Post By Erika Dajevskis

I’ve been watching the “Coming Soon” sign on the Good Karma Café for months, hungry for a new coffee shop in my neighborhood and curious to see what a place called karma would be like, anyway. Last month they finally peeled back the brown paper on the windows to reveal a pleasant coffee shop with a simple, airy-feeling interior. When I visited two days after they opened, nearly every seat was full, and it appeared that most people walked in the door the same way I did: really really psyched for this.

Currently available, there’s a selection of coffees and espressos (Ethiopian and Mind-Body-Soul were on tap while I was there), as well as Yogi-brand teas, chocolate, and a cold case with beverages and yogurt, with a fuller menu on the way soon. Owner David Arrell is a veteran of Philly’s own Barclay Prime and Alma de Cuba, so it’s a good bet the food will be as tasty and carefully-chosen as the coffee.

Karmically-speaking, the coffee and the chocolate is fair-trade, the tables and floors are made of recycled materials, the cup holders are biodegradable – even the paint is environmentally friendly. The shop is a member of the Independents Coffee Co-op, with such venerable partners as Mugshots and the Green Line, and will eventually feature sidewalk seating and a “secret garden” patio. I also tried cookie and fudge samples from local confectioner Betty’s Tasty Buttons. Speaking of knowing where your food comes from – “Betty” herself was having a cup of coffee right behind me. There’s free wifi and some electric outlets available, which always smacks of good karma to me. (Both appeared to be in ample use.) And Arrell himself, for whom the café is the culmination of several years of planning and work, was a source of friendly, welcoming energy, greeting neighbors and chatting with well-wishers.

But, Arrell assured me, even for people who don’t care about “all that,” his first concern was making sure Good Karma is a place to get good coffee.

The Good Karma Cafe
331 S. 22nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 546-1479
www.thegoodkarmacafe.com