Coffee House, Gathering Place, a Slice of New England

It is the kind of place you might expect to find on some quaint New England Main Street.

A coffee house with fresh baked goods, soup and sandwiches, located in a building built in 1899 and decorated with couches, oversized chairs and some tables. It’s not just a place to get a cup of coffee, it also provides a place where local artisans can sell their work. It’s not just a place to have lunch, but also a destination on weekends where local artists can perform. A gathering place disguised as a business, or maybe the other way around.

No, it's not in Western Mass. or Vermont. Actually, you don’t have to drive far to find Higher Grounds, 70 Main Coffee House & Art Gallery. It’s right here in East Hampton.

The Village Center is the perfect setting for just such a business, though it might have meant taking a little time for people to discover this small slice of New England.

“It’s taken a little bit longer for people to realize that we’re here,” owner Kim Page said. “Facebook and word of mouth have been my best avenues for letting people know where we are. Now they come from all over.”

Including for open mic night. Having entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights is a big part of what Page wants the business to be about.

“We have open mic every Friday night from 7 to 11,” Page said. “Anything goes pretty much. Whether you want to play a song, sing, perform, spoken word, tell jokes ... whatever you want. That’s been a real big success. We have 15 to 20 artists every Friday plus the people that are attending to watch.”

But watching didn’t always come easily for patrons at Higher Grounds. A wall split the “dining” area, which more resembles a family room, down the middle.

“It just sort of felt like two businesses going on here with the wall,” Page said.

So, last week, down came the wall.

“The music is what really prompted us to do it,” said Page, who on Tuesday was running the place with the help of her son, Dalton. “People over there couldn’t see.”

With the first weekend of entertainment since the remodeling having just been held, the results are in.

“It’s a hundred percent better,” Page said. “The acoustics, the line of sight, people are more comfortable. It’s definitely a great move.”

The menu has breakfast and lunch choices as well as pastries and desserts. Each day Page post's that day’s specials on Facebook.

“We have our set menu, which has a good variety of items whether you’re a vegan or vegetarian or average meat eater,” she said. “Our specials and our soups change daily with the season.”

Page seemed especially proud that much of the ingredients that goes into cooking the food is locally grown.

“We get the freshest, most local ingredients we can get,” she said. “We bake and cook everything here except for the bagels.”

Don’t be surprised if you run into Page at a farmers market as she looks for more goods or ingredients to bring into her business. It was at one where she ran into her provider of coffee.

“Someone I met at the Farmers Market, it’s , they’re a local roaster from New London,” she said. “I call them up, they roast the beans, I get them the next day. It’s as fresh as it can possibly be.”

Page also gets local honey, maple syrup, organic spices, rices and beans from Boxed Goodes in Litchfield.

Local artisans are also a big part of the business. Page rents out wall space for artists to show and sell their work. Usually, every couple of months the displays are changed, which keeps things looking fresh.

Word of High grounds continues to spread but it has already caught on with groups looking for a place to meet. From a mom’s group to a deaf group, the comfortable atmosphere and good food and coffee make it an obvious choice. The Friends of the Village also meet there the fourth Thursday of each month and private parties can be arranged.

Saturday nights, however, are reserved for local bands, who perform from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The venue is so popular that Page says she is booked until August.

“We’re just hoping to continue with the music,” she said. “That’s a big part of the business we wanted to focus on.”

Saturday night also is BYOB, but there is a glass fee.

Higher grounds opened in December 2010, and despite more and more people discovering the place, Page says “A day doesn’t go by where someone comes in that hasn’t been here before.”

And what does she hear from them?

“I love it. I always get there’s a great vibe in here. It’s so comfortable in here. The lighting is great.”

In other words, there is a certain charm that greets you at the door and keeps you coming back.