Izzy's Coffee Den
Izzy’s Coffee Den is a coffee cafe off Lexington Avenue in downtown Asheville.
Not to be confused with their other location - Izzy’s Coffee House, which (presumably) is in a house (I haven’t been yet - but they're on my list).
There were lots of street spots available to park in off Lexington - now that it’s winter, and the seasonal tourism has kinda slowed down. I used my credit card at the meter and paid around a dollar to park, which is super affordable.
There’s also a pay by spot lot directly across the street to utilize when the street spots are in higher demand; I always recommend having a few random singles tucked away in your bra just in case you decide to park in one of those lots.
Also - keeping some extra cash hiding close to your lady parts is always a good way to simultaneously offend and disgust the cashier at Sams club. Nothing says “Holiday Cheer” like digging around in your sports bra for some soggy cash to pay for that over-sized container of Rugelach pastry you’re getting to bring to the office Christmas party.
Anyway, Lexington Avenue is an delightful street, lined with cute shops that sell a wide variety of things like crystals, artwork, kitchen supplies, hiking gear, etc. - so definitely leave some time to peruse the boutiques after you have your coffee & snack over at Izzy’s.
The inside of Izzy’s Coffee Den is warm and welcoming, with soft lighting - yet artsy and eclectic at the same time.
And, speaking of shopping - don’t miss the *super fabulous* things they have for sale at the coffee shop itself; from (very affordable), (non-human) skull & wide eyed kitty magnets, to super fun aprons, reusable metal straws, and even bath bombs!
The Latte was just the right amount of spicy, rich - but not too rich, and had an super fancy fleur de lis foam. It came in an “Izzy’s” mug - which made me feel even more at home. I think my favorite part of the coffee drink itself was that it was slightly sweet, but in a more natural way - there definitely wasn’t any faux sugar overload.
In addition to coffee drinks they also have a pretty broad selection of beer, wine, and mimosas.
The barista was nice enough to heat up the piece of bread that I ordered for an (intended) snack. It turned out the slice was so huge it was good enough for a full meal!
The bread itself was *delicious*, it tasted fresh and healthy, and was very moist - a difficult combination to perfect for gluten free/vegan baked goods...
Nothing like the GF/vegan things I attempt to bake at home, that always end up tasting like a strange combination of sandpaper, communion wafers, nuts, and sadness.
Not only does Izzy’s have baked goods such as bread, cookies, scones, etc. - they also have bagels & cream cheese, as well as fruit.
Izzy’s is definitely a cozy, warm, laid back - yet welcoming environment, with soft lighting, and pleasant music. It’s a great place to get some work done, read a book, or take yourself on a solo coffee date and finish up that last minute holiday shopping!
Not to be confused with their other location - Izzy’s Coffee House, which (presumably) is in a house (I haven’t been yet - but they're on my list).
There were lots of street spots available to park in off Lexington - now that it’s winter, and the seasonal tourism has kinda slowed down. I used my credit card at the meter and paid around a dollar to park, which is super affordable.
There’s also a pay by spot lot directly across the street to utilize when the street spots are in higher demand; I always recommend having a few random singles tucked away in your bra just in case you decide to park in one of those lots.
Also - keeping some extra cash hiding close to your lady parts is always a good way to simultaneously offend and disgust the cashier at Sams club. Nothing says “Holiday Cheer” like digging around in your sports bra for some soggy cash to pay for that over-sized container of Rugelach pastry you’re getting to bring to the office Christmas party.
Anyway, Lexington Avenue is an delightful street, lined with cute shops that sell a wide variety of things like crystals, artwork, kitchen supplies, hiking gear, etc. - so definitely leave some time to peruse the boutiques after you have your coffee & snack over at Izzy’s.
The inside of Izzy’s Coffee Den is warm and welcoming, with soft lighting - yet artsy and eclectic at the same time.
And, speaking of shopping - don’t miss the *super fabulous* things they have for sale at the coffee shop itself; from (very affordable), (non-human) skull & wide eyed kitty magnets, to super fun aprons, reusable metal straws, and even bath bombs!
While you’re waiting for your drink to be made - make sure to check out the extra fabulous framed artwork, (also for sale) from a variety of very talented local artists - including Jen Toledo herself.
I ordered a Mexican Mocha Coffee, and a piece of Homemade-Vegan-Gluten Free- Carrot-Apple-Banana-Bread that I enjoyed at a high top table against the wall, which afforded me a primo view of the artwork on display.
The Latte was just the right amount of spicy, rich - but not too rich, and had an super fancy fleur de lis foam. It came in an “Izzy’s” mug - which made me feel even more at home. I think my favorite part of the coffee drink itself was that it was slightly sweet, but in a more natural way - there definitely wasn’t any faux sugar overload.
In addition to coffee drinks they also have a pretty broad selection of beer, wine, and mimosas.
The barista was nice enough to heat up the piece of bread that I ordered for an (intended) snack. It turned out the slice was so huge it was good enough for a full meal!
The bread itself was *delicious*, it tasted fresh and healthy, and was very moist - a difficult combination to perfect for gluten free/vegan baked goods...
Nothing like the GF/vegan things I attempt to bake at home, that always end up tasting like a strange combination of sandpaper, communion wafers, nuts, and sadness.
Not only does Izzy’s have baked goods such as bread, cookies, scones, etc. - they also have bagels & cream cheese, as well as fruit.
Izzy’s is definitely a cozy, warm, laid back - yet welcoming environment, with soft lighting, and pleasant music. It’s a great place to get some work done, read a book, or take yourself on a solo coffee date and finish up that last minute holiday shopping!
