Atlas Purveyors

I’m very sad to report that Atlas Purveyor is closing it’s doors at the end of July 2013. It was reported this morning in the local Boulder newspaper, The Daily Camera. A definite loss for the east end of Pearl St. Next best option is The Cup which is on the same block but more focused on coffee than tea.

Good drip coffee, but the space can seem small and cramped, which makes it difficult to work. I can’t complain about the service or coffee.

I was hoping to be blown away by the coffee, but maybe my expectations were too high. Came in for an iced coffee while visiting boulder based on the cool décor and ambiance. Coffee was fine, prices were fine. Nothing exceptional. I agree that its a good place to take people who want a more modern/​conventional coffee shop, but it lacks the character that makes Boulder so unique.

Great ambiance, even greater coffees/​teas/​grub (the caprese is my fav), and a genuinely lovely staff. Seriously, these guys are the best. They spend their days in an awesome environment, and just want you to enjoy it, too. Definitely my office away from my office. :)

If you dont know what to order, try Zulu Chai, its sweet! Very friendly staff too.

Great!

Best tea, best baristas, best service, best best!!! I love this place. I miss this place. Chris, the owner, should teach a class & right a book on how to do what he does… Cuz he’s the very best at many, many things! If you want the best caffeinated drink accompanied by the best service, go to Atlas now!

I am giving 5 stars simply because the guy who took my order seemed to be in a positively euphoric state of being by making my chai, and he made me feel very at peace.
So, maybe it’s just me, but I remember when Atlas Purveyors was the name of the Map shop a few blocks up on Pearl? Suddenly people kept talking about it, and I figured it wasn’t because a new continent had been discovered or something. It took a few years, but I finally had an excuse to visit. There is a very wide tea, coffee, and overall drink selection. I ended up getting a Chai, of which they have many varieties, and had a daily offering of chocolate chocolate chai, when I visited. There wasn’t a size option on chai so it came around 12 ounces.
I think Atlas is a very good place to take tourists who probably can’t handle the *real* Boulder. So, visitors from the South or Midwest should probably come here. I like it a lot, but it’s like a ¹⁄₃ of the normal weirdness of Boulder, tempered by reused woods and lots of grey tones. I ordered my drink and seriously, the barista seemed so happy to have my order to make. He also seemed very happy to be alive and working in a coffee shop. He calmly asked «is dairy milk OK?» which is the most Portlandia/​stereotypical-​Boulderish phrase one can really ever utter. Not only did the barista seem very calm asking me that question but he also didn’t seem at all Portlandia-​esque judgmental when I said that dairy milk was fine.
My chai was given to me in a pint glass, surrounded by a hand-​sewn fabric coozie. It was around $ 3 and definitely worth it. I like my chai to have some spice, and this had a lot of back-​of-​the-​throat spiciness. There were definitely more people working on laptops here than people chatting. I was having a conversation with a friend for an hour or two and although we were one of the few groups talking, I didn’t feel out of place. There’s also seating outside, if you like drinking al fresco. Just a little bit off the pedestrian area of Pearl, this is a nice place to sit and think, and maybe bring some friends as well.

The two hand chai was so good. That perfect mix of spice that tickles your throat. The service was patient and very helpful.

This review is long overdue. Now, I’m no Boulderite, but I do find myself in the bubble more often these days for events and work related thingies. All my other Denver friends who sometimes work in Boulder kept talking about this «Atlas» place. So I finally went to experience it for myself.
I was not disappointed. The owner, Chris, has done a bang up job of creating an atmosphere that’s really conducive to work and conversation. While it’s louder than some other coffee shops, somehow I’m always super productive whenever I’m here. Must be the vibe.
Also, these folks know their teas and coffees. Despite the sheer volume of caffeine I drink every day, I really enjoy Rooibus tea, which is naturally caffeine free, and they have a really great selection.
The staff here is also tres friendly and makes you feel right at… well, not at home, but, like, a better version of your kitchen and desk. I mean, that’s where all of the best stuff happens, right?
So why only four stars, Kelly? Are you just being a dick?
Well, no, actually. I’m not. The one issue I take with Atlas is that they’ve committed what is my biggest coffee shop pet peeve which is to crowd the place so full of tables and chairs that I feel like I can’t get from A to B without forcing parts of my body into some poor souls face or the back of their head. I find myself saying, «Excuse me, pardon me» a lot here.
So considering how much I really dislike feeling cramped, it’s actually a really great testament to Atlas that their staff, services and drinks are really outstanding because any other place really would have lost a lot more than just one star.
But this isn’t just any ol’ coffee shop. Don’t believe me? I dare you to go and try it out for yourself.

Being a Boulderite and writing a glowing review for Atlas is almost as redundant as being a Star Wars geek and saying The Phantom Menace sucked. But what the heck, I love Atlas, so here goes.
Service: You might not think about coming to a coffee & tea house for the service, but once you meet the staff at Atlas, you’ll know what excellent service means. Every single person behind the counter treats the customers phenomenally well.
Drinks: Not sure what to get, talk to the owner, Chris. He’s personally visited the plantations of nearly every tea up on the wall, and can tell you what makes each tea unique.
Scene: Definitely the hub of the startup world here in Boulder. Check out the events board, socialize with your fellow techies, get there early, stay late, whatever. It’s a great vibe.

Coffee. Boulderites…

Someone told me that the coffee is better in Colorado because of the altitude. At high altitude, water boils at a lower temperature so coffee is less likely to burn. Whatever the reason, Atlas Purveyors makes some awesome coffee. On my first visit, I had the immediate impression that Atlas knew their coffee, so I ordered a café au lait instead of latte. The café au lait was so good, it tasted as rich as a latte. The price is on the high side (Spruce is about a dollar cheaper), but certainly not unreasonable. The outdoor seating is nice.

The drinks and food are amazing, and 80% of the time, so is the service, but it’s knocked down to 3 stars because they indulge in one of my biggest café pet peeves: They start trying to hustle you out the door an hour before close.
I understand you want to go home, but if you’re open til 9, close at 9. Giving your patrons the 15-​minute warning? Totally kosher. But if you want to go home at 8, move back your hours.
If it was an isolated incident, I wouldn’t mind, but this has happened at least 5 times. You’ll be working on stuff or chatting and the kid will inform you that they’re closing. In an hour. An hour. Then, 15 minutes later, he’ll inform you they’re closing in 45 minutes, and start trying to sweep under your feet. Then 30. Why bother being open when you don’t want people there? Close at 5, call it a day.

This is my favorite coffee shop on Pearl St! I usually come here to have coffee +/​-​breakfast and to do some work. The coffee is great. I like the ceramic mugs they use to serve small coffees. I also really enjoy their breakfast sandwiches, which are big and just greasy enough for me. The chairs & desks are just the right size for me, but I’m kind of short…
I love this place!

It takes balls to start a coffeeshop in Boulder, much less on Pearl. Boulderites love their coffee and tea, they have demanding tastes, and there are plenty of great options for them to choose from. So Atlas Purveyors has to persuade the caffeinated hoards that their coffee is the one to try.
And, indeed it is. Besides a big pot of french press coffee, standard espresso drinks, and standard chais, this place mixes with up with options like almond milk and a diverse selection of tea. I however went with a standard latte, whole cow’s milk. The incredibly friendly and patient barista served up an artfully designed frothed design with perfect milk and espresso that was deep and intense, but not charcoal-​like. It was the perfect latte.
Atlas does what so few do well: it masterfully crafts coffee, in a nice setting, with absolutely no pretense or snobbishness. It’s the perfect addition to Pearl Street!

This has to be my favorite place in Boulder. Zulu chai has to be my favorite fuel. A sip of zulu and I can feel the rhythm back in my feet. It is comfy, whether you are alone or with a group. You get your cup of fuel and sit, talk, write Unilocal reviews or just people watch. the place is made for everyone.
The chalkboard drawings are mesmerizing, the beverages are excellent and the locations is absolutely awesome.

I’ve been wandering the Boulder cafes, trying to figure out which I plan to visit as my «regular». I really liked Atlas, the coffee was good, but what for some reason the space really spoke to me. It isn’t huge and the seating takes a variety of forms — I sat in the back hallway at some «desktops» they had attached to the walls. What a great workspace! Also liked the chalkboard paint they had used back there and now deliver messages to us upon.
Will definitely be visiting again this week — maybe will update this review later. Apparently I need to try the chai here too… :)

Popped in here post-​lunch for a quick iced chai. Good call! Not only was it ready super fast, but it was delicious and different too. Just the right amount of spice with a bit of a honey aftertaste and they factory-​seal on the lid… just like Lollicup.
PS: I wish I drank coffee so that I could more fairly assess this place’s coffee. Two and a half months off ot it (and counting), so I’m taking this opportunity to whine about it. Maybe I’ll head back up for a coffee tour of Boulder when I come to my senses.

So Atlas remains to be awesome, it seems like the rest of Boulder is starting to ketch onto the quality of their Tea and Coffee. Every time, I go to the café, I am never disappointed and feel better leaving than I did coming in. They recently have upped their food offerings to some tasty bagel sandwiches. I had a great egg and cheese bagel with lots of veggies, it was really good and not over-​priced.
Don’t be afraid to have a conversation with the staff. They are all very nice.
Also, check out there tea offerings. They can really help navigate their variety of offerings, and find something that suites your taste.
Atlas Purveyors is on the top of my list for local businesses in Boulder, which is saying a lot.