Perhaps understandably, Google doesn’t yet know the difference between The Jitter Bus—a coffee truck parked from 10 to 3 on weekdays at Grove and Hillhouse—and Jitter Bus Coffee, a brick-and-mortar counterweight at 847 Grand. And that’s a shame, because the cafe also deserves its day in the sun.
It enjoyed a literal one yesterday. When I arrived at 3 p.m., a blade of sunlight slashed dramatically through the front glass wall. Spaced-out tables and natural wood tones set a cool minimalist scene cozied up by modern upholstery and warm indie rock (part of a playlist laced with Beatles songs that drove home just how much indie music owes The Beatles). Coaster shelves of stacked raw cinder blocks, a sugar rack made from a well-used skateboard and a menu written in black Sharpie on blue painter’s tape stuck to a scroll of brown paper were as unpretentious as the unassuming baristas.
As it happens, their coffee was so good they could have gotten away with snobbery. The Espresso ($3/double) dove my brain off a delicious cliff, plunging from a quick burst of fruity sweetness into a shockingly deep pool of dark chocolate and ancient wood. Superbly balanced acidity leant a lot of structure with virtually no pucker, while a clean finish sustained all the big notes. The body was light but coating, and the caffeine came on easier than I expected, even on an empty stomach.
Then it was time for the Dirty Chai ($5/12oz), ordered here with oat milk ($0.75) instead of the dairy default. On a tight menu that sticks mostly to classics, my barista said this is the bestseller, and a single enticing whiff of its cinnamon-dusted surface was almost enough to tell me why. Of course, the real test was in the tasting, where the cinnamon kept the cardamom, which can easily dominate a chai blend, brilliantly in check. Additional notes of clove and nutmeg were seen but not heard, if you know what I mean. The mouthfeel was creamy yet silky, and a thin effervescent head somehow continued to bubble for more than half an hour.
I finished with something solid, sort of: the Brownie ($4.50), which happened to be vegan and gluten-free. Chewy at the edges and gooey in the center, with rich chocolate tones suspended over a surprising note of caramel, the glossy-topped square was an uncompromised delight—a claim that may inspire skepticism even from those who are already open to vegan (let alone gluten-free) baking.
Oh well. I found it irresistible—another testament to Jitter Bus’s impressive balancing act, which is clearly no act.
Jitter Bus Coffee
847 Grand Ave, New Haven (map)
Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 9am-2pm
www.thejitterbus.com/the-cafe
Written and photographed by Dan Mims.
