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    Character Coffee

    4.8 (35 reviews)
    InexpensiveCoffee & Tea

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    CHARACTER COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

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    a man sitting at a table with a cup of coffee
    Linda R.

    Easy to get to, easy street parking (important for us in our RV). Spacious and clean gathering spot. Wonderful, friendly barista. Lots of drink options, homemade syrups. Coffee could've been a little hotter but taste was outstanding.

    Cortado with house-made blueberry syrup :)
    Miranda R.

    Coffee with the most Character This is the best coffee shop I have ever found in New York (and actually anywhere else). You will not find another shop that cares this much about the coffee craft within a 100 mile radius (at least). The most aptly named shop - it is full of great coffee and great character. Some of my highlights: *Attention to quality of the craft is immeasurable here. The fantastic barista, John and owner, Katie were at the bar, testing and creating flavors and combinations. You can really tell they have a passion for innovating in the coffee community - you can really taste it too! * The creativity is unmatched and inspiring. As mentioned above, the staff here make house-made syrup from scratch, and they have flavors NO other coffee shop offers (Pistachio syrup c'mon). They also experiment with multiple beans/roasts and methods of brewing, they are extremely knowledgeable about the craft *The genuine character the staff offers. I walked in this shop for a quick stop and ended up spending most of my Sunday here. John, Katie and the crew were so engaging and offered such interesting coffee talk. They were extremely friendly and kind - they truly gave the 'coffee shop culture' you only see in TV shows. You will never step into a coffee shop that has quite the character this one does, and even as I write this, I have the urge to return. You go for coffee and leave with an experience . I 100% recommend this for anyone stopping in the area.

    a neon sign in the window of a coffee shop
    Sarah N.

    visiting utica I wasn't sure what to expect from the coffee scene. I was pleasantly surprised when finding Character Coffee. The barista was incredibly sweet and even made a personalized blueberry milk for my little brother who doesn't drink caffeine. The ambiance itself is very cozy and quiet, perfect to get some work done or meet with friends. Would definitely come back!

    a checkered floor in a coffee shop
    Kristen S.

    So historic in Utica-All the shops, stores, delis are in these old buildings. So cool. May have had the best pistachio caramel latte...EVER! YUM! Only had a few donuts so not the place for food....leave that to Wisk across the street!

    Iced Blueberry Latte, Matcha Latte
    Oleg V.

    Some of the best lattes in the area. Their matcha lattes are unmatched. They also have a great tea selection. Super friendly as well.

    Menu + business card
    London G.

    I love seeing cute coffee shops pop up around Upstate NY. One thing I totally took for granted about living in a big city is the abundance of great coffee shops. Character Coffee is a perfect place to unplug and read a book or get some work done in a calm, aesthetically pleasing environment. Their attention to detail--from the craftsmanship of the bar to the carefully hand selected local coffees--I could easily make this place a staple in my routine. The owners know their stuff! If you're in the area, stop by!

    large iced blueberry latte made with almond milk

    The iced blueberry latte was amazing. A bit pricey but worth it for the flavor! There is no indoor seating during covid, but nice outdoor seating.

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    First I had a cortado which was really good. I went back later in the day for an espresso which was very nice as well!

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Excellent Americano. Great service even though it was busy on a cold Saturday morning.

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    4 years ago

    Extraordinary coffee and kind people. Had the honey lavender latte... they use a local honey and it is excellent! 10/10 would recommend

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Amazing coffee, warm people and genuine hospitality, plenty of seating. Try the geometry blend. The best ever.

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

    A nice local shop with a lot of 'character!' Friendly owners who care. A great addition to Downtown with creative offerings.

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    This was my first time visiting Character Coffee. The atmosphere, service, and coffee were great! Will definitely be going back!

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Nice place & friendly staff. Good espresso. Chocolate croissant - fresh & flaky.......................................

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Beautiful shop with great coffee and awesome staff. I don't usually post reviews, but I'm thankful Yelp helped me find this Utica gem!

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    Ask the Community - Character Coffee

    Emerson Ave Coffee

    Emerson Ave Coffee

    4.8
    (8 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    It's so nice to have a coffee shop in the neighborhood! Their drink menu has something for…read moreeveryone, but on this particular day I opted for a cold brew with pumpkin pie flavoring - highly recommend! They also usually have some tasty looking pastries on hand. Today I got a cheese danish and will definitely get that again. The coffee shop itself is very cute, nicely decorated, and has a calming quality to it. The staff are always very nice and always serve up great coffees. Grab a drink to go or stay a while and check out their book selection, too!

    Absolutely darling! This is a hidden gem that locals understand. It's across from the gronion…read more(green onion) and it's awesome. Lots of seating, outstanding service with a smile and cute quaint little gift items for purchase. They always have seasonal flavors and cool sodas to try. There's a community board with activities to check out. You can get coffees for here which we appreciate because less waste and it's fun to drink from an actual cup lol. Sitting outside is awesome too. There's a couple loft areas too. Check it out. Excellent chai! Play area for the kids that's small and simple and options for them like oatmeal and applesauce. Their baked goods are yummy while they last and the scones are fantastic. If you want loud boujee or a playground- go somewhere else. This is a nice comfortable quiet place to relax and let your well behaved kid play nicely while you sip delicious coffee! Never a bad experience here

    Photos
    Emerson Ave Coffee
    Emerson Ave Coffee
    Cold brew, cheese danish

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    Cold brew, cheese danish
    Knead to Eat Bakery and Cafe

    Knead to Eat Bakery and Cafe

    3.8
    (32 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    Initially discovered Knead to Eat Bakery & Cafe, located at 53 Franklin St in Utica, while ordering…read moreon DoorDash, and later visited in person because of the great food. The café is located right next to Nancy Ford Photography. It can be a bit difficult to spot due to limited visibility, but parking itself is not an issue. There are shared slanted parking spots in front with neighboring businesses, as well as additional parking available behind the restaurant, which is convenient once you know it is there. The interior is hip, bright, and welcoming. Seating is somewhat limited, but despite that, we were always able to find a place to sit without having to wait. The space feels modern and casual, suitable for a relaxed breakfast or brunch. The food was good overall and service was fast. We ordered the Pancake Board, Spin Art, and a veggie omelette. The Spin Art was my favorite. It was soft, flavorful, and melted in the mouth. The Pancake Board was extremely well executed and fun to share, and the veggie omelette was solid. Coffee, however, was not their strongest item. One nice touch is that water is free and self-serve, which is always appreciated. It can get crowded inside on Saturdays, and since there is no outdoor seating, the moderate ambient noise from other customers makes it less ideal for long conversations or quiet chats. Doug, the owner, was friendly and genuinely eager to help when I had an issue using my $5 off "cupcake points." Although he was not able to resolve it immediately, he did eventually figure it out, so I will be using the coupon on my next visit. Overall, this is a solid local spot with good food, efficient service, and a welcoming vibe. Recommended, especially if you plan ahead for peak weekend hours. Keep up the good work, Knead to Eat Bakery & Cafe.

    Very cute and spacious , great for groups. Breakfast was good but nothing to die for, lots of…read moreoptions to choose from. Service is very nice, it took longer than expected to get our food but everyone was sweet. Would like to come back to try their pancakes.

    Photos
    Interior seating
    Interior seating
    Whoopie Pies! Large and delicious!
    Whoopie Pies! Large and delicious!
    Store front

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    Store front
    Keep Right Cafe

    Keep Right Cafe

    5.0
    (5 reviews)
    35.7 mi

    Keep Right Cafe is a casual breakfast & lunch cafe located across the street from the Rose Brands…read morecandy plant. Formerly Honey Girls, Keep Right Cafe is named after the famous Canajoharie "dummy" traffic light with "Keep Right" painted on the base, which was located around the corner at the Church & Mohawk intersection several years ago. There are plans to have the "dummy" traffic light restored and returned to its original location soon. The cafe has a very welcoming and homey atmosphere with decorative floral pattern covered chairs at the tables, counter seating and 2 soft black chairs with coffee table near the flatscreen TV. For food, they offer all-day breakfast bowls & paninis, frittot, overnight oats, Greek yogurt parfaits & bowls, paninis, grain bowls, salads, broths, energy balls, and waffle balls. For drinks, they have organic coffee & tea, smoothies, and Italian sodas. The prices seem pretty reasonable. They also sell gifts including Keep Right Cafe apparel. I stopped by Keep Right Cafe for takeout recently. I was greeted as I walked in. I ordered a Chicken Caprese Panini ($8.50 plus tax) and Waffle Balls ($6.50 plus tax), which was ready to go in 10 minutes. The hot pressed panini had tender pieces of chicken breast, roasted red pepper, pesto, melted mozzarella, balsamic glaze, olive oil between warm chewy bread. The waffle balls (7 balls on a wood skewer) were served very hot covered with cinnamon sugar & powdered sugar and maple syrup for dipping. Both the chicken caprese panini and waffle balls were outstanding! I would definitely stop back in here if I'm in the area. Hopefully, the "dummy" traffic light in Canjo will be reality again soon.

    Stopped here it's my adult daughters and two dogs for lunch today. The service was excellent and…read moreconsiderate of our dogs as well: they gave them dog treats!! Coffee was excellent. I had the fancy panini and it was so good!! My daughters had the cordon bleu and the gravy master special. All of us were very pleased and satisfied. And we even tried the raspberry island drink for the road: perfect!

    Photos
    The cover of the menu featuring the famous dummy light.

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    The cover of the menu featuring the famous dummy light.

    Character Coffee - coffee - Updated June 2026

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