The Root Cafe is located at 15118 Detroit Ave. in Lakewood

I’m back – and just in time for the snow!  As horrendous as my 2-hour drive to work was this morning, I’m excited for the snow because it’ll be the perfect backdrop for this weekend’s winter fun.

On Saturday, Scott and I are heading to Progressive Field for Indians Snow Days. This weekend is your last chance for the season so if you haven’t gone yet, make plans! (Here’s my review from last year’s Snow Days in case you need any more convincing.)

And then on Sunday, we’ll be braving the cold again for the Frozen Diamond Faceoff.  I love hockey and have been counting down the days to this outdoor matchup for months.

For my return from vacation, I had planned to kick things off with a weekly series I’ll be doing over the next month or so. Unfortunately, it’s going to have to wait until Monday because our wifi is currently not working at home.

Although the cable/internet provider shall remain nameless, I am definitely not a happy customer and after the inexcusable number of phone calls we’ve had to make and subpar customer service we’ve experienced as we’ve tried to get it fixed, I am heavily considering switching my internet over to someone much more reliable.

Photos from theroot-cafe.com

The only silver lining in this situation is that if I still don’t have internet by Sunday, I get to spend time at one of my favorite Cleveland cafes: The Root Cafe in Lakewood. In addition to their wifi and espresso bar, they are a vegan and vegetarian kitchen, organic bakery, and altogether fun place to go for local art, music and food events.

Elizabeth – my NEO Food Tours partner in crime – introduced me to The Root Cafe this past Fall.  Located a few doors down from the old Lakewood Phoenix Coffee (which The Root owners used to own and manage), this place is what I’ve always pictured in my head as “the ideal coffeehouse.”

The artisan tiling and woodwork give The Root Cafe a very natural and comforting feel, that’s echoed by the friendliness of the team behind the bar.  And there is a vibrant community that always seems to fill the place — from individuals enjoying The Root’s very extensive list of coffees and hot teas while working on their laptops to families and friends having a light bite to eat while playing a game.

Even though I am a diehard meatlover, the vegetarian and vegan menu has helped me to venture outside of my comfort zone and discover new foods to love.  The last time I was there I ordered one of their specials for the day, a tempeh sandwich with local greens and honey. It was not just the best vegetarian lunch I’ve had, but a cut above a number of deli sandwiches. They also offer a Raw Food Night every Thursday.

So while there are a number of coffee shops and wifi spots I can frequent much closer to home, The Root Cafe gives me plenty of reasons to escape my internet-less house this weekend.

When you’re on the go and need wifi, what places in Cleveland do you like to visit?