Blue Hippo Coffee Co.

Blue Hippo Coffee Co.  

662 Bloomfield Ave, Verona, NJ 07044 

Fresh and funky, NJ Writers Café checked out Blue Hippo Coffee Co. in Verona to see what this coffee shop is all about!  

Immediately upon entering Blue Hippo, you’ll step into a hip space that’s also homey, with bar-height, 4-seater tables in the front and two-seater tables in the back. There is also a small, outdoor garden area with seating. As the restaurant stretches toward the rear, so does the counter with stacked baked goods behind the glass, under the warm glow of the coffee and tea menu lit by string lights. This coffee shop has a good selection of breakfast and lunch choices including griddle classics, egg dishes, sandwiches, and wraps. Patrons can expect to spend within the $$ category (according to Google), and I’d say that the price was fair, neither a super value-feel, nor overpriced. 

We took a two-seater table which, despite being very long, was also a bit narrow and left us without much room for a notebook or computer once coffee and food entered the scene. There was also very limited outlets, so a full charge for devices is necessary if you’re planning to do some writing and need more than a pen and paper.  

For our meals, I ordered an espresso coffee that hit all the right marks. AJ had hot coffee, which tasted fine, except that it came in an oversized mug big enough for soup, and went cold quickly. Despite our lukewarm feelings on the coffee, the chocolate chip pancakes that we ordered (yes, we can be creatures of habit…) were a generous-sized serving and full, full, full of chocolate! Delicious, but not for the faint of heart; we both certainly felt the impacts of our sugar consumption after this meal (but of course, had no regrets).    

Quiet pop music from the late 90s set a nice backdrop for our visit and the shop filled in with patrons as our time eased from early to mid-morning. The coffee shop also had a display in the back with local literature and writer-themed items, which was neat! Overall, we didn’t feel very rushed and were able to stay for a while. The atmosphere is welcoming to writers, though space may be tight depending on your set-up or how many people you’ll be meeting. NJ Writers Café gives Blue Hippo Coffee Co. a 3.5/5.  

Until next time, keep your pencils sharp and your creativity sharper! 

Kiersten