s such a quick trip, and I’ll be popping over regularly to get my caffeine fix.
