Bare Roots Coffee & Kava Lounge

At 6,237 feet above sea level on Lake Tahoe Boulevard, Bare Roots treats altitude as a roasting variable rather than an incidental detail. The thinner, drier mountain air lets the roaster run shorter roasting times at lower temperatures, which the shop says produces a more easily controlled roast and pushes forward nutty, chocolate and fruit notes rather than the flatter profile altitude can otherwise cause. Beans come from small-scale farmers using sustainable and environmentally friendly growing methods, and the shop packages them in eco-friendly materials as part of a stated effort to reduce its footprint. On the drink side, the cafe runs a full slate of brewing methods -- pour-over, drip and espresso -- pulled by trained baristas, with beans sold in 12-ounce and 5-pound bags alongside a coffee subscription and club membership. More recently, Bare Roots added a kava lounge onto the coffee counter, giving South Lake Tahoe a second beverage program under the same roof. The pairing is unusual enough that it's become as much a part of the shop's identity locally as the high-altitude roasting itself -- a coffee bar and a kava bar sharing one counter, one crew, and one address on Lake Tahoe Boulevard.