Honestly, I’m not that into those little coffee shacks spread around town. Not because I have any deep-rooted social issues with them, but because, frankly, they usually carry less than stellar coffee.

I’m not exactly sure how we first stumbled onto Java Hut Espresso Co on Pacific and Division, though it might have been a combination of instant coffee craving and not feeling like going to Starbucks on the same block. Regardless. We drove up. And you know, Java Hut is not bad. In fact, it is, in the immortal words of Larry David, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.

The reason could be in the beans. As opposed to most shacks, Java Hut, apparently, roasts its own beans. Hey, that’s definitely a step up from the less than stellar brews that tend to be the norm in places like this. My Americano was surprisingly good. Maybe a bit mild—hey, they can’t all be DOMA or Thomas Hammer—but very drinkable. In fact, Java Hut is probably one of the few shacks I’ve been through where I’d recommend going for an Americano. Most of its ilk tend to serve something that tastes more like dishwater. Plus they have Sweetwater bagels, which are awesome.

Java Hut isn’t going to replace spots like Coffee Social or Black Tie on my rotation. But they still deliver good coffee, and should be checked out by those who go to… Y’know… That other spot up the street…

Because there’s nothing wrong with alternatives.