J.P. Licks Coffee Ranks As The Best Cup O’ Joe I’ve Ever Had

J.P. Licks is a local Massachusetts company that is known for their yummy ice cream, but did you know they roast their own coffee too? I was shocked when I learned that. I tried it and I will give you my review.

J.P. Licks has been in the ice cream business since 1981. Vince Petryk, the owner and founder of the company, created it by mistake. But don't all great companies come from mistakes? At the age of 26, Vince created J.P. Licks. It's named "J.P. Licks" because of the Boston neighborhood he lived in: Jamaica Plain.

Over the years, J.P. Licks has won over 400 "Best Of" awards. That shows you how great their ice cream is! They have seventeen locations in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville, Newton, Wellesley, Andover, Lynnfield and Dedham. If you live in the Boston area you've probably eaten an ice cream at one of their many stores.

I have a good palate for coffee because I have been drinking it since I was in my 20's. I started out drinking as a teenager drinking Dunkin' Coffee Cooladas. Over the years the palate got more sophisticated and now I prefer dark coffee, just black. Nothing in it. That way you can really taste the beans.

When you drink coffee with nothing added to it you can really taste the acidity of the beans. You can taste the flavor profile of the beans. You can really tell if it's a great batch, or a subpar one. That's the best way to try coffee, and that's what I did with J.P. Licks coffee.

Their coffee actually might be better than their ice cream. I know, what a HOT take!

I usually like dark roasts but I switched it up and tried their Nicaragua light/medium roast. It came in the full bean form and from the second I opened up the bag and took a whiff of the beans I knew was going to be a good bag o' beans. And it was!

The smell was a 10/10. It didn't smell too acidic and it had a warmness to it. I grounded (or is it 'ground'?) the beans and made my first cup in my coffee maker at home. The first sip was a delight! I was shocked. How could a light/medium roast have so much flavor?

https://jplicks.com/product/coffee-beans/intro/

Sometimes finding the right coffee takes years. But after finishing not one, but TWO bags of the J.P. Licks coffee beans I will tell you that I can't wait to try more of their beans.

Of course I loved the taste of their coffee, but I love that their beans are "Fair Trade Certified" and "Certified Organic." According to the J.P. Licks Website, fair trade certified coffee "...ensures that farmers are being paid and treated fairly. The farmers are paid a fair trade premium to ensure that they have money to invest in their communities. The money supports through health care, education, and capital to improve equipment and harvest methods." By buying this way it helps the farmers, and I love farmers!

Another plus to the coffee is that it's "certified organic coffee." This coffee is grown in the shade and with no chemical fertilizer or pesticides. A third-party also inspects and certifies the product.

You can buy the J.P. Licks coffee at any of their ice cream storefronts. Or if you want to just purchase beans online, you can do that by visiting their website. If you love it as much as I do, let me know!

Related:

Dunkin' has and will continue to dominate the market here in New England and beyond, for good reason. But there are several other coffee and donut shops that may not get the proper love and attention they deserve. Coffee and donut shops that are underrated and that the masses may not know about. We want to highlight those places in this post because everyone loves a good cup of coffee. And everyone LOVES a good donut.

What makes a coffee and a donut good? When first asking that question, some may say the quality. Some may say the freshness. Some may say how it's brewed. What makes a good donut? Flavor and freshness comes to mind. Also, how big is the donut? Texture and fillings in the donut also can make or break one. Some may even say how the donut stands on day 2 may have an impact on how good it is. Either way, there are several donut shops in New England that don't get the recognition they deserve. Donut shops that when you try their donuts, you'll be talking about them for days.

This post is by no means trying to discredit good ole Dunkin' either. We LOVE our Dunkin'. America Runs on Dunkin'. We just want to show some love to other donut and coffee shops who may not be top of the mind when it comes to great coffee and donuts. We've polled people far and wide and have gotten a variety of answers. Many have been mentioned repeatedly which are the places we will highlight. Because despite our love for Dunkin', there are other alternatives here in New England. And once you discover some of these places, you may never go back. Or you may just add them to your morning routine. Enjoy your coffee and donuts today!

Established in 1955, Kane's is mentioned by many and known mostly for its donuts. From the creme brulee donut to cookies and cream to New England staples like the Boston cream.

https://www.kanesdonuts.com/

Locally owned and operated, Supreme is a local Brockton favorite. They offer catering too. Their coffee flavors are HUGE like a banana split, s'mores and Jim Dandy.

https://www.supremecoffeebrockton.com/

Marylou's has been a staple on the south shore since 1986. Known for their dancing staff and fun jingle "the best coffee in town," Marylou's boasts a variety of coffee flavors like the Girl Scout Cookie.

https://marylous.com/

Dippin' donuts has several locations more toward central and western MA. Leominster, Worcester and Fitchburg are just a few. Menu options vary between locations.

This shop has significantly high ratings. One review says their donuts are "the best in the world." They were voted Best Donut from Boston Magazine on at least on occasion.

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/best-of-boston-archive/2014/donuts-with-a-difference/

Family owned and operated since 1987. Voted best local donut shop and they hand craft their donuts that include flavors like Fruity Pebbles, Twix Bar and Cookie Monster.

https://www.donutkingweymouth.com/menu

14 convenient locations and you can even order online. They also offer sandwiches and snacks as well as bagels. Their 15 varieties of coffees are brewed fresh daily.

https://heavnlydonuts.com/menu/

Located in the central/western MA area, Gourmet has several locations. They offer sandwiches, pastries and of course donuts. They offer several varieties of coffees like Cinammon Sticky Bun and Twixie.

https://www.gourmetdonuts.com/#hotty

Scratch made donuts and "We offer cake and yeast raised donuts. Our yeast dough is made daily and is more of a traditional yeasted dough with a light and fluffy texture." They offer a variety of coffees like the Nitro Cold Brew and Decaf Cold Brew. 

https://basicbatchdonuts.com/home

A very obscure donut shop that was mentioned several times in our poll. They've been rated 4.5 stars out of 5 in several outlets. Their last Facebook post said they have chocolate chip cannoli donuts so they must be good.

They offer donut platters and even gigantic donuts. They boast their own house blend of coffee. You can also order directly on their website.

According to their website: "Truthfully, we didn't know what we were doing when we started, just that we wanted to bring something different and delicious to the food scene here in Rhode Island." They offer flourless and vegan options. They even offer ice cream sandwiches! 

https://www.pvdonuts.com/donuts

They also offer breakfast sandwiches. They're located on Howland Rd.

https://www.allmenus.com/ma/fairhaven/594490-the-donut-factory/menu/

People have said they have the world's best donut. They also have a cheeseburger donut. All of their donuts are made in house daily.

This location received quite a few nominations. Formerly "Ma's" Donuts, Grandma's Donuts & Coffee is a fan favorite in the New Bedford area.

https://turnto10.com/news/local/famous-donut-shop-to-reopen-as-grandmas-donuts-in-new-bedford

Trip Advisor has them with a 5 out of 5 rating. One of their more popular donut is the marshmallow cream. Many of their customers say they drive from out of town to get their donuts.