Known simply as “The Cup”, the World Famous Coffee Cup in historic Boulder City, Nevada is a lively family owned cafe oozing in authentic small town hospitality and charm. From the breakfast staples of pancakes and omelettes made from scratch, unique breakfast burritos such as The Godfather, not to mention the house specialties of Papa con Chili Verde, Huevos Rancheros and the Pork Chile Verde Omelette, if you are looking for a place to indulge in down home American comfort food on your paddling trip to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, look no further than the Coffee Cup.
Located on Nevada Way in the heart of Old Town Boulder City, The Cup has been churning out top quality meals to visitors and residents of the town that built the Hoover Dam since 1994. Split into two main rooms, The Cup also offers limited seating out front on the covered walkway lining the well-appointed street where Milo’s Celler & Inn, along with an assortment of antique stores and a candy shop call home. Owned by the Stevens family consisting of Al & Carrie Stevens and their adult children, Terry and Lindsay, the family has a rich heritage in powerboat building and professional waterskiing. The walls of the Coffee Cup are covered in memorabilia from the family’s decades spent on the water along with photographs of many of the town’s notable residents.
One of The Cup’s signature spicy bacon Bloody Marys.
A traditional cafe counter runs the length of one of the rooms, while a tiki bar from which spicy bacon Bloody Mary’s and sweet mimosas are served caps the other. Simply put, one does not come to The Coffee Cup for a meal, you come for a culinary experience unlike no other.
I first met Terry Stevens during a downwinder on Lake Mohave earlier in the summer. After learning of his family’s cafe, he invited me to breakfast the next morning and The Cup has been an integral part of my visits to the area ever since. Terry took up stand up paddling a couple of years back and is a wealth of local knowledge. If you are looking for insights on planning an excursion down the Colorado River to visit the hot springs and waterfalls or want to share the stoke from your recent downwinder, be sure to look him up during your visit. He’ll gladly carve out time to stop by your table and make your acquaintance.
Huevos rancheros is my go to breakfast item when visiting breakfast spots in the western U.S. and my eyes quickly scanned the menu searching for my favorite dish on my first visit to the Coffee Cup. Pleased to find it listed under The Cup Specialties, I wasted little time in ordering. Any reputable breakfast place “Out West” has their own take on the popular Mexican breakfast dish. The Cup hooks up their interpretation of the meal with their homemade pork rancheros sauce. Delightfully spicy, yet refined enough to still be considered breakfast, the huevos rancheros will comfortably fill you up and provide you with enough fuel to last until dinner.
The pancakes at The Cup are equally amazing. Light and fluffy, they are everything you want a pancake breakfast at a cafe to be. Served in three portions, a full-stack, short-stack or Mickey Mouse style, you can also add one, two or a few to most breakfast items for a minimal extra charge.
Papa con Chile Verde
Although I previously called out huevos rancheros as my regular breakfast meal of choice, after having The Cup’s Papa con Chile Verde on my most recent visit I may have found a new best friend to help me start my day. Imagine for a moment a plate of steaming fresh hash browns covered in the Coffee Cup’s signature pork chile verde topped with two eggs and a side of tortillas and you have the true breakfast of champions. The pork chile verde has no doubt been simmering for hours as it melts in your mouth with a burst of flavor. Like its cousin, huevos rancheros, The Cup’s Papa con Chile Verde will warm you up without sacrificing your taste buds for the remainder of the day. This is an experience not to be missed.
If you are visiting the Coffee Cup on the weekend, be prepared to wait to be seated. Reservations are not accepted, it doesn’t matter who you know, but rest assured you will receive prompt, friendly service from the entire staff throughout your visit. In addition to breakfast, the Coffee Cup serves an engaging assortment of lunch items consisting of burgers, hot and cold sandwiches and salads. If you are making a visit to one of Nevada’s premier paddling destinations in the Las Vegas area, you owe it to yourself to visit The Cup in Boulder City. Better yet, plan you trip around it.
The Coffee Cup: 512 Nevada Way, Boulder City, Nevada 89005. Hours: Daily from 6:00 am – 2:00 pm. Phone: 702-294-0517. Online: www.worldfamouscoffeecup.com | Email: [email protected] | Menu
