There was the usual crowd of college-aged go-getters and like-minded young professionals tapping away on their keyboards as I popped into the recently-remodeled Saxbys Coffee in Haverford on a Tuesday afternoon.
Situated along West Lancaster Avenue, on the brim of the attractive campus of Haverford College, the now-corporately owned location of the Saxbys Coffee is experiencing a highly-caffeinated revival.
Saxbys has roughly two dozen locations sprinkled throughout the Philadelphia, Dallas, Cincinnati, Atlanta and Las Vegas areas, with their headquarters and roasting facility based on the Main Line, in Conshohocken. While the Saxbys’ chain franchises, to better reflect the ‘hoods they are apart of [in comparison to other coffee chains], this particular Main Line hot spot re-launched back into company’s hands as of July 4th. What does that mean, you ask?
The entire interior received a remodel (fresh coats of paint, lively new accents, community artists’ work bearing on the walls) and they’ve upgraded both their coffee and food menus. Being a generous, exposed-brick bi-level space, with a cozy loft on the second floor and a covered patio out of the store’s front, the local coffeehouse constantly beckons us to use them for an alternative office.
Being a five-cups-a-day coffee drinker, I find pure pleasure in stopping into a fresh coffee shop—no matter if it’s a one-off business model, or a company that hosts multiple locations. My first move was opting for an iced British Islander, in hopes to extend my final days of summer. The perfectly-complex, coffee-infused drink mingles macadamia nuts with white chocolate and English toffee—an ideal selection for one who needs a little sweetness with their cup of joe.
Since the end of August/early September is a time where some experience an identity crisis, a time when you can’t decide if you still want to enjoy summer or dive deep immediately into fall, I couldn’t resist sipping a Pumpkin Coffee Chiller as well. The new treat is an extension of Saxbys’ Cremoso (their decadent, all-natural and gluten-free fro-yo), which is blended with Pumpkin Spiced Coffee into an icy beverage. Take note: it’s pure bliss!
But, the real rockstars of this particular visit were Saxbys’ new sandwich lineup. The Haverford location is one of the first Saxbys to roll out their fresh ‘wich menu, which features an addictive roster of high-quality, affordable options.
Crafted with local, fresh ingredients, including nearby-sourced LeBus and Brulee Bakery breads, my food-loving comrades and I sunk our teeth into a three-deep sandwich tasting, featuring the signature Chicken Avocado, the Spicy Roast Beef and the classic Caprese.
All options, both sandwiches and salads, are made-to-order, and also crafted with in-house made sauces and accompaniments. Nolan Woods, General Manager of Saxbys Haverford, shared that it took a lot of taste- and recipe-tasting to craft a guacamole recipe for the Chicken Avocado sandwich that was pitch-perfect. He reveals that the secret is in using Haas avocados—one of the better choices on the market—and “letting the avocados stand out with the sandwich.”
For the Spicy Roast Beef (seen to left), the magic is in the house-made sauce, which incorporates some Sriracha into the mix, and for the Caprese, they craft it extremely well—and, come on, you can never go wrong there with this combo.
Whether you need your caffeine fix, or you’re on the hunt for a well-done (and quick) sandwich, pop into Saxbys of Haverford. The interior revamp alone is reason enough to make a stop, and the rest is just a satisfying accessory.
Learn more about local Saxbys by visiting saxbyscoffee.com. Saxbys in Haverford is found at 346 Lancaster Avenue.
