There are as many proper ways of drinking coffee as there are proper ways of making coffee. I prefer traditional coffee, which you cannot seem to get in commercial establishments.
Fresh ground beans do help, but you need a proper coffee mill. I use the same commercial mill that my great grandfather had in his store in the 1880's. The ground coffee comes out like fine flour.
Add a tablespoon of grounds for each cup, plus one for the pot, to a coffee pot. Not a percolator or drip machine. Just a pot. Add cold water over the grounds and bring to a rapid boil then let it steep for a few minutes. Add a splash of cold water to settle the grounds & serve.
You can get close to this with a French press, but the flavour is different because the grounds are coarser so the full flavour isn't released.