Yo, Gahanna, Check Out Coffee Time!

    Hey, Gahanna folk, you know when you're driving up and down East Johnstown Road between Gahanna and New Albany and you pass that little strip center with the Mr. Wok and the UPS store?

You know, this this one, right?

   
    Well, have you lately been noticing these signs on the grass line along the road...

    ...and thinking, "Coffee Time...hmmmm, wonder what that is?"?
    Well, I'm here to tell you what Coffee Time is: a hidden gem of a place right here in Gahanna set back in that little shoppping center behind an unassuming storefront:
   

    More specifically, it's a cafe, bakery, and baking and candy supply shop all under one roof.
    Though I'd been driving by the signs for a few weeks, I decided to try Coffee Time on the recommendation of one of my Panera Posse members who'd gone there for lunch and,  knowing I'm always in search of a good place to settle in for a few hours and get some writing done, suggested that I try Coffee Time.  "It seems like it would be a nice place to have a cup of tea and write,"  she said. 
    Right she was.
    On my first visit I was enchanted by the place. 

The counter reminded me of the some of the bright cafes in Spain where Tom and I used to stop for breakfast last year when we were trekking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.*

Coffee Time's  candy and pastry section, left, also brought me back to that trip and the little sweets shops we used to stop in along the way. 

   (I do believe we hit just about every sweets shop along the Camino, though sometimes I thought it must look funny, these two big Americans in their sweaty clothes and dirty boots hauling around all this gear going in and plopping down in a cute little pastry shop.

Though, in truth, our disreputable state of appearance never stopped us.)

   

    So of course I could hardly resist oogling Coffee Time's selection of in-store-made pastries,

    candy,                                                                               and fudge.

    But as I'd actually come to Coffee Time with the idea of finding a promising spot to  get some work done, I was most attracted by the cozy, homey sitting area:

    Where I decided to settle in with a cup of tea at this chess table.

    The young lady working behind the counter was so friendly, she fixed me my mug of hot tea, made from fresh steeped tea leaves,  and brought it to my table.  It was a good cup of tea.
   The place was nice.  It was cheerful.  It had WIFI.  I decided it was It was a good place to work.
    I noticed a couple of moms with toddlers having coffee back by the kids space.

    That's when it hit me: where in town is there another coffee shop with a place for the kids to play while the moms visit?  What an excellent place for a play date!  Or what about a little girls' - or little boys', for that matter - tea party? 
     I decided then and there that next time my two little grand daughters come for a visit I want to bring them here  for a tea party.

    I also decided I wanted to learn more about Coffee Time, so I returned there last Friday for a lunch date with my daughter Theresa and one of my Posse.
    While I waited for the others to arrive I chatted with the friendly staff:

Such as a tea party might be with a 3-year-old and and 18-month old.

    I learned that Coffee Time opened about 2 months ago and is owned by Brittany's grandmother and managed by Jaylyn's mother.  Brittany's grandmother, Sally Held, also recently opened another coffee shop, the Three Creeks Coffee Roasters, at Creekside in downtown Gahanna:

    Coffee Time is open weekdays from 6 am to 7 pm, Saturdays 7am to 7pm and opens 9 am on Sundays.
    They serve:

Jaylyn, left, and Brittany, right.

    All the baked goods are made on the premises, and they also sell bread made there.
    Coffee time also sells bakery and candy-making supplies, and next to the cafe is a big room filled of every imaginable cake, cookie, or candy-making need:

  

    By the time I'd finished giving myself the  grand tour my lunch partners had arrived:

Theresa and my Posse pal.

    ...though it turned out that I was the only one seriously in the mood to chow down.
    Theresa had a croissant and a cup of lemon tea and my Posse partner had coffee and a biscotte:

...which she let me have a bite of.  It was fresh and delicious, very sweet and full of cranberries and nuts.  She ordered a second one to take home.
    I ordered the grilled swiss cheese sandwich:

    I also ordered a cup of tea and a cinnamon roll, which I split with the others:

...which I forgot to photograph until I'd already scarfed down half or it.  It was really a good grilled cheese. Can you see the melty cheese around the edges?

    For $1.50 it was the biggest, freshest, gooiest cinnamon roll I'd ever had.
    Then we thought we were all done until the store baker arrived from the kitchen with a big, fresh, warm, delicious-smelling loaf of challah:

..which I bought on the spot for $4.95 and we also broke into on the spot:

    Was it as good as it looks? 
    Ohhhhh yeah!
    In fact, though I'll probably be back there sooner, I'm definitely going back to Coffee Time aound 2 pm next Friday to see if I can snag another loaf of that awesome challah.
    So, everybody, go check out Coffee Time, this delightful,original, family-owned and run spot right here in Gahanna.  Tell 'em, Patti sent you.
    Eh, on second thought, they'd have no idea who I am.
    Just go and enjoy! 8)

*If you might happen to be interested in reading about Tom's and my 490-mile trek through the Spanish Pyrenees along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela you can check out my blog of the journey, "Tighten Your Boots" at pattiliszkay.weebly.com