I hate to be this person because if you know anything about me, you know I'm a huge foodie. I hate wasting money, and I'm also one of those people who hates leaving bad reviews. So when I do leave one, just know it means the experience was genuinely bad.
I'm a fake matcha lover, and I don't care--I'll admit it. I like places like Blank Street and Dunkin'. Sue me. But this coffee shop is new and Black-owned, so of course I wanted to support it. Unfortunately, everything I ordered was disappointing, and it was an expensive disappointment at that.
I ordered three items, which came out to $30--yes, you read that right. First, I got the 16 oz. Salted Caramel Delight, which reminded me of a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato, so I actually liked that one. Then I ordered the 20 oz. Vanilla Bean & Pistachio Iced Matcha. The first time they made it, they gave me the wrong size (a 16 oz.), so they had to remake it in the correct 20 oz. cup.
The menu is pretty extensive, and you'd definitely have to come back more than once to try everything. That's actually why I ordered two different drinks--but after this experience, I won't be making another trip back.
I also ordered the Strawberry Matcha Cookie, which came out to $10 for a single cookie. I'm not even kidding.
The shop itself is really small with little to no seating. There are only two tables with chairs inside and two seats outside. The remaining stools are small and uncomfortable, so there isn't much space to sit and enjoy your drink.
I really wanted to rave about this place, but sadly, I won't be back. The matcha tasted like colored milk, and the syrup sitting at the bottom of the drink didn't add anything to the flavor. It was also difficult to stir, so it never really blended together.
Since this is a new shop, I do want to acknowledge that they're probably still finding their rhythm. That said, the staff seemed very disorganized and still learning how to make the drinks, with several mistakes happening while I was there. There were only two baristas and one cashier working, which may have contributed to the issues.
I also overheard two customers as they were leaving say that it was one of the worst coffees they had ever had. One of them proceeded to throw away her completely full drink, which she had obviously just purchased. I also saw another customer take a sip of his drink, make a face that looked like shock or disgust, and walk out.
It also seemed like the owner was very involved and present, as she was sitting outside drinking a coffee before leaving. One thing I found surprising was that the shop appears to close very early--right at 4:00 p.m. every day.
Overall, it was a disappointing and overpriced experience. I genuinely wanted to support a new local Black-owned business, but unfortunately, this one just didn't live up to the hype. I hope they're able to work out the growing pains because I'd love to see them succeed, but based on my experience, I don't see myself returning. read more