If you want the best -- and I mean the very best -- coffee in town, there's only one place you can go. It isn't Starbucks. It isn't Daily Grind. It isn't even Irving's Bagels.

For the finest java in downtown State College, go to Saint's Café, 123 W. Beaver Ave. It isn't quite a religious experience, but it comes close.

The Coffee

Saint's boasts an impressive selection of alternating specialty coffee flavors.

For instance, if you like bold, hearty coffee, then the Colombian blend is right up your alley, but if you like something mild but wild, then the "Rainy Day" flavor is the one for you. This blend simmers with such smoky smoothness that it makes me feel like listening to Norah Jones every time I drink it. And I don't even like Norah Jones.

If you're not into any specially flavored roasts, you're still in luck, because the regular house blend, which is offered every day, has a supremely satisfying, accessible gourmet taste.

The Espressos

I'm somewhat against the grain in this category, because I prefer the stripped-down, bitter buzz of a plain old double shot to souped-up espresso drinks with loads of foam and syrup.

No matter which way you like to drink espresso, I'm sure you like it to be good. And Saint's espresso is good. Very good. It is packed with the ample zing you need to get you up and alert for that 10:10 class.

Although the cappuccinos and lattes, by their nature, don't interest me as much, they do come in a delightful variety of delectable flavors, including the unsinkably sweet cinnamon and the French vanilla, which doesn't taste like any French vanilla you or I have ever experienced before. The closest taste I can compare it to is candy corn, but hot and caffeinated.

All Americanos do, as far as I can tell, is detract from the taste of the espresso. In the case of a bad-tasting espresso, like the kind you get with your meal points, I'm sure this makes sense. But the espresso at Saint's is a thing of rare, commanding excellence. Give it the respect it deserves and down it like a trooper.

The Chai

I know what you're thinking.

Chai's awesome wherever you go. What could possibly be special about Saint's take on it?

True, chai is amazing. But Saint's' chai is transcendent. It's uplifting. It's the Mary Tyler Moore of beverages. It can brighten your mood like no other legal treat. In fact, I think I'm gonna go have some now.

20 minutes later ...

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, chai. Saint's chai is a fragrant, frothy masterpiece. Loaded to the brim with gingery goodness, it commandeers your taste buds with an avalanche of fist-pump-worthy confection.

In fact, you should stop reading this sentence right now and go have some. But then read the rest of Venues. There's a lot of cool stuff going on.

The Food

I haven't had much of this, but the sweets I've sampled are notably impressive. The cheese-filled cannoli are packed with powdery pizzazz, and you can't possibly go wrong with peanut butter cookies. You can't. Trust me. It's impossible.

The problem with these and other food items is that they're small and relatively expensive, a nasty combination for college students with spending money that is hypothetical at best.

The "café" doesn't offer sandwiches or bagels. Just sweets, which is a shame if you were looking to stop in for a between-class lunch break.

The Hours

The only other strike against Saint's is its hours. A 6:30 closing time? Where are we, Mayberry? Some of us need that after-dinner jolt, and it's too bad we have to buy lesser-quality coffee to do so.