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Just to put it simply, I drive 30+ minutes from Visalia to Fresno just for Fulton Street and drive straight back. They use V60’s for pour overs, being able to bring out more of the brightness in the coffee and their lattes don’t disappoint, their mochas are amazing and for those of you guys normally gravitating towards sweeter drinks I’d recommend having the cafe con leche. The cafe con leche is just like a regular latte but has a cinnamon infused simple syrup. Their espresso is delicious and have never had a shot not dialed in correctly from them. This wouldn’t be one of the best places to sit down and do homework, but it’s perfect to sit down and enjoy your cup of coffee with or without a friend. Their customer service is adequate, I have not had a bad experience nor a particularly out of this world experience with their customer service. They can take a little bit of a longer time to get your drink out, but just know the wait is well worth it!

Yellowhammer Coffee – Menu with Prices – 3249 Dauphin St, Mobile

Today was my first time at YellowHammer Coffee. I will definitely be a regular customer from now on. The quality of coffee is far superior to other places I’ve been. You can tell they’ve done their homework to get the best taste around. The coffee shop is small with three barstools inside and one small table outside. They also have a drive-through which I am going to get quite familiar with soon. They really know what they’re doing here and can answer all your questions. Searching for the perfect coffee? Search no more, it’s here. The “Nitro cold brew” is super strong and smooth, if you need a jolt of energy this is definitely the ticket. One of my personal favorites is the “Blondie”, it has a mix of vanilla and caramel served hot. This is not something I thought I would like (I don’t normally like sweet coffee)but I absolutely loved it. I’ll be back for more. Of course you can’t go wrong with a regular cappuccino or latte, but for another sweet option the “Mocha frappe” is fabulous and a sure way to wake you up. They make their’s with four shots of espresso, which is perfect (most other places usually only use 1-2 shots). Because of the extra espresso, their’s is a little less sweet than the others – which I prefer. Five stars!

Organic Man Coffee Trike – Menu with Prices – 4501 McPherson Rd #9, Laredo

Cute little independent shop. I had high hopes for the coffee. Unfortunately the barista serving me, while very friendly and pleasant, simply didn’t have the level of training that one would expect of a dedicated coffee shop. When I was initially asked “what size?”, I asked if they used a standard “doppio” or 2 ozs of espresso, she said that their “12 oz cappuccino” came with only a single shot of espresso….most places, a doppio or 2 oz shot of espresso is served as standard, bringing a cappuccino to 6 ozs total (2 ea of espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam))….so no idea how they get to a cappuccino with a single 1 oz shot of espresso to 12 ozs……so I asked for a “doppio”. My first “cappuccino” that I ordered was a latte (predominantly milk, maybe 3x the qty of espresso). She was pleasant enough to make a second one after me asking for equal qty of milk to espresso…..but that one was simply average in flavor. Not sure what roasting house the beans come from (she didn’t know), but the flavor was pretty lackluster. Also, for this cappuccino, I was charged with tax, $6.12. Unfortunately, overall, average at best.

Midnight Sun Espresso Menu with Prices 45 Victoria Dr, Anchorage

I’ve been here a few times and overall I like it. Service is consistently fast and friendly. Prices are below average compared to other coffee shops, but they only accept cash. I was unaware of this policy the first time I came here. I offered to go to an ATM to withdraw cash and come back but the barista told me I could pay for it next time. I made sure I did since it was so nice of her to offer that. The espresso is hit or miss. Some days it’s great, others it’s not strong enough for my liking. Today I ordered a 16 ounce flavored latte and it was too milky. I could barely taste the espresso, but this certainly isn’t the first place I’ve experienced that. I suppose I should have ordered an extra shot, which I will do next time, especially since the prices are affordable. One of the baristas told me they make their own vanilla syrup and mocha powder, both of which are delicious without being too sugary. I highly recommend the midnight sun syrup, which is a combination of vanilla and honey. Overall a good place for a nice quick coffee if you have some cash on hand.

Dulce de Leche Bakery – Menu with Prices – 376 Central Ave, Jersey City

This is my absolute favorite bakery with the best tasting cakes I’ve ever had. I’ve had several flavors, but the standouts for me are the Dulce de Leche Chantilly and Coconut Mousse, and I HIGHLY recommend their cakes for any special occasion. Your loved ones will thank you! It’s a cozy cafe with usually locals coming in throughout the day..each time I’ve been has a good ~10 min wait, but they’re very quick with orders. They also have breakfast foods, pastries, and of course coffee. Prices are extremely reasonable. Anytime I’m in the area, I usually stop by for a cafe con leche (small one will run you only $1.85).

Halo Espresso Bar – Menu with Prices – 3024 Hurontario St, Mississauga

I hate doing this. As someone who works in “specialty coffee,” I don’t like rating other shops – especially negatively. I’m always on the look out for new specialty coffee shops because coffee is always a learning experience and an adventure. And I believe in supporting independent “specialty coffee” shops. I want to be at shops that not only pulls amazing espresso shots, but that the baristas show passion in their coffee. I was really excited to visit, having seen it on Instagram. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in Halo – a place that brands itself as a “specialty coffee” shop on Instagram. I have now been there twice, because I thought I’d give them another chance. While today’s visit was better, Halo has ultimately let me down. Coffee shops need to be able to dial in their espresso shots – meaning that their espresso is calibrated to bring out a balance of flavour. The first time, the shot was so bitter that I couldn’t finish it. The second time was much better, but still very sour. A shop’s espresso doesn’t have to be completely perfect – coffee is always a battle to find the perfect flavour. But this was just poor quality. The staff on my first visit was quite cold, but the barista that served me today was quite nice. They weren’t very passionate about coffee though. That love for coffee really goes a long way for a coffee shop. This was not a place that was serious about their coffee. It showed in the staff’s interactions with me, and the quality of the espresso shot. It’s ok for a shop to be mediocre in its coffee. But I expected much better from a shop that brands themselves as “Mississauga’s own independent specialty coffee shop”. I don’t like posting negative reviews, but Halo gets a thumbs down from me.

Paper Tiger Coffee Roasters – Menu with Prices – 703 Grand Blvd, Vancouver

Not only does Paper Tiger Coffee Roasters serve the highest quality of coffee, the owner, Kenny, including his employees, are some of the kindest, humble, and most wholesome people I’ve ever met. Paper Tiger gets their beans straight from the source, and roast it in the shop, they have homemade syrup, and nothing there is pre-made, everything is made from scratch. The drinks they make there are worth every penny, reasonably priced, and not to mention delicious! The atmosphere there is extremely calming and welcoming, nearly every customer that comes in are, authentic coffee enthusiast, which make a great environment for your typical Sunday morning spot to meet up with friends, work on art, etc… Kenny also showcases local artists, ranging from abstract, surreal, street art, pretty much anything you can imagine on a weekly to monthly basis. Kenny is extremely community-oriented and constantly helps out other businesses, and people in the area as well. He has taught me everything I know about coffee, helped me grow into a better barista and taught me the fundamentals of amazing coffee. He has the experience of an Italian espresso master or some kind of espresso alchemist. There is something magical about Paper Tiger Coffee Roasters and I could go on, but I’ll keep it short and simple. I highly recommend this place. And as for you, Kenny, You ROCK!! Thank you so much again for what you do, and please don’t ever change! Have a cup of Paper Tiger and you’ll never go back to Sta***cks again. ?

Biggby Coffee – Menu with Prices – 120 W Ottawa St, Lansing

Better than Starbucks in my opinion but still it’s nothing special. I’m not a fan of all the sugary syrup flavored drinks. When I try a new coffee place I usually get an iced latte or a regular coffee. On this occasion I went with an iced latte and it was ok. It did not have that over roasted/burnt Starbucks flavor but it seemed to be lacking any flavor. Next time I’ll try it with an extra shot of espresso.

Taste Café – Menu with Prices – #201, 440-2nd Ave SW. Millennium Tower, Calgary

I work downtown and I have many options for coffee, lunch and café style treats. Taste Café is hands down my favorite spot. Being +15 accessible is a bonus. There are always seats available just outside to enjoy your coffee/treats. The service is exceptional. The owners are extremely friendly and always positive. They make an effort to learn their clients’ names as well. I can’t say that their competition has made that effort. In fact I can say that they have won my business over places I used to go for coffee. There were times were I was given a treat-just because! Their Phil and Sebastian coffee/espresso offerings are always made to perfection. To my knowledge, they are one of the few places downtown where P&S coffee is available as well. Prices are on par with the competition but they give you that extra warm and welcoming experience. I also like that they have a stamp card rewards program which isn’t common for other coffee spots. Breakfast options (bagels, muffins, sandwiches etc. ) are very tasty and reasonably priced. I especially like their Korean Cupbop bowls for lunch. Their are full of flavor, tasty ingredients but not too heavy. There are many combinations available which cater to people with varied dietary restrictions. Overall, it is always a pleasure to stop by at Taste Café. Feedback: -If not already, it would be nice if a discount were offered for bringing in a personal mug. Some of the competition have a flat rate for any sized container (within reason). -Looking at the previous review, I didn’t realize beef was an option for the cupbop. Either way- if it is then great. If it isn’t, you should add it! -For catering, you may want to look at price point on the coffee offerings. -Keep up what you are doing!

Beans & Brews Coffeehouse Menu with Prices 6520 S Eisenman Rd, Boise

Came here the first time and by the name I thought they have coffee and beer. Very friendly service! Nice and clean coffee shop. They do have Wi-Fi but it’s secured and you need to ask for the code. I ordered a large latte 24 oz. Which could use another shot of espresso, I wasn’t offered one so I assumed it should be OK. But then I was asked how it is I got an extra shot ? They however put 1,2 or 3 shots depending on size. I purchased one Espresso Fritalia and test it myself. I tried a burrito but all their food is pre-made and is then reheated so the burrito didn’t live up to my expectations. Their bagels and ciabatta looked better, I’ll try that next time. They also have a nice selection of coffee for purchase. I particularly like their grading by flavor, body and acidity, that’s very helpful especially for me since I’m roasting coffee too. It would be nice if they would offer something fresh made, salad, baguette with ham and cheese, soup, chili or similar.

Espresso Vivace – Menu with Prices – 227 Yale Ave N, Seattle

As the Seattle stereotype goes… there’s a coffee shop on every corner … and there’s a Starbucks on every half block. That’s essentially true. If you’re a coffee drinker, this city really is your dream come true. I have now come to Seattle 4 times in the last year and it’s allowed me to explore certain parts of the city really well. Because I stay in the same location each time I go, I have developed some “regular” locations that I really enjoy including Espresso Vivace. I’m fairly new to the coffee scene so I take each visit to a new cafe as an opportunity to broaden my horizons. I have now been to a fair number of places and have really enjoyed becoming a regular coffee drinker. On our first visit to the area, we dropped by Espresso Vivace because it was close to the Springhill Suites in SLU. Located right across from REI, there’s a lot of foot traffic coming through this little corner that they sit on. As such, the mornings (even times before 8AM), there can be a little bit of a line. That being said, the longest I have ever had to wait was about 10 min. They have a wide array of coffee drinks but I frequently find myself going back to my usual: either an iced americano or an espresso. Both of these drinks I feel really highlight the beans they use. Their flavors are complex, bold and low acid… just the way I like it.

Baristello & co. – Menu with Prices – 709B Rue Jarry E, Montréal

This is an Up and coming Italian cafe, I’m familiar with the patrons that run this place so I knew I’m in for a treat. Walking in you get that laid back cafe vibe with some Italian flare, like all the Italian imports on the wall like jams, chocolates, cookies and other goodies. There coffee is there own blend at it’s fantastic, they have everything from espresso to cappuccinos and everything in between. They also have house made sandwiches, I had there egg sandwich with spicy salami a delicious little bite! I was tempted to try there baked goods, croissants and chocolatine from a bakery near by. The baristas are very friendly and always willing to spark up a conversation. This is a joint this area really needed. I suspect big things coming from these guys in the year. If your in the area come grab a coffee and even if your not it’s definitely worth the drive for great coffee and pineapples as far as the eye can see!!! I definitely will be back! Ps: they also sale local good from chuck Hughes like his maple syrup, olive oil etc.

Kafiex Roasters – Coffee Lab – Menu with Prices – 720 Esther St, Vancouver

Who would have thought that the best coffee in the Portland metro area is in Vancouver? I legitimately had the best shot of espresso in my life here. It was perfectly rounded and not overly bitter; perfectly sweet with hints of blueberry. Presentation was excellent, served with a shot of sparkling water (which honestly wasn’t needed since the shot was so smooth) on a wood board. The barista worked carefully and with great precision, and I could tell she was very experienced. The location is fabulous; tons of parking and the neighborhood is super cute with Esther Short Park. If you’re in the Portland area, check this place out. It is not as pretentious as many coffee places in Portland, and matches if not surpasses the quality of said shops.