Source of the best coffee to find with your motorcycle?
The Ride
It’d been a while since I’d taken the BMW S1000R out for a coffee ride, so I pulled it out of the garage this morning for my journey to Source Coffeehouse in Bridgeport, CT. The Beeline Moto compass pointing at the coffee shop indicated 21.2 miles as the crow flies from my start in Cross River, NY. See our article on discovering new roads with Beeline.
With the compass pointing roughly southeast, I headed east on Route 35 toward Ridgefield, CT. Just past the border, I turned off Route 35 onto a side street heading further south. However, it turned back, heading west, crossing me back into New York, so I grabbed the next road heading south. This road ended at Route 123, so I was back on a faster road winding its way south. I crossed back into Connecticut near Vista, NY, and entered New Canaan.
While Route 123 is a lovely winding road, the Beeline Moto urged me to find a way to head further east, so I turned onto what seemed like a promising road called Canoe Hill Road. I took it to where it joined Route 106 leading to Silvermine Road.
These backroads proved to be excellent winding roads, but as I approached the Merritt Parkway/Route 7 interchange, the option for roads that matched the compass headed wasn’t there. I ended up with a zig-zag crossing back and forth over the Merritt Parkway and some residential streets, which seemed to all end in cul-de-sacs. I finally ended up on Route 1 just east of Norwalk, and given it aligned with the compass, I took it heading east.
Route 1 is often called Post Road or sometimes Boston Post Road—Interstate 95 runs parallel to Route 1 along much of its run, especially in Connecticut. While I95 is one of the oldest interstates in the country, Route 1 was the main road to Boston before the Interstate was built. That history explains why the road is primarily commercial buildings along the sides with lots of traffic today. It’s not the most fun road for a motorcycle, but it was nearly perfectly aligned with the compass.
Along Route 1, I passed through Westport, Southport, and Fairfield, CT. However, when the road turned north to parallel the Interstate, I took Route 130, which aligned with the compass and showed less than a mile to go. This route had me crossing the Rooster River and entering the Black Rock Historic District of Bridgeport, CT. A handful of blocks past the river, I found the Source Coffeehouse.
As I pulled in front of Source Coffeehouse, I realized that I’d left my backpack on the floor of my garage, so I had to make do with just my phone taking pictures for this visit. As I stopped the recording on Rever, it showed that my route was 33.2 miles. 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. Check out our full review of Rever.
The Coffee Shop
Source Coffeehouse is located on Fairfield Avenue, and I was lucky to find a spot right in front. There is a small parking area in the back, but it is easy to miss the entrance. With a lot of foot traffic, this might not be a problem for many visitors, but depending on when you arrive, it may be harder to find a spot if you are coming on your bike. I was able to find street parking right in front during my visit.
Bridgeport is the city with the highest population in Connecticut. P.T. Barnum, of circus fame, had a solid connection to the city, having built several houses here, including Iranistan, a large mansion in a Moorish style. Sadly, it burnt down within a decade of being built in 1857, so it’s not a site one can visit today. Barnum would house his circus in Bridgeport during the winter and even served as the city’s mayor for a time. He also was one of a few wealthy residents who purchased land along the water to be used for a park, now known as Seaside Park.
Wood laminate flooring with 5 round tables and a pair of chairs at each. A counter on the right offered plenty of other seating. A black and white tile motif decorated the counter where the Le Marrzocco espresso machine was situated with a small display of pastries. Behind it was a larger kitchen area. The right wall was white, while the opposite was hunter-green.
On my visit, a small visit with two small kids was the only other seated patrons, but there was a lot of foot traffic for takeout. Looking at the menu, I noticed cold brew, cappuccino cortado, macchiato, espresso, matcha, latte, chai, drip coffee for coffee, several pastries, and another cooler filled with cold drinks.
I ordered a cortado, which, sadly, was served in a paper cup because of the large takeout business. It had a nice flavor, heavier on the espresso, as it was less creamy than a typical one. Still, it was delightful. I also picked a blueberry muffin. It reminded me of one you’d get from a hotel buffet.
Source Coffeehouse has a true urban feeling. It reminded me of my time living in Brooklyn. Brooklyn had a strong coffeehouse and motorcycle feeling, and I’d often frequent Union Garage, which was < 1 mile from my apartment. They moved to Bridgeport several years ago, keeping their urban feeling even in a different state. Their shop is less than 3 miles from Source Coffeehouse, so I’d encourage readers to make a trip to visit both to experience the urban motor coffee world fully.
