Al Cappuccino Coffee House

Al Cappuccino feels like a family-run pit stop for people who take breakfast seriously. On an early morning, the espresso machine hisses, bagels slap down on the counter, surfers in wetsuits scan the chalkboard. Order the All Cap Special bagel and you get a chewy, sesame-crusted thing that will not apologize for its heft. The coffee arrives loud and direct, sometimes with coffee ice cubes for iced drinks, sometimes pulled thin and honest. A small strip mall storefront, a few formica tables, and a counter that moves fast. Service swings from warm and familial to brusque when they are slammed. But most days the smiles outnumber the eye rolls. Fresh-squeezed orange juice shows up bright and pulpy, a citrus punch that wakes you up better than a second espresso. Watch for a line at 8 a.m., and bring cash or patience.