Looking For A Lovely Coffee Experience? Head To The Golden Roast

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An exceptional coffee experience consists of a great cup of coffee and a warm, sociable atmosphere. The Golden Roast delivers it all!

I (Lisa) love coffee. I don’t drink it to wake up. I drink coffee, because I love the taste. No sugar. No milk or creamer. Just black. ☕

You might say coffee is in our blood. Much to Sarah’s and my delight, I can trace our ancestry back to Barnabus Talbot, “coffee-man on Ivy Lane” in London, England. Turns out, coffee pre-dates tea in England. Our coffee roots run deep!

Early English coffee houses were places to meet to talk over the news and debate the latest publications and political events. That doesn’t sound so different than today, really.

Cup of coffee with black top and words on the sleeve The Golden Roast

Americans gather at local coffee shops to socialize, work, and yes, drink a delicious cup of coffee.

Local Coffee Houses – The Whole Coffee Experience

It’s tempting to grab a quick cup of coffee at the local coffee chain, but we think you are missing out on the whole coffee experience.

What is that coffee experience?

The coffee experience starts with the cup of coffee! The Golden Roast in Knoxville, TN served me up a delicious cup of Sumatra from a single sourced bean. Absolutely, delicious! Knowing what type of coffee blend to order when going into a new coffee shop can be tricky. Knowing I like a dark roast with no additions like sugar or milk, the barista was able to help me make the right choice.

In talking with The Golden Roast owner, Don Payne, I learned there is quite a bit of science that goes into roasting coffee beans and brewing a cup of coffee.

A coffee bean’s flavor is developed in the roasting phase. Heat and length of roasting factor are critical. Roasting in small batches allows the coffee roaster to be able to monitor the beans more easily and make adjustments as needed.

[We geek out on science here at The Food Memory Project! Sarah and I both have a background in biology and biochemistry.]

The second part of the coffee experience is the atmosphere! A cozy atmosphere inside with space to sit and meet with friends or work is one of our favorite things about going to coffee shops. A living room atmosphere where you want to linger is a must. For us? Having outdoor seating on a homey patio is a bonus. The fire pit on The Golden Roast’s patio has me and Sarah wanting to sit out on cool days to sip coffee while we write.

Local Coffee Houses Support The Community

Thirdly, your coffee experience supports the local community.

When you patronize a local coffee house, you support local small businesses – always a good thing. But, one thing we’ve noticed is that local coffee businesses often work with other small businesses and charities. They take that community atmosphere of the café setting and open that up to helping take care of the community, too.

Shelves in a coffee shop with artisan candles, earrings, bracelets adding to the coffee experience.

For example, The Golden Roast hosts a Maker’s Meet twice a year at the Sutherland Ave location. Local artisan’s can set out and display their art for sell. Throughout the year, local artisans sell their designs in a dedicated area in the café.

Local coffee houses frequently team up with bakers and other complementary businesses. That cup of Sumatra coffee goes really well with an authentic New York bagel from Goldman Bagels. 🥯 A coffee roaster and a bagel maker are a natural combination.

I asked Don of The Golden Roast, what is the one thing he wants customers to leave with, and his response was “an exceptional coffee experience”. I know I experienced it and you will, too!

A Note from Sarah

I was at work while my mom chatted with Don, but I made sure she told him about my first and favorite experience at The Golden Roast!

In October 2016, The Golden Roast was scouted by Netflix to help promote the Gilmore Girls revival. For one day only, their original location was transformed into Luke’s Diner. In true Gilmore fashion, I made sure I was one of the first 100 customers in line to get a free cup of coffee! I’ve kept my Luke’s coffee sleeve to this day as a souvenir… Lorelai and Rory would be proud.