Tahosa Coffee House

About

Out on Highway 7 in Allenspark, about nine miles from downtown, this coffee bar on the Camp St. Malo grounds pulls in a mix of pilgrims, hikers and people who just like the drive. The dark chocolate mocha is the drink that gets talked about, made with homemade syrups, and the tea list gets the same attention as the espresso: sencha, Moroccan mint, rooibos, matcha and chai.

Food is simple: cinnamon rolls, brownies, a beef and bean burrito. The real draw is sitting outside, and the patio, the mountain views and the chapel are what people remember as much as the cup. Dogs are welcome on the patio. Inside it is small, quiet and warm, with live music at times, and the name comes from the Tahosa Valley, said to mean dwellers of the mountain tops.