PA Wedding Photographer: Naomi Elle

The Great Coffee Adventure: Just a wedding photographer + her coffee-enthusiast husband on an adventure through Pennsylvania; discovering, photographing and otherwise enjoying the unique, independently-owned coffeeshops and cafes of our great state. Coffee makes us happy.

Everything significant in our lives seems to be associated with coffee and frigid January days. Two years ago, I planned a little wedding-location-scouting day trip to Carlisle, PA (for this beautiful winter wedding!). I spent the morning wandering about the town with freezing-cold toes and nervous energy that didn’t dissipate until I found a random music store and played my heart out on the piano. Why was I nervous about wedding location scouting? I wasn’t. I like new places and I love weddings, but there happened to be a certain gentleman driving up from Virginia to spend a little time with me. This wasn’t a date (really!); this was a “friendly get-together.” I was excited and apprehensive and could hardly keep still. After my wedding duties were over, I warmed those frigid toes by the fireplace of this coffee shop. I waited in anxious anticipation, jumping at every sound of the door opening. My future husband walked through the door at 2:33 in the afternoon and we experienced Courthouse Common for the first time together.

The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. With sponged bronze walls and leather furniture the color of dark-roasted coffee beans, it’s a little bit comfortable and a little bit stodgy. Like if a judge had a coffee-shop in his chambers and invited you to have a cup o’ joe with him instead of denying your motions and suppressing evidence (everything I know about court, I learned from Law & Order). The location sits in the dead center of Carlisle, just beside the courthouse. There’s little flavors of courthouse drama that manifest on the menu. I do like a good theme done with a light touch.

O coffee, how I love you.

This place roasts beans “in house,” and yet the place isn’t overwhelmed by the aroma of burnt beans (which usually means that somebody knows what they’re doing!). Can I get a witness? (bad church/court pun. Intended and yet still funny enough to smirk about). We began visiting this place two years ago, and visited many times during our dating days (Carlisle happens to be a good half-way point between my hometown of Bellefonte, PA and Brandon’s hometown of Sterling, VA). We stopped by many a time, but this happened before I began to appreciate brewed coffee like the connoisseur I have become (slightly tongue-in-cheek. Also another pun. I’m so punny). At that point in time, I was stuck in the syrupy-slap-you-in-the-face-with-sugar mocha drinks.

My personal recommendation: The Roca Mocha. Oh, the chocolatey espresso with almond swirled in. You will be struck with sweetness, but life will be better.

When we finally re-visited Courthouse Common in early January of this year, I was feeling British. Yes, I wanted some hot tea. This little espresso bar really brings out the options when it comes to tea. I deliberated and hemmed and hawed and looked at the options. Loose leaf or bagged? Herbal or black? Whatever your tea preferences dictate, this place has got ya covered.

Are you hungry? You should go here. Daily soups and deli sandwiches, piping-hot paninis, freshly-baked scones and cookies.

My recommendation (because I might have had this multiple times): Courthouse Common Panini. It’s the panini with a hint of Cuban flavor to spice up your life. Ham, grilled chicken, bacon, Swiss cheese and honey mustard. With a side of savory chips. YUMYUMYUM.

Courthouse Common is a community spot, hosting jam sessions and playing welcome to whatever Dickinson School of Law & Carlisle College students make their way to the doors. The whipping winds of Pennsylvania winter don’t seem quite as evil and depressing when you step in the doors of this coffee shop and sink into a leather sofa with hot coffee in your hands. It’s a perfect casual date spot (in my opinion and I’m thinkin’, also in the opinion of the little elderly couple sharing lunch two tables over from us, and the early-twenties we’re-comfortable-but-not-quite-dating-forever-comfortable couple on the other side of the shop). It’s the family spot, as I’m sure the mom and teenage son stopping in would agree. It’s the solitary place to read your newspaper or your newest novel on a Saturday afternoon. It’s the right place to get warm in the winter, find cool drinks in the summer and do some light people-watching any time of the year.

Oh yes, and it’s a wonderful place for friendly-get-togethers (that aren’t really “dates,” but actually are) that turn into ‘‘Til death do us part.” I don’t know if this was the first love story that began in Courthouse Common, but it’s certainly the best (since it’s ours).

You should visit this place. I can’t guarantee a husband, but I can guarantee good food and great coffee.

Courthouse Common
1 Hanover Street
Carlisle, PA
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