Coffee Pavilion: Hot Time in the (Sometimes Cold) City Tonight!

Location(s)

Above the hideaways of the Underground Railroad, and the covered-over speakeasys, lies a coffee shop that was both the delivery room for the birth of 40 Below, two weekly outdoor concert series, and a favorite resting stop for Onondaga Nation faithkeeper Oren Lyons. Coffee Pavilion, co-owned by Bill Harper and George Feltman, is in its fifth year of existence...as a coffee shop, that is. Before that, it was just one of the dozens of architecturally distinct buildings that make up Downtown Syracuse. When they found it, Bill and George had a vision of what they wanted Coffee Pavilion to look like, so they built it that way. Ok, so you might say that anybody can do that, but how many shop owners do you know who could do that all on time AND under budget, all while using local labor and parts? It's that dedication to their shop, the attention to detail, and their belief in the specialness of Syracuse that you'll notice when you visit. By the way, they helped build Driver's Expresso in Driver's Village in Cicero.

Located in the historic section of Hanover Square, Coffee Pavilion has a menu more diverse than you'd expect for a place with 'coffee' in its name. Besides the traditional coffee drinks (which are all organic and Fair Trade Certified, mind you), Coffee Pavilion also serves teas and hot chocolate. But for those of you looking for something a little stronger, CP is one of the only coffee shops around (THE only, maybe?) to have a liquor license; they have several types of beer and wine available. CP also serves Biscotti Cafe's cannoli, and cookies and scones from Pascale's Bakery, all of which are delivered fresh daily. Meander over to the shop to see the full menu, or visit their website to see a condensed version: http://www.coffeepavilion.com. Of course, you could bring your computer and use their FREE Wi-Fi internet access while sitting there to peruse the menu...but that's just toooooo lazy.

Whatever you do, however, do NOT think it's 'just' a coffee shop. It's also a free artist's marketplace. Local artists are given space to display their works for sale. The best part for them (and for you buyers) is that Bill and George don't take any commission on any sales out of the shop.

To satisfy your music jones, check out the Jazz Jam Showcase every Friday night inside the shop. Outdoors on Thursday nights in th summer, you'll find The Hanover Original Party Series (HOPS), sponsored by the shop.
If magic is your thing, returning this fall will be Magic Night on Wednesdays. All magicians are welcome to come and share their tricks with each other, while the audience has a chance to get in on the secrets. Speaking of magic, see if you can figure out why it looks like somebody played 52-Pick-up upside-down.

The best way to describe CP is this way: if you're looking for one of the most important eateries in Syracuse, this place is a gem. And we haven't even scratched it's surface yet...

P.S.--As an added bonus, the first five people to print out this article and bring it in to the shop will get a FREE coffee drink of their choice (up to $5 value)!