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This fall, starting college of course meant starting another Gilmore Girls rewatch. Remaining on theme, I had to begin with season four, episode two: “The Lorelai’s first day at Yale.” Which, reminded me of all the different food Rory’s roommates and new dorm neighbors tried from the area’s restaurants.Â
Because Kent is new to me, I had many new places to discover in the downtown area. Since then, I’ve been doing some “Lorelai-ing” of my own to find my favorite cafes and shops to visit in Acorn Alley and around Main Street. I’m no expert on Kent, and feel like I still have places to try, but here are some of my go-to’s for those new to Kent:
- Tree city coffee
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Tree City coffee is like my Luke’s Diner. It’s my first downtown stop before I figure out the other places I’d like to visit for the day. My go-to drink is a caramel latte—iced or hot—though I also really enjoy the caramel apple latte, a fall seasonal drink. This is a nice place to sit and enjoy your coffee, and even get some studying done. This month, I enjoyed their festive Halloween decorations.Â
- Last exit books & Coffee house
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A used bookstore, music store and coffee house all connected in one—definitely the place I imagine Rory and Lane would love to spend their time. This place is perfect for picking up your tea, coffee or a sweet treat and getting work done—or better—browsing the vast book and music collection.Â
- midnight fairy jewelry
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A cute shop in Acorn Alley, Midnight Fairy Jewelry sells handmade jewelry and hair accessories. There are various beautiful designs in necklaces, rings, earrings and more for all jewelry lovers.Â
For any Gilmore Girls fans that wish they could shop Liz Danes’ jewelry collection, this shop is definitely a worthy substitute.
- ming’s bubble tea
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While Ming’s Bubble Tea is located just outside the downtown Kent area, it has definitely been one of my favorite places to go and catch up with friends. The menu has a variety of different teas to try, and their wall full of customer decorated post-it notes is definitely fun to browse. They also have a great selection of card and board games to play with friends as you drink your tea!
- events, etc.
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In addition to all of the shops and local businesses in Kent, the area hosts many seasonal events and markets throughout the year, just like the infamous Stars Hollow. Main Street Kent and Acorn Alley host events for families as well as markets for other local makers.
Other events are the monthly Kent Flea, and the weekly farmers market.
Since moving to Kent for college, I have been able to explore many different places and attend different markets and events. There are lots of different places to visit and events to attend, so people new to Kent will not be disappointed.