The Teal Hideaway

First things first—my favorite color is teal (or aqua, sea blue, blue mint…really any combination of blue and green that leans more towards the blue side).

Second—check out this coffee shop. Just the color; I’ll get to the rest in a minute. Isn’t it so fun!? I love color because it changes the atmosphere of a space so much. Feeling dark and moody? Mix some black, grays, and red together. Want an earthy vibe? Use the brown and green sections of the color wheel. I think you get the point.

Now to what you’re actually here for. This week I was in Winchester, VA—history and hipster central, in my opinion. I found Hideaway Café after randomly strolling through the downtown walking mall and spotted the cute “Coffee House” sign hanging out front. The glimpse of teal inside drew me in instantly.

Atmosphere

Ok, so not ALL of Hideaway is teal…that might be a little much. The bright and cheerful walls are offset with white trim and warm yellow chairs (like a nice sunset yellow, not neon mustard). A white painted brick accent wall features a black map of the world with “coffee” written in the corresponding language of each region. Next to the map is a great quote (have I mentioned that I really like quotes??)

“Survivors: Those who can ask for coffee in any language.”

Turns out, Hideaway hasn’t always been this bright. The shop was originally located in a basement, down two flights of step—hence the name.

Besides color, the other main aspect of Hideaway’s atmosphere is the history of the area that carries over into the shop through thick trim, deep window sills, and original, heavily framed doors. Maybe it was the old school (and by old school I mean late 2000s when I was in middle school) pop music making me feel reminiscent, but the whole space felt comfortable and welcoming.

I was the first person there, but the coffee house slowly filled with locals and regulars—young professionals having a business meeting, an elderly couple enjoying their morning coffee, you get the picture.

The two-tiered seating area separates the space without closing it off, making it good for finding a place to sit and work awhile. The lower area is complete with a bar area, large collaboration table, and a comfy couch surrounded by games—there’s something for everyone!

Drinks & Prices

One of my favorite things about coffee shops is being able to talk to baristas and hear what they like to drink. Today I took a risk and got the new barista’s favorite drink: a vanilla matcha. Her other favorite was a vanilla latte (same as me) and I like green tea, so I figured it was worth a shot!

It was definitely different…but so good! Earthy but refreshing, and very flavorful but still sweet—the vanilla probably helped with that. It was a nice change of pace from coffee.

I’m realizing now that I haven’t actually tried the coffee at Hideaway. This is the first time I’ve reviewed a coffee shop by myself, so I didn’t have another opinion to draw on. I can give you what I do know.

Hideaway serves Red Rooster Coffee, a family owned roastery that Hideaway has been partnering with since it was small. Now, Red Rooster has grown exponentially and is ranked among the top 12 coffee roasters in the country.

Match was a new drink for me, but Hideaway has all sorts of experiments of their own: for example, espresso martinis and nitro flash brew coffee (yes, this is different than nitro cold brew).

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I didn’t have to be a local to feel right at home at Hideaway Café. The owner loves the community feel of Winchester and strives to emulate that in Hideaway by getting to know each regular visitor. As she says, “Coffee is community and neighborhood driven.”