Donna Smith smiles as she stands behind the counter of Bohemian Beans Café, her back to the wall, which bears bright-colored chalk proclaiming the menu items and specials.

Smith, the owner of Bohemian Beans, worked as a teacher before opening the café five years ago, so scribbling on chalkboards is her specialty — along with concocting delicious coffee.

Just off Interstate 81 north, the location of Bohemian Beans couldn’t be better. Situated in the Regional Market Commons, the café offers a local alternative for the caffeine addict who needs a fix before hitting the mall. Even more conveniently, it’s the perfect spot to stop by for a treat and a drink before exploring the many aisles of the Saturday farmers’ market or the Sunday flea market.

‘My mission here is to try to keep everything as local as I can,’ Smith said. ‘I get my coffee from local roasters, and I get a lot of the products to make my treats and sandwiches from the farmers’ market.’

Inside the café, my dining partner and I eyed the display of homemade desserts in the glass case, but decided to settle on splitting a Caprese panini that had fresh tomato and mozzarella.

When our panini arrived crammed into a plastic basket with a hearty helping of chips, my mouth nearly watered. The thick slices of mozzarella oozed around the tomatoes delightfully, but the bread really sealed the deal, making it the sandwich’s wow-factor. Smith crisped it to perfection so that each bite offered a crunch that contrasted with the soft and succulent middle. At the pretty cheap price of $5.95, the panini impressed us.

Bohemian Beans feels cozy, partly because it’s small and crammed with so many interesting things to look at. The current featured artwork by local photographer Janet Lee decorates the walls. Candles, mugs, teapots and more locally made gifts line a set of shelves. Strong scents waft from jars of coffee beans, and two comfy-looking chairs flank an artificial fire woodstove.

A strong believer that keeping money in the local economy can benefit the entire community, Smith also hangs local artists’ works on the café’s walls and commissions a ceramic artist to create her coffee mugs.

We each selected a different espresso-based drink. I went for the Turtle, espresso with cocoa, caramel and hazelnut. And my dining partner ordered the Moose Crossing, espresso, Creme de Cacoa and Kahlua.

It turns out we made the right decision not springing for a baked good because the drinks tasted like desserts. Piled high with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate syrup, they definitely suited someone with a real sweet tooth. I gulped down my velvety, rich drink, especially savoring the fluffy, frothy top layer.

Although the smoothies are out of season until spring, I was excited to see that they graced the menu at all — I bet a Mango Mania would compliment one of Bohemian’s tasty-sounding breakfast sandwiches well. We waved to Smith as we left, and I felt charmed once again by her big smile. The café serves a recipe for success: the combination of someone so clearly happy about what they do and delicious food that you can feel good about eating.

Oh, and I almost forgot: Bohemian Beans also serves a Snickerdoodle-flavored espresso drink. Even more reason to stop back again soon.

Donna Smith smiles as she stands behind the counter of Bohemian Beans Café, her back to the wall, which bears bright-colored chalk proclaiming the menu items and specials.

Smith, the owner of Bohemian Beans, worked as a teacher before opening the café five years ago, so scribbling on chalkboards is her specialty — along with concocting delicious coffee.

Just off Interstate 81 north, the location of Bohemian Beans couldn’t be better. Situated in the Regional Market Commons, the café offers a local alternative for the caffeine addict who needs a fix before hitting the mall. Even more conveniently, it’s the perfect spot to stop by for a treat and a drink before exploring the many aisles of the Saturday farmers’ market or the Sunday flea market.

‘My mission here is to try to keep everything as local as I can,’ Smith said. ‘I get my coffee from local roasters, and I get a lot of the products to make my treats and sandwiches from the farmers’ market.’

Inside the café, my dining partner and I eyed the display of homemade desserts in the glass case, but decided to settle on splitting a Caprese panini that had fresh tomato and mozzarella.

When our panini arrived crammed into a plastic basket with a hearty helping of chips, my mouth nearly watered. The thick slices of mozzarella oozed around the tomatoes delightfully, but the bread really sealed the deal, making it the sandwich’s wow-factor. Smith crisped it to perfection so that each bite offered a crunch that contrasted with the soft and succulent middle. At the pretty cheap price of $5.95, the panini impressed us.

Bohemian Beans feels cozy, partly because it’s small and crammed with so many interesting things to look at. The current featured artwork by local photographer Janet Lee decorates the walls. Candles, mugs, teapots and more locally made gifts line a set of shelves. Strong scents waft from jars of coffee beans, and two comfy-looking chairs flank an artificial fire woodstove.

A strong believer that keeping money in the local economy can benefit the entire community, Smith also hangs local artists’ works on the café’s walls and commissions a ceramic artist to create her coffee mugs.

We each selected a different espresso-based drink. I went for the Turtle, espresso with cocoa, caramel and hazelnut. And my dining partner ordered the Moose Crossing, espresso, Creme de Cacoa and Kahlua.

It turns out we made the right decision not springing for a baked good because the drinks tasted like desserts. Piled high with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate syrup, they definitely suited someone with a real sweet tooth. I gulped down my velvety, rich drink, especially savoring the fluffy, frothy top layer.

Although the smoothies are out of season until spring, I was excited to see that they graced the menu at all — I bet a Mango Mania would compliment one of Bohemian’s tasty-sounding breakfast sandwiches well. We waved to Smith as we left, and I felt charmed once again by her big smile. The café serves a recipe for success: the combination of someone so clearly happy about what they do and delicious food that you can feel good about eating.

Oh, and I almost forgot: Bohemian Beans also serves a Snickerdoodle-flavored espresso drink. Even more reason to stop back again soon.

jidonfro@syr.edu

Published on January 24, 2012 at 12:00 pm