April 7, 2008

Good Wi-Fi spots for visitors

Although many of our properties at Carolina Mornings have high-speed Internet, there may be several reasons a visitor (or even a local) might want or need to know about the best Wi-Fi coffee shops in town. So here's a list:

The Dripolator-
Easy to find, downtown on Biltmore Ave.
Great atmosphere, great coffee, great food.
There is a free parking lot, but it's likely to be full, this place is popular.

Gourmet Perks
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I add this with some unfortunate reluctance. Until the past few months this was my favorite place to grab a great cup of coffee, really tasty and cheap breakfast sandwich, and settle in to get some good work done. But I've had a series of negative experiences, mostly involving the staff and some quality control issues (man, burnt croissants taste really awful). I keep thinking - desperately hoping - it will get more reliable again!
Regardless, it's a convenient location (on Merrimon Ave, between UNCA's campus and downtown) and a spot to grab free wireless and a decent cup of coffee.

Mountain Java-
(Used to be Port City Java, not a great chain but better than this independent version. An employee easily confessed with a tone, I noticed, of bitterness, that the owner de-franchised himself to get more money.)
Convenient with several locations, covering every side of town. Sub par drinks, but great tables for spreading out and getting some work done. Can't lose if you're looking for a cup of hot tea, a muffin, and lots of elbow room.

Well-Bred Bakery-
A perfect choice for anyone on the Weaverville side of things. Really great deserts and pastries, good specialty side dishes (quiche, salad, veggies, etc) that make a good meal or snack. Plus the drinks are consistently good. The place is really cozy and the Wi-Fi reliable. Keep in mind your cell phone may not work, Weaverville in general has spotty phone service (Verizon appears to be the best).

BlogAsheville also has a good entry on this topic, with some helpful comments.

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