(Originally written May 23, 2006. Updated periodically since then.)

Need a java jolt? Here are some great locally owned Prescott spots for you to check out.

And, you can jump over to the Loosely Speaking blog to read more AND add your own comments about the Prescott Coffee House scene.

12/22/2011 Note: We are losing one of our longest tenured coffee houses this weekend:  Prescott Coffee Roasters is closing and focusing on roasting instead. You’ll be able to get the delicious beans at various places around town, in bags or in a cup ready to drink. Follow their evolution here. Roasters location on Gurley St. will soon be occupied (perhaps a poor choice of words on my part given the current occupy movement) with a new entry in the coffee house market. Good luck to the new restaurant and I look forward to checking it out.

Personally, I will really miss Roasters, long my favorite place to hang out downtown. Keeping the review below here for awhile … bye bye

Prescott Coffee Roasters (Has free wifi) – If you prefer eclecticism along with your caffeine, this is your destination. A very busy morning gathering spot for business people, cyclists, Prescott College students, individuals meeting with their program sponsors, and others, it’s lively, friendly and often crowded. In fact, if it’s nice out, you’ll spot it on West Gurley (block and a half from the courthouse) by all the people gathered on the sidewalk out front. People linger over conversation or the Wall Street Journal for as long as they like.

You can pick up a bag of coffee roasted right on the premises. If you’re hungry, Roaster Eggs are popular for breakfast. Or, choose from muffins, cookies and scones. Enjoy the atmosphere and cool art on the walls early in the day since they aren’t open in the late afternoon or evening.

Check out these comments from people I talked to at the Roasters one Friday morning:

“I like working here because the coffee is free and the tips are good, among other reasons.”

“It’s VERY good — nice atmosphere, nice music, coffee’s good.”

“My name’s Michaela. I come here ’cause it’s really chill … I don’t know, I’m just really chilled out here, so… we come here maybe once or twice a week. It seems like there’s so many types of people here — one time we saw a cop and we thought ‘cool, what’s a cop doing here?’ ”

“I just like the coffee here. I feel a lot healthier eating here than I would somewhere else. And I like the atmosphere when you come in. It’s not segregated – everyone’s just hanging out and ok with each other.”

“I like to come to Coffee Roasters because it’s a more liberal atmosphere and the coffee is really good and strong.”

Cuppers Coffee House (Has free wifi) – I really like the coffee décor and feel of this old house repurposed as a coffee place. (It’s on South Cortez, right next to the Hotel Vendome). It’s a more sedate group than you will find over at the Roasters (IMHO)—a lot of fifty-somethings and older. It seems to be popular for women friends getting together for coffee or lunch) but you see business people gathered in groups of two or three also. If you need a place for a meeting, you can reserve the back room. Free wifi and some good soups and sandwiches plus loads of teas to choose from. Some evenings they have live music and even a poetry night, which I’m told really brings in younger people. You can sit outside under the umbrellas and bring your dog with you to this nice neighborhood spot.

Prescott-Good-Eats.com has an extensive review on the Cuppers experience here.

Wild Iris Coffee House (free wifi) – On south Granite St., a door away from the Prescott Unified School District offices. Right across the street from the downtown parking garage. In fact, you might miss it the first time you drive by since it’s in aways from the street. These nice folks are open in the evening, unlike most of their competitors, and they offer evening entertainment many nights. You can sit inside or out. Right next to a creek and the outside patio is very pretty and serene. Baked goods made in house daily and the menu varies a lot. Nice selection of teas and espresso drinks.

Method Coffee (free wifi) – Willow Creek Road, right next to Robek’s juice, in the same shopping area as Fry’s. Right across the street from Affinity RV. Great location for those in the Pinon Oaks and Sandretto Hills area, as well as students and staff of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Not a lot of room inside, but always hopping. A nice large table in the middle of the room for groups who want to meet there, and some outside spaces with umbrellas. Creative menu of espresso drinks changes seasonally. They do an open mic night on Saturdays.

The Raven Cafe (free wifi) – Really a combination coffee house/restaurant/bar, this well established spot is located in the great old building downtown on North Cortez that formerly housed Basecamp and then Mountain Sports (and then some other places after that). The interior is beautifully executed. They have lots of events, like movie nights and live music. Great creative, fresh menu and huge selection of bottled and draft brews. Where I head with my adult kids and grand kiddies when they come for a visit.