Coffee wars brewing in Philly

The relationship between the new indie cafes and the city's dominant player, La Colombe, has been tense. The heated dialogue is as much about the natural cycle of generations and identity as it is about taste, says Bryant Simon, a professor of American Studies at Temple. "I agree it's partly about taste," he said. "But it's also about creating a certain image of myself by going to Lovers and Madmen in West Philadelphia and telling people about it. We're constantly paying for things that shape the way we look to others. It's about cultural performance." Simon joined Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan in an on-line chat.
March 16-24, 2011 | Philadelphia Inquirer