Cheap Eats - Inman Perk in Emory Village: A change is gonna come

This holiday season, ‘Bou Wonderland didn’t come to Emory Village. Chain coffee shop Caribou Coffee has left its corner perch among the jumble of shops and restaurants along North Decatur Road, replaced by the newest location of Inman Park’s Inman Perk Coffee. Inman Perk’s arrival heralds the latest in the slow but steady changes rallied by the Druid Hills organization Alliance to Improve Emory Village. Its opening comes on the tail of an influx of locally owned Village gems such as cozy pasta joint Saba, brunch spot Rise ‘N Dine, and Evolve, a clothing boutique emphasizing eco-friendly brands and local designers. Added to older locales such as Falafel King, Everybody’s Pizza and Dave’s Cosmic Subs, Emory Village is slowly morphing into a veritable hub of locally owned, nonchain eateries. Take that, Starbucks.

Refuge from Jingle Bell Rock: Unless you like hearing the smooth-jazz rendition of “The Drummer Boy” while you sip your latte/study/chitchat, Inman Perk has been a lovely haven away from the cloying holiday schlock that has overtaken certain other coffee shops in recent weeks. No candy-caned, caffeinated wonderland here. The interior is decorated with calming shades of chocolate brown, olive green and black, with framed black-and-white photography on display. As at the other locations, local artists are showcased. The outdoor patio is a vast improvement over the Caribou days, equipped with heaters and large, cushioned chairs that replace the former rickety wrought-iron ones. Roomy enough for even the most intense grad students to coexist peacefully with undergrads and doggies munching treats happily at their owners’ feet.

Cookies that care: If you’re looking for a nibble with your beverage, a number of delectable goodies await, including yummy pecan bars, pastries, scones, muffins and lemon bars from Decatur’s Pastries-A-Go-Go ($1.35-$3), bagels, and a cold case with Arden’s Gardens smoothies, LARA bars and the like. Generously sized cookies are more than delicious; they have a conscience as well. Provided by the Cookie Studio (www.thecookiestudio.net), the cookies are made with all-natural ingredients, and proceeds go toward funding the Atlanta Day Center for Women and Children. Even more reason to enjoy a “toffee pecan experience,” or a “peanut butter without the fork.”

Made with sustainable and fair-trade coffee, coffee drinks are skillfully prepared by an attentive staff who makes sure to heat up your peach-apricot muffin and leave a heart swirled in the foam of your latte. In addition to the basic coffee and espresso drinks ($1.80-$3.20), there are fruit smoothies, Frosty Frappes, and loose and bagged teas.

Good neighbors: A family-owned business, Inman Perk aims to have a positive influence on the communities in which it resides. Emory Village is no exception. The coffeehouse recently hosted the monthly First Thursdays event in the Village, packing in a crowd for a performance by Emory’s Jazz Quartet. Other festivities of the night included trivia, hair dyes, a book signing and seasonal samples from other Village merchants. Quite the swinging party for the formerly vacuous Village! All it needed was beer ... if only someone would open a bar in the gaping whole that used to be Parkbench.