In a lot of areas of the U.S., coffee flows almost abundantly as water (speaking of which -- is it time for a coffee break yet?). While most people know joints like Starbucks, Peaberry and even Stumptown, lucky for us, a lot of great independent coffee houses still survive in different areas of the country. Mainly these places focus on quality drinks, perfectly-roasted coffee, a variety of beans, hip baristas and an artistic quality lacking from the name-brand chains out there. Here are some of our favorites. Which places do you frequent?
Also see: Chefs Share Their New Year's Resolutions and Best Meals of 2011
