Five O Two Cafe -- Downtown Bakersfield…read more
A coffee flight worth slowing down for
Walking into Five O Two Cafe is a little deceiving at first. The dark entrance can almost feel intimidating, but once you step inside, the entire personality of the place changes.
The space has incredibly high, roughly 30-foot unfinished ceilings, dim rustic lighting, and almost an Italian-inspired feel. The music is upbeat but not overpowering, and the shared seating area with My Spot gives you plenty of room to settle in. There are comfortable loveseat-style couches, books, magazines, and games scattered around, making this a place where you could easily stay awhile instead of simply grabbing coffee and leaving.
But the reason I came was the coffee flight.
The presentation immediately made it feel like an actual tasting experience rather than simply four small cups of coffee. The coffees arrived together on a wooden board, each with information about its origin, along with sparkling water to cleanse the palate between tastings. I really appreciated that touch because these coffees were different enough that you wanted to reset before moving on to the next one.
Pacamara
The Pacamara was exceptionally bold but smooth. It had plenty of presence and flavor without becoming harsh or difficult to drink. This was the kind of coffee that reminds you that bold does not have to mean bitter.
San Marcos, Guatemala
The San Marcos was completely different.
The milk may have been a little too much for me, making it harder to identify every individual flavor note, but this coffee went down exceptionally smooth. There was definitely a sweetness to the flavor profile. I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly what that sweetness reminded me of, but it was extremely pleasant.
This is the coffee I could easily see becoming a daily drinker--smooth, approachable, and very easy to enjoy.
Huehuetenango, Guatemala
The Huehuetenango had a completely different mouthfeel.
This coffee felt thick, almost chewable, but without any hesitation to keep drinking it. There was a cocoa-like appeal to it that gave the coffee richness and substance. Of the flight, this was one of the coffees where the texture itself became part of the experience.
Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala
This was my fourth and final tasting, and maybe that influenced me a little, but the Santiago Atitlán was the coffee I found the most complex and satisfying.
There seemed to be more going on with every sip, and it made me want to slow down and pay attention to it.
More importantly, this was the coffee that immediately created a picture in my head: a weekend morning, sitting on my patio with a freshly made pour-over and nowhere I need to be.
That's probably the best compliment I can give a coffee.
More than just the coffee
Five O Two also struck me as an exceptionally good place for a first date--or maybe even better, a second date.
Grab one of the cozy little loveseat couches, order a coffee flight for each of you, and you immediately have something to talk about. You can compare the different beans, figure out which flavors you're picking up, and discover what the other person likes.
Combine that with the dim lighting, slightly romantic atmosphere, comfortable seating, and good music, and this becomes a place where you can actually sit, relax, talk, and get to know someone without feeling rushed.
The food selection appears more limited than what you'd find at a full café, so I wouldn't necessarily come expecting a large breakfast or lunch menu. But that's also not really the point here.
Coffee is the experience.
And the flight makes that experience even better.
Five O Two isn't the kind of coffee shop I'd want to rush through. It's the kind of place where I'd order something interesting, find a comfortable seat, and stay awhile.
And after tasting all four coffees, that Santiago Atitlán would be the bag I'd be most tempted to take home for my weekend pour-overs.
