BLUF: This is a gluten free place, not vegan. They have great options for everyone, and a great vibe with lots of parking. I parked behind Roots and realized it's a super cute place as I walked up. It shares the building with Green Tree Ministries. They might be one in the same? But they are definitely related. I walked in and saw all these books on shelves, and upon closer inspection, there was little cards in the shape of business cards that were for the taking. Each with a different Christian saying or a verse from the Bible. There was something for everyone. This wall of books goes between Roots Cafe and Green Tree Ministries... so I suspect. Well, I did grab a book ("Why Business Matters to God" by Jeff Van Duzer) and a iced Sugar Plum Latte (latte with a lovely purple blackberry vanilla foam). And I also got some chicken meatballs that were yummy and warm. The service was super nice. I thought the barista was so well hidden back there, though, I prefer when you can see the barista crafting beverages, I just find it neat. But that's okay, the ambiance of the place is warm. There is a huge meeting table, there is two different bar areas to sit, there's a couch corner, and tables. It's winter so I didn't see the outdoor seating, but I am sure it's neat. Food was good, coffee was great, service was kind, bathroom was super clean, parking was easy. I mean what's not to like? I LOVE that it's Christian. I felt so included and loved. I enjoyed the ambiance and the people around me. Some reading bibles and doing study, others just enjoying the good food. I also had a brownie that was quiet tasty. read more

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I wanted to love this place as it's a Christian based cafe. I was very disappointed to find they don't have much of anything for vegans. I tried the avocado toast only to discover that it was covered in butter after I specifically told them I had an allergy. My daughter said that the crepe she had was okay. I found the coffee to be very blah. The DF milks don't blend well (don't have this issue anywhere else). The positives - the building is beautiful. Staff is very nice. I love all the books and stuff. There's a lot of potential but I will only be back to visit the book store sadly until they make some major improvements. They should take some notes from other bakeries like Wild Oats in Brunswick!! read more

This is a gluten free place, not vegan. The lunch and dessert options are good, yet there are not too many vegan options. Those they DO have are excellent! There is a really nice vibe to Roots. I always like visiting them for lunch. My only criticism was the time I had the Club Sandwich (not going vegan that day) ... The "grilled version" just didn't work, as you couldn't even tell that it was an actual club sandwich. It was good but was thinly pressed and all ingredients mushed together. Every other experience (of dozens!) are excellent .. including desserts and egg-bite stuff (which I used to buy in large numbers for my staff). read more

LOVE having a place to grab a fantastic GF treat! I went in to pick up a specific item my daughter had asked for, but was thinking I would be leaving empty-handed when I didn't see said item behind the glass. I'm glad I waited and asked at the counter, because it turned out there was a whole spread of yummy looking treats that were ALL gluten free. What I chose was moist and delicious. I will definitely be returning! read more

Been here around 4-6 times and finally giving a review. While others have mentioned it, be forewarned that it may not seem it, but they are a Christian based establishment. Lots of religious books and use of scriptures around. Despite this to their credit as someone with no religious affiliation I have not felt any rudeness from staff and I walk past that stuff without any thought towards it. The staff are friendly and drinks/food have not taken a long time to be made which is a plus. The lines for ordering can be long depending on the day you go. A decent amount of seating is available inside and outside when weather permits. Their biggest selling point is all of their items are gluten free, dye free, as well as being as organic and preservative free as much as they can do. They also limit the oils they use and have many dairy free options too. So, you can get some baked sweets with a little less guilt! In my opinion both their food and drinks are not the best quality compared to some other local places but are good. It's not our go to spot but once in awhile we grab a special drink or a breakfast sandwich here. read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Cupid's Kiss special drink - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

Looking for something we can't get back home (Dunkin, Starbucks, McDonalds, etc...) we found Roots. A quaint little shop that had everything we needed to kill time before hitting the airport. The quiche was cooked and served quickly (pre made) and the coffee was perfect! The service was friendly and pleasant! I can see why this is a busy place as the day opens up! read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Quiche with sausage and Maine Maple latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

Roots Cafe has so many great things going for it; I can totally understand why it's one of the most frequently chosen places by the people I have meetings with. There is: 1) an *abundance* of parking in their dedicated lot 2) an *abundance* of seating options both inside (and outside on nice days) ^ So, even when it's super busy, you can confidently visit knowing there's somewhere both to park and sit! 3) loads of gluten-free options 4) a warm, welcoming interior that has enormous floor to ceiling lights that flood the spaces (so much so, I usually find myself wearing my sunnies inside!) 5) the staff - in my experience - has been so friendly, so patient, and so welcoming But, for me: a) there aren't (m)any vegan food options. I think sometimes people confuse gluten-free and vegan as being the same time, so if you've seen other reviews here or elsewhere saying this is a great spot for vegans... it's really not. b) the coffee is an absolute miss. To me, it tastes watery and thin. And, while I've been coming to Roots since they opened, every single time I have gotten an iced coffee or cold brew, whatever non-dairy creamer I've selected (almond or oat) breaks. So my drink looks curdled/chunky; it's unappetizing and difficult to drink like that. When I've asked the staff (and they've been very nice when I've inquired) about it, they've told me that "vegan milk just does that". Only... I don't have this experience anywhere else in the Greater Portland area. read more

I really want to like this place, because the people are nice, but there is not a single vegetarian salad on the menu, nor is there a vegetarian sandwich. You can "build your own," but when you come here to grab a quick lunch, that sort of defeats the purpose. I guess you COULD get the protein salad vegetarian, it just seems odd there's really nothing for us vegheads to eat. Room for improvement! read more

The food was okay, I got the bacon quiche while my friend got the strawberry Nutella crepe. I think the crepe needs a little bit more flavoring while the crepe could use more Nutella. Overall service was great and plenty of seating for everyone! This is my go-to study spot read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Chocolate Crepe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

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This place is an absolute gem! Walking in, you are greeted to a large wall of books, a cute selection of Christian apparel, and an absolutely stunning, industrially decorated space. So cool. If it's any testament to how well people love this place, there was a steady line of folks during the entirety of our hour-long stay. The cashier was kind and friendly, the barista got drinks out quickly and efficiently, and the food was completed in a good amount of time. The coffee: I ordered a lavender latte and it was absolutely perfect. The lavender syrup was flavorful and the sweetness level was low enough to still get the flavors of the coffee. I enjoyed it immensely! The dessert: we ordered a pumpkin maple whoopie pie to split, and that thing was insanely good. Flavorful to the max, but not sicky sweet at all. You got all the flavors of the pumpkin and the maple. It is an entirely gluten free cafe, right down to the desserts. I'm not gluten free, but it's cool to see a spot dedicated solely to those that have intolerances. That being said, the whoopie pie did have a texture I wasn't used to, but it did not impact the flavor! The breakfast sandwich: I opted to make my own breakfast sandwich! The options for breads were bagels, panini's, or crepes, and I chose a panini. It wasn't a fully authentic panini, as it wasn't pressed like one, but the bread was toasted. You can choose up to six veggies to accompany your egg, cheese, and meat choice. Super generous! I didn't necessarily love the panini, and I'm thinking it's mostly due to the bread. As I mentioned earlier, I'm not gluten free in everyday life, so the texture was not what I am used to. However, the ingredients other than the bread were delicious and still enjoyable. I would suggest pressing the sandwiches a little better, just so the contents don't end up outside of the bread! All in all, I did really enjoy this place. The impact, the kind staff, and the positive and uplifting message behind their business is incredible and I am happy to support them. And, the coffee is bangin! read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Pumpkin maple whoopie pie & lavender latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

The food was not very good. I would not recommend this place. I don't think the food was a good value for the quality.

Roots is absolutely one of our most favorite places. The food is wonderful, you could not ask for a greater selection of delicious gluten-free baked goods, and the staff is always friendly. read more

Stopped here for breakfast the other day. The long was super long and I had to wait a while for the food. Overall the food was decent but overpriced for what I got. I know that everything is gluten free and they have a lot of dairy free options so that is a plus. The inside is cute and lots of seating. read more

Five stars for ambiance, three for food. Very cozy and comfortable cafe with a good amount of seating. Definitely the kind of place you could bring a laptop and do some work or a book and do some reading. The food is just OK. I did enjoy my butternut squash soup but my sandwich (the cranberry chicken) was mediocre. The one leaf of lettuce was a little past its prime and the bread was very bland and vaguely reminiscent of cardboard. The coffee was pretty good. No complaints about service. I'd probably come back with a book and just grab a coffee and maybe give one of their pastries a try. read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Chicken avocado - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

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The space is beautiful, you can tell a lot of money was poured into the design and quality of decor so, you walk in feeling like you're about to get at least a mid-level quality meal. But then the food...it's incredibly medicore. $12 for a cranberry chicken sandwich that was a couple thin slices of dry chicken with mayo and cranberry sauce on what tasted (& looked) like GreatValue brand bread. My kid, who's never had a bad thing to say about a grilled cheese in her life, ended up just eating the cheese off it since it was unmelted cheese on two tasteless pieces of toast. The cupcakes though, whoever bakes those delicious bombs of excitement knows exactly what they're doing! read more

Best people, baristas are fabulous, love the LOVE vibe and the free Bibles and lending library is wonderful. The food is excellent, 100% gluten free, and you'd never know. Highly recommended. read more

If you want a portion for a 5 year old go here. I ordered a chicken sandwich, they give you maybe an oz of meat on it . Seriously pathetic. Don't bother trying to get any real Food here. read more

This was hands down the WORST coffee shop I've ever been to in my entire life. It was our first time in and the lady at the front was beyond rude. She gave my friend and i horrible, unkind and impatient energy. Secondly, the coffee tasted absolutely terrible along with the food. It had absolutely no flavor. My friend literally spit it out that's how bad it was. I wouldn't reccomend this place to anyone during the apocalypse if it were the last food supply on earth. 0/10 I'm disgusted. read more

Great sugary gf pastries, lot's of options but to be honest I wasn't blown away by flavor. Service is fantastic, lovely building. Presentation nice. I think with some leveling up in dynamic flavor combinations, they will stand out. read more

The service was good and people were friendly, the bookstore was super cool, and the drinks were fantastic! I loved the dairy free options including the whipped cream! read more

My sweet pea and I ventured into Roots cafe today and she has now declared it better than McDonald's! For a 5 yo this is a pretty epic compliment. Honestly I think she just loved that everything is gluten free so all my food anxiety was left at the door! She loved her chocolate chip donut, grilled cheese and pirates booty! I had the Mediterranean hash brown quiche. It was good, but I do wish it was a little more fresh. I get it though.. in a place like this you have to make these things ahead of time and then reheat. It was still yummy. We enjoyed our brunch on the big comfy couch but look forward to sitting on the deck when it gets a little warmer. Service was fast and they were all smiling even though it was busy and hectic. As a Celiac, finding a place like this is priceless! Thank you thank you Roots Cafe! read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Chocolate chip donut with the cutest model! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

Roots Café is the perfect place for a happy little Christian family! but I am a 19-year-old Jewish lesbian who went looking for a cute breakfast place with her girlfriend. Boy oh boy was this a surprise! The menu is quite large and holds many different options for customization. The drinks were also very customizable which is hard to find at local cafe's. There is a lot of indoor seating as well as a patio outside and a rooftop seating section. Looks perfect! Walking in, we saw a library and me, a book lover, instantly went to check it out. A library cafe is probably the most perfect thing I can think of. I was met with self help books of all sorts which was disappointing but nothing to complain about. Partway through we noticed the many bible scriptures and the whole bible section we walked right past. I don't mind Christian spaces and I wasn't upset about it at all. The cafe preaches love and seems like a very welcoming place. I ordered a chocolate strawberry crepe and a marshmallow cinnamon latte. My girlfriend ordered a quiche and a marshmallow latte. We were a bit confused on how we stumbled into a Christian cafe without knowing so we went online and found absolutely nothing. The website does not show any religious affiliation. The quiche was good. The crepe was weirdly cold but fine. The coffee was suuuuper bitter but that's okay. We finished up and went back to the books just to look around. There is a door that brings you to the bathrooms and some more books so we went through and were quite surprised. They had decided to hide their extremely religious books that contained controversial content. I don't really care about their stances, to be honest, but it made me feel like maybe I wasn't welcome there. There were no anti-gay signs. There were no anti-Jewish signs. But nonetheless, I did not feel comfortable. I wish Roots Cafe had made their religious stance a bit more apparent for customers like me or had even had shown that they were okay with me. I support all religions, personally, and do not have a problem eating at a Christian establishment but I did feel a bit blindsided. An 'All Are Welcome' sign would go a long way, if that is how they feel. read more

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The place is beautiful and immaculate so I wanted to love it! The staff members were also very nice. Unfortunately, the food was disappointing and the coffee was bland. read more

I absolutely love this place . Everything is glute-free and doesn't taste it lol . The lunches are great! good salads and delicious soups , They do not use their own bread for sandwiches but the crepes are homemade and are so good . I have missed crepes since Sip of Europe left town . You can create your own crepe savory or sweet, we have done both and loved them. The baked goods are the best gluten-free I have had any place. Absolutely loved the orange cranberry muffin , gave one to a friend with a donut and they could not believe it was gluten-free. They have a nice little gift stand with all natural products. The staff is amazing. I love the feeling inside and out so many window, many different seating options/ outside / inside / roof top. The parking can get tight but that is not a deterrent at all. I wish I had photos, but next time will post some because this is my new favorite bakery. read more

Christian ministry. The food was fine. We would not have gone had we known it was a Christian ministry. Somehow we missed that the bookstore at the entrance had bibles and self-help books. We were clued in while eating as a song blared "Jesus, Jesus". Not really the place for us. read more

Roots cafe is a cute little coffee shop in Westbrook. The parking is tight, this is true. Sometimes the lines are a little long but patience is truly a virtue! The coffee is organic and good! Cookies and cupcakes are delicious! I really love all the Christian suchness in this coffee shop... and the books!!! Yes please!! As a Catholic new to Maine, I am forever thankful for this establishment and I love the quote by Mother Theresa in the bathroom! Totally worth visiting and very family oriented! read more

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$4.00 for a paper cup of coffee. Seriously? A bagel with butter was $ 3.79. Really. Pricey venue. Not much more to say.

It is so nice to be studying here again in person! The food is great, people are nice, and the environment is comfortable. I appreciate the big windows and good lighting, fun little kissing shakers and of course the crêpes! read more

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Best lunch recommendation! I'm gluten free and finding quality gf food can be so hard and price! This was delicious and our entire nonGF party loved it too. I tried 2 different sandwiches, a salad (got to enjoy the croutons) and we tried a cookie and several cupcakes. Everything was fantastic and well priced! Would definitely return if we lived closer. Sorry we ate most of it before pictures. Oh and the atmosphere was so nice. Very busy but I understand why! read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Peanut butter chocolate cookie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

This place was okay. If you're looking for eggs and bacon and omelettes etc this place is not for you. They have one sandwich with eggs and bacon in it and they are the pre made eggs from wholesalers. Not worth it. They have small frittatas & pastries etc, but nothing is amazing. Everything is average. Coffee was nice. Smoothie was not worth it. We sat up stairs in open eating area. Woman training new guy was a bit intense & made me feel uncomfortable the way she spoke to him in front of everyone. read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Bacon egg and cheese - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

I have been driving by Roots for a while and wondering about it. So decided to stop on a whim and give it a try. The space outside is nice. Located just off a busy intersection in town, it actually is very peaceful. Outside seating and of course, corn hole. The wood and glass structure is nice and gives it a being a camp kind of feel. The inside is just as nice. Lots of sun and spacious seating options. Not your typical coffee shop. Great food items to choose from. Had a mini quiche which was a little difficult to each out of the serving tin, but very delicious. Need to give more time and try their crepes. Hear they are pretty awesome. The staff is nice and quick to respond. And to sit there in the sun looking out, well a pretty good start to my day. Thanks read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

I don't want to sound like a Karen, but there are just so many things wrong with this place. My boyfriend ordered a full sandwich and I ordered half a sandwich and half a salad, plus a chocolate chip cookie. The ONLY thing they got right on our order was the type of cookie. I asked for Feta cheese instead of bleu cheese on my salad, and they gave me bleu cheese​. I custom made my sandwich and never asked for pickles, but my whole sandwich tasted like pickles. My boyfriend's sandwich was the worst. He ordered a full Italian sandwich, and they gave him half a sandwich, if it can even be called that (see attached picture). We also ordered to go and they didn't even include utensils for my salad. Everything was also overpriced. I'm celiac, and despite how excited I was to try this place considering everything is gluten free, I would NOT go and again and definitely do not recommend.​ read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

We love heading to roots and experimenting with their GF menu and browsing all of their Christian books & apparel! Such a little gem of a spot for our family read more

I love this place! I have been here many times with my best friend because she has celiac disease and Roots has many GF options for her I am actually now doing a good experiment because of a possible diagnosis I have and I am trying an anti-inflammatory diet which includes not eating gluten, processed foods etc so I can now feel amazing eating here. The crepes both kinds savory or sweet are out of this world delicious! I cannot complain about anyone that I have tried I love the Chicken Avo crepe the Siracha peanut sauce makes the whole thing... but the Yum Yum is a close second. The teas and coffee are great and I am dairy challenged so I can have my teas made with almond milk! I will return as long as they stay in business! This is hands down one of my favorite places to sit relax and eat great food! read more

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Went here on whim while in area after hearing from others that it was good. Upon first glance the stand alone building is new and medium to small sized, a few tables outside with umbrellas in warmer months and it was all very clean. Upon first walking in you are surprised by a bookstore like front section adjacent the line area to order. We were initially psyched since we love books to browse, but found out it is all Christian book store related content. This may be a great plus for some, but possibly a negative for others with other religious beliefs. Service was friendly, a bit slow to order even at a less busy time of day. They have many baked goods and menu of salads and sandwiches, as well as some higher-end bottled beverages, smoothies, coffee and tea. We ordered baked goods, I think it was a blueberry scone and muffin and also a latte. Scone was super sweet, like flavoring was dumped into it and quite dry. Coffee was OK. All in all a bit standard and underwhelming considering the buzz and price points. Glancing at the menu with many options, we were tempted to get a sandwich or avocado toast, more coffee, etc but ended up splitting what we ordered since the prices were a bit high for us to eat an entire meal for 2. read more

Awful. Second time going, first time I have them benefit of the doubt... like maybe I ordered the wrong thing. This place shouldn't have packaged condiments from Sysco. I ordered to go food for my partner who was down the road at work. I ordered chicken avocado sandwich and Turkey BLT with extra Turkey, and a side of meatballs. I got there waited in line, not sure HOW so many people flock here, it has to be the coffee because the food isn't good. I finally got to the counter, and she asked if I wanted the meatballs heated up. I'm going to say no more just look at the photos. You shouldn't be selling Sysco food, when we live in a place where you can get it local resources everywhere. Especially on your website it says about the quality and local sourced food. This is false advertising. read more

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A very good overall experience, especially in store. They give out little stuffed animals for the little kids and have coloring books, for those of us with little ones in tow. Display case was a bit lacking in options. To eat, we got a strawberry cheesecake parfait, which was amazing, an egg, bacon, and maple crepe sandwich, also amazing, some sausage and egg frittatas, decent, blueberry muffin, good, assorted cupcakes, solid, and a bacon quiche, which was crunchy on the bottom and less than stellar. For drinks, we got a couple lattes and those were excellent. The food has a little room for improvement, but we'll definitely be back! read more

Roots is back! We are so excited that Roots has reopened with an updated menu and my first time on their upstairs deck! Standard COVID protocols are in place and you just know everyone serving is smiling under those masks. The table spaces were spaced out nicely indoors and the two outdoor spaces. I had a small iced mocha, a fiend had the avocado delight and a regular coffee. I tried the bacon and egg frittata and he had a custom sandwich. There were no leftovers and we all left with smiles. The food and beverages were on point and prepared quickly. Easy to find and plenty of parking in the private lot. They do have new doughnut options that I'll have to try next time! Glad to see you open again!! read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Roots Upstairs Deck! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

This place was recommended by one of the local orchards because they use local ingredients. We ordered a buffalo chicken panini, a strawberry fields salad with no chicken, and a toasted kids sandwich with ham and cheese. When we got the kids sandwich it wasn't toasted. The salad also still had chicken on it. We tried to get someone's attention, there were three people working. One was on the phone and the other two were in a deep discussion, so we had to stand at the pick up area and wait for quite awhile before we could get it fixed. After we got a young man's attention he took the panini and salad back. Unfortunately, although the panini was an easy fix, the salad was not. Instead of remaking the salad without chicken the young man behind the counter just pulled the chicken off the existing salad. When he handed it back there were still chicken remanents in the bowl. (I'll attach a picture.) I also feel like it's important to note that the woman ahead of me also had trouble getting her order accurately from the girl taking orders. And, as we were waiting another order called the store and the girl was apologizing because apparently that was not right either. It wasn't overly busy. I'm not sure what the problem was. For a place that seems to prize itself on gf and other dietary restricted options, one would think they'd be respectful of a request to hold meat on a salad. And then, when they made a mistake, remake the salad. That wasn't what happened. When we asked for a refund on the salad my husband tells me they wouldn't offer one, but wanted to give us a gift card instead. They did offer to remake the salad (which they should have done in the first place) but by that time everyone else in our party was done eating. Regardless we live in Dallas, TX and are just passing through so we can't use a gift card. We explained this to the gentleman we were trying to return the salad to. He was generous enough to give us the gift card and a cash refund - this is why they got a second star. read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Strawberry Fields salad. Was not supposed to have chicken. Had to send back. Salad was returned with less chicken. But not remade. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine

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I searched out whether they were open or not (Facebook says closed until further notice - I feel like everyone uses FB as a primary "are they open" search...) then called to find they ARE. (minus one star) I stopped in for an espresso drink. I ordered three shots of espresso over ice with a touch of their homemade caramel sauce and some mocha. Added non-dairy milk as there were a few options. I also ordered a Maine Maple Bacon Bagel bagel breakfast sandwich. The espresso drink was TASTY! I usually like strongly flavored espresso. This wasn't quite as roasty as I like BUT it did the trick. Perfect amount of oat milk. The breakfast sandwich left a lot to be desired. For $8 I was expecting better. The gluten-free bagel was sub-par. Dry on the outside. Not appetizing. The egg had a strange aftertaste - perhaps something they used to oil the pan? The bacon was floppy/raw-feeling and had no real maple flavor. I wasn't sure whether to expect Maine maple flavor (which I had hoped for) or smoked maple (wood) but didn't detect either. If they don't bake the bacon, they should. And up the ante on maple. (minus one star) Did I eat it? Yes. Would I spend $15+ on this order again? No. Overall, I would go back for an espresso drink. I might try some of their gluten-free baked goods or a quiche. Definitely not for their bread options. For sure picked up on the religious ministry / Bible study / book swap / mom-and-me play vibe but it wasn't offensive. I have experienced the other end of the spectrum! Nice building! One sitting area with comfy chairs. Lots of tables. Pretty outdoor and roof area but too cold to enjoy them. read more

Roots Cafe Maine - Three shots of espresso over ice with some flavor and oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Westbrook, Maine