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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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10 months ago

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8 months ago

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2 years ago

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10 months ago

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2 years 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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4 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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4 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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6 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

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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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Keep Right Cafe - Breakfast painni with awesome coffee

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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!

Character Coffee - coffee - Updated May 2026

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