daekr

.
.

PDF Document was moved: https://bit.ly/2ulojle

.
.

Today while out and about with a friend while our boys were at a Summer Day Camp we decided to head down into Glendale to try Black Rock Coffee Bar. It’s set up like most of the newer coffee spots are like Dutch Bros, Scooters etc. The parking lot is large and quite a bit of shaded seating outside if you want to hang out, but no inside seating. They have a walk up window as well as two drive through lanes. Their menu is pretty large. I’m usually a cold brew drinker and while they had that I opted for a Caramel Blondie Iced Coffee. If you aren’t into either they also have smoothies, energy drinks, Italian sodas. Service was awesome and everyone was so nice. That alone makes me want to come more to offer support. They don’t do punch cards to save on wasting paper, but if you give them your number you earn points. First time use got me a $1 for my next visit. The coffee was so good. I’d definitely come back if on this side of town. Prices are a bit higher than I’d like, but they also serve up to an x-large drink where most don’t.

The 86 (Uptown) – Menu with Prices – 2900 Jefferson Ave, Cincinnati

Won’t find a more hospitable place to sit and have a cup of coffee. The message and story of how the 86 came to be is itself heartwarming. And if that doesn’t make you feel warm inside the coffee definitely will. A great hidden gem of Cincinnati. Coffee/Food: I tend to just have coffee drinks at a coffee places rather than baked goods but I tried the recommendation of the banana bread and it tasted good. However, a coffee place is only as good as it’s drip coffee and this place has great coffee. To not drink it black is to mask the experience of great coffee. The lattes, smoothies, Italian sodas, and chai drinks are simply great and for a fair price. Service: Simply the best. Other coffee places should learn from their hospitality. A very welcoming bunch of workers. And many of those workers are actually volunteers! They even serve free pancakes on Wednesday mornings! They really stand out in terms of service for their community. Facility: Fantastic atmosphere. They hang up local artist’s work around their coffee place. The music is inviting and welcomes you to the warm atmosphere. There is plenty of seating both downstairs and upstairs. It is located right by the UC, so if you are a student wanting to find a place to study then look no further. PLUS, you can occasionally watch and smell the roasters actually roast the coffee beans on the first floor! Seriously, this place has the best atmosphere.

Donuts Plus – Menu with Prices – 918 N Glassell St # A, Orange

My boyfriend and I work right down the street, and man are we thankful this amazing donut shop is so close to us! We love coming here for a quick delicious breakfast, we drive school buses and our breaks are rather short. It doesn’t matter if I come here at 5 in the morning or 10 am, it’s always packed! But that doesn’t matter because they are quick to get you in and out. Their donuts are so soft, they have so many flavors, they have breakfast sandwiches, up to 18 different sandwiches if not more. Coffee is THE BEST! I’ve never had coffee so good as the one here hands down. They are so friendly and they always know your order. They offer a large variety of soft drinks also, energy drinks, smoothies, boba and pain relief! I could go on and on but come see for yourself and try the best donut shop in OC

Trove Coffee Menu with Prices 228 N Samish Way, Bellingham

I was really enthusiastic about this place until yesterday. Until yesterday, every person who took my order was really top-notch in customer service–it was always a pleasure to go there, because it’s a really pretty shop, the coffee is good and the waitstaff was really warm and kind. The woman who took my order yesterday was nice enough, but she refused to punch my Trove card–you know, after you’ve bought 10 coffees or whatever, you get a free coffee. So, I spent $10.95 on a slice of quiche and a coconut water. I can’t order coffee late in the day or the caffeine keeps me up at night. So I hand her the punch-card and she says she can’t punch it because I didn’t order coffee or tea. I spend $10.95, but that’s not worth a punch. That’s a stupid policy. I can understand if I’d bought something for 99 cents, then a rule like that would make sense. But having a blanket rule that no matter how much the patron spends, if they haven’t bought coffee or tea they can’t get a punch toward a free coffee? That’s just idiotic, and bad customer service.

Healthies Indy – Menu with Prices – 11915 Pendleton Pike, Indianapolis

Healthies is super cute and has a fun aesthetic. The owners are nice and the staff was friendly, which is always an added bonus. Located in Lawrence (on Indy’s northeast side), this new spot is locally owned and operated. They offer a variety of teas and smoothies. Teas range from flavors such as: açaí berry, raspberry lemonade, passion fruit, and sour punch straw. The smoothies have flavors like: white chocolate Twix, blueberry muffin, peanut butter pie, salted caramel mocha, etc. You can add things like protein, collagen, fiber and probiotics to your drinks and they’re supposed to be a substitute for a meal. However, the name Healthies is a bit deceiving, as the shakes have 10g of sugar and I was told that the tea has zero grams of sugar, yet it was incredibly sweet which took me aback a bit (trying to cut way back on sugar). I’d love, love to have a few actually healthy juices/smoothies that are low in sugar (or the sweet added syrup) in addition to having the good things available like protein. They already make cool combinations here, so it’s definitely possible- substituting sugar for fruit! Congrats on the new biz and the awesome reviews! Excited to send more people your way!

Settimi’s Gelato – Menu with Prices – 367 St Armands Cir, Sarasota

Dulche de Leche was the right choice – just one scoop of it was also the right choice, after a big lunch.There are many shops at St Armands Circle that specialize in desserts, each of them has its own image and specialties. Settimi’s is excellent in variety of flavors (and scoops) of Artisan Italian Gelato they offer, plus they have excellent coffee choices, different smoothies and juices, too. The shop has a particular layout – the seating area is further at the back of the shop.Prices for Gelato are medium-high, and for coffee, by comparison – medium-low, I’d say. Service was quite amiable, the whole ambiance was very casual and friendly. Grazie!

Gillâ??s Grounds – Menu with Prices – 4011 S Power Rd #12S, Mesa

This place is tiny & adorable. Not much of a coffee shop and more of a military themed coffee storage shed built on the parking lot of Vertuccio Farms. Don’t let the camo looks fool you. They churn out pretty bomb drinks here and they have a large selection of them. Pretty much everything that’s hot, cold, blended and boosted. They even have some options that many other places don’t, for instance, matcha. I’ve been to plenty of bigger shops that have never even heard of it. So they score points for the menu. All the items I’ve had were made with care as well. They definitely do not cut corners here with the drinks. If there’s something I think they can improve on, it’s the lack of food options. They should offer something. Hell, even a vending machine would be an improvement. I feel they close too early and it’s a disservice to the local college students in need of some evening energy. They should also have some outdoor seating. It’s a nice location but there’s nothing. They have the space for it so I’m hoping in the future to see some stools or at least give me a stack of ammo boxes. An all around decent chain alternative coffee spot in close proximity to the ASU Polytechnic Campus.

Santo Tinto – Menu with Prices – 1727 Lakeshore Rd W, Mississauga

Santo Tinto just opened up in Clarkson Village and I have been a few times to grab a coffee, latte and a butter croissant. They brew Colombian coffee and my husband thought it was good and he is a bit of a coffee snob. And I’m super into their lattes. They have a great taste and a punch of caffeine. Like a serious punch of caffeine. I cleaned my whole house after my first visit and after the second I baked three different dishes, . Much better than the at-home brews I’ve been forced to make while I prayed for a coffee shop to open up near by. Very thankful for this place!! The butter croissant is also delish. The staff is very nice and they have been giving away butter cookies to welcome you to the shop. They have a few tables inside as well as a coffee bar where you can sit and watch the people go by. Oh, and a bench outside, perfect for enjoying this gorgeous spring weather. The decor is a bit minimal but each time I go I see something new which is awesome. They also offer food. I haven’t tried it yet but that’s up next! 5 stars for great coffee in a great walkable spot. Welcome to Clarkson!

Sun Energy Smoothies – Menu with Prices – 2903 Central Ave Unit B, Charlotte

The BEST SMOOTHIE I’ve had and it makes my heart smile that to support local because Mr. Walter is AMAZING and SUPER NICE! I found this place one day when googling “smoothies near me” (fighting the craving of chocolate chip cookies #healthy) and I bookmarked this place to try it later. Maaaaaaaaan, listen! If I could only find all the words to explain the euphoria of my tastebuds! All of the smoothies are made fresh and made to order. The owner makes them himself so there is a touch of love in every sip. The quality and size of the smoothie only set me back around $7 for a Tropical Vibe (it gave me ALL the vibes)!! I hope to see you there because I will definitely be going back!

Portside Lounge – Menu with Prices – 3000 Dryades St, New Orleans

This has turned into my Sunday afternoon place. Just for a few hours. We get to hang with the super friendly owner Danny or his awesome bartender Shannon. The drinks are all good. Until recently, I wasnt a gin drinker. They are converting me to one. There is a new bigger house cocktail list that my bff Wade and I try and get 3 news off the list on our Sunday visits. In between the new drinks, I enjoy the tried and true House Punch. It is a ever changing, evolving rum punch that is different on each visit. It is also one of the cheaper drinks. Its a great go to. There is also a few good beers to drink too. This isnt a snob bar by any means. I am talking a really chill laid back place to pass a afternoon. On most Sundays, they support local food pop ups. Queen Trini Lisa is there with her Trinidad doubles (love them!) or there is a burger night, or some bbq and I heard Kims Tamales will be there soon too. Follow Portside on Instagram to keep up with the pop ups and bands. They describe themselves as a remote island in central city. It actually is! Smack in the middle of a kinda sketchy hood, but dont let that stop you. Even on late nights when there is live music like Yellowman or the Suplecs playing, I havent seen any troubles. It is a dog friendly bar as well. The regular dude is Ringo. A all white lovie baby that is deaf. He should be reason enough to visit! Heads up, they make some mean bloody Marys too using St. Roch vodkas.

Juuuicy Vegan Restaurant & Juice Bar – Menu with Prices – 538 Northwood Rd, West Palm Beach

This was my first time trying Vegan and I had no idea what to expect. I have to say this place opened me up to a healthier choice of food that is slam packed with flavor! I ordered the “Don’t breaka my balls” for myself and the “1987 IrocZ” for my wife. Both were phenomenal! I picked the sweet potato tatter tots as a side and they were excellent. I’m a huge fan of New York style Italian food and this was spot on. The best part is I didn’t have the bloated stomach feeling and energy drop after eating such a large meal. I guess it really makes a huge difference being plant based. The Mafia theme is genius! The plant boss gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse and sent me home with fresh zeppole. If you have ever been to a real Italian festival/feast then you need to try these. I woke up the next day thinking about them. This place is a gem!

Momentum Coffee – Menu with Prices – 3555 Rayford Rd #10, Spring

This place is a must EVERY time I come home to visit. The coffee is great and the food is great. Except today….hence the 3 star review. Customer service. I walk in and they have ONE person running the counter, drive thru and producing drinks. I get it’s a Tuesday and business can be slow during midweek and one person running the whole show can slide. I know how it gets, Ive been a barista. So, I’m patient. But, when the poor girl has a line of 5 deep, 2 cars in drive thru, and still has to make drinks for patrons who previously ordered….shes going to need help. What got me heated was while all of this was happening, there are 3 Owners(I sure hope it wasnt), managers or employees sitting in the corner chatting(or having a mtg….frankly, as a customer, dont know, dont care) and seeing their girl starting to drown, do absolutely nothing. Yet, one of the guys in a tie dye shirt just keeps glancing over at the line as it builds, still do…..wait for it…. nothing. He finally decides to make moves and help the poor girl after I was giving him a stare down. Then the dude finally walks up, asks if I’m waiting for drinks or food, I needed to step to the side counter. I told him that I was actually waiting to be helped and he rudely replied, “Well….I’m right here” DONT ever talk to a customer in that manner or tone. Customer Service is what keeps what makes a business thrive. There are plenty of coffee shops around here but Great customer service is what makes customers return for your coffee. That’s why I kept coming back. I hope the next time I’m in town the customer service is better.

Bedlam Book Cafe – Menu with Prices – 138 Green St Suite 1, Worcester

This is a great little nook for readers. There isn’t much seating but the place isn’t too occupied for there not to be any available seats. Whenever I’m in the building, I may stop here for their unique smoothies or juices. I really enjoy their Pablo Neruda smoothie which is a mango, coconut, turmeric based drink. The small size is all the turmeric you really need so a large would be overkill, opinion but I recommend trying this! Another delicious smoothie was the seasonal pumpkin smoothie, it was very good and I could have gone for large on this one. They also serve immunity shots and teas and coffee as well. Some downsides are the prices and also it may take a while as there is only one associate handling the drinks and cashier but I mean the quality is there so it’s justifiable. Other than that, there isn’t much else to say, it’s a very quaint shop and nice to have around.