Description: I first moved to Wheeling in 1992, and the first thing I looked for (I am from the Northwest after all) was a place to get good coffee. And was I thrilled when this place opened up -- Wheeling's first little cafe where you could order gourmet coffee, any sort of juice, herbal and fruit teas, eat biscotti and muffins and in the summer enjoy an ice-cream cone.
The shop became part of my daily routine and I just couldn't show up to work without my Chai or Vanilla Latte (with honey and no whipped cream). I think I went through several "frequent flyer" punch cards and still, years later, am finding them in various pockets and books.
Wheeling Coffee Shoppe really stands out for me because it's in such a small town that once you show up twice you're pretty much a regular. (If you live in Wheeling, undoubtedly you will know another customer, or know someone who knows the guy behind the counter, or recognize a local celebrity sitting at a table.) The service is very very friendly. I know some coffee shops like this can get... well, a bit snooty, but I just don't see that happening here. It's still a small and friendly town.
The seating area is small, but any time the weather is nice there are tables and chairs out on the patio in front. Every month or so a new local artist's work will be displayed on the walls inside (and some are for sale of course) and along with various coffee cups and machines and extras for sale are mugs made by a local potter.
On the shelf below the coffee grinders and steamer pots is a stack of newspapers, books (such as Calvin and Hobbes or The Far Side), checker sets, decks of cards, chess, and magazines.
This is the ideal place to hang out after school or work or on a lazy Saturday morning to sip your delicious coffee and play checkers or write, or just watch the people come and go.
While you're in the shop, don't be afraid to talk to strangers.
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