The scene here is fun. Elixr is a wood-floored, raw-walled den of creative productivity. There are people like me poised on laptops and iPads working away, friends meeting for work or pleasure, a convivial white noise of conversation under the music.

It’s easy to forget that the coffee is the real reason to come, one of the best cups of java you’ll get in the city. These guys know their coffee and the baristas are top-notch and friendly. No snobbery for the high quality! I like the couch corner and comfy low chairs, though the serious workers gather at the long communal table and benches. There are sidewalk tables on the gritty little side street/alley, but I prefer it inside, where I can smell the coffee and better watch the people.

Check out the industrial grade restroom, the terrariums, the colorful mural, and the yummy baked goods. Grab a very simple lunch or snack. Buy a pound of beans to go. Look for their other outposts on N 12th Street and at 16th and Market. Of if you are in West Philly, pop into their location there.