In Terminal B of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport, you will find Cafe Intermezzo.

With a bar, inner dining room, and sidewalk style seating in the terminal, this little cafe is posh amid steel and sensible metro flooring. The restaurant provides two menus, lunch and dinner, and I found it to be a tidy mix of French bistro and American convenience.

Beige silestone, chocolate color tin squares in ceiling, gold plated espresso machine, large bar with larger counter . . .

Deli food case with beautifully prepared pastas and healthful sandwiches . . .

Jerry has worked there since January 2010, one month after its grand opening.

He is an unassuming gentleman with the downtown Fulton county accent that reminds me of kindness and an ease of living, a type of holistic balance I am continually searching for. Jerry describes himself as a bartender. Yesterday, he was my tea-tender.

Jerry in Cafe Intermezzo, Atlanta

I asked him what he liked about Cafe Intermezzo. “This cafe is the best in town, without a doubt.”

Let’s not forget that “best in town” is quite a boast; we are talking about the town of Atlanta after all, one of the top ten most populated cities in the United States.

International coffees, Seattle fare, lattes, and the like . . . Jerry even offers me a hint. “I really believe that our house coffee is the best around. Our standard is better than their high.”

In our chat, I asked him what he likes about his job. He was honest, of course, that the endless stream of traveling people makes his work lucrative. A pragmatic man, no doubt, and this writer can certainly respect that quality in another person.

Then, Jerry told me about the true characteristic of his enjoyment: “the fantastic people to work for and work with.” My tea-tender actually likens the camaraderie of the employees at Cafe Intermezzo to when he worked for the U.S. Naval Service, on a submarine. They depend on each other.  No one is superfluous; everyone is respected.

Cafe Intermezzo reflects this independence, thankfully. So many of us travelers discover, and rediscover, this gem each time we visit Atlanta-Hartsfield.

So cheers to Jerry, even to his crew, for helping me toast a new year morning with a hot pressed, Indian chai and an inviting atmosphere, both welcome qualities to my first day of 2012.