“Comet Coffee,” is a small, locally owned coffee shop and microbakery, located on Oakland Avenue, right across from the Jewel Box.

As I walked in, I saw glowing pastries through a glass box, in front of which people lined up to order. Inside the box were tasty, classic treats including tiramisu and snickerdoodle cookies, as well as some new inventions, including the “pumpkin walnut muffin” and a delicious-looking creation called “the rebel within,” a sausage and asiago muffin with a surprise soft-boiled egg nestled inside. Some treats sat on an ice slab, which almost acted like a throne for the heavenly baked goods.

The barista, Matt, hand-brewed the coffee to order, adding quality milk from the “Ozark Mountain Creamery” if necessary.

Stephanie, the pastry chef, creates all of the microbakery’s pastries, from tiered cakes to cake pops.

The “Dragon Pearls Tea,” a deep purple black tea with an earthy cocoa flavor was very floral, rich and deep.

Accompanying the tea was the pumpkin walnut muffin. The sweet crumble on the muffin met the salty crunch of the walnuts and smooth pumpkin in a delightful symphony of flavors.

As I looked around, I also noticed some hanging shelves, adorned with colorful bags of locally roasted coffee beans and a demo CD for a local artist.

Comet Coffee’s decor is almost as interesting as the people inside the café.

The patrons of Comet Coffee are bustling young people, probably jacked-up on an entire jug of artisan coffee (the coffee and tea is served in a glass jug with liquid measurements on the side).

As we walked out, I saw a purple painting of two children standing in front of a wistful roller-coaster. The painting was deep and complex, and was the same purple as the Dragon Pearls Tea. Matt waved us goodbye.

The café had a pleasant ambiance to it; it is hipster in a modest way, independent in a subtle way and brilliant in all ways.

Comet Coffee is a truly a local masterpiece—with artisan coffee, house-made pastries, and, to my excitement, free Wi-Fi.