I've had my eye on this new little coffeeshop in Decatur after following their creation story on Instagram. I come to Decatur for work often during the colder months and have been looking forward to the season starting so I could try them out.
The shop is on Lee Street, very close to what I consider to be the center of downtown Decatur. Street parking is available but I found a little iffy on a Monday afternoon. At time of writing, there's a lot of unrelated construction going on, which made finding a spot a little harder. I eventually parked up the street a bit and took a few minute walk over.
First things first: the vibe is perfect. Truly NO NOTES other than I wish this place was in Huntsville because it'd make a perfect third space for me. The outside is crisp modern and the inside has these beautiful foresty greens and muted browns and oranges (very autumnal forest). Plants and art everywhere, and enough cute and thoughtful duck pieces (statues, a mural, etc) to keep the concept relevant without feeling hokey. The music choice was soft folk rock, a la Jack Johnson, and it was played at a pleasant volume while I hung out killing time before I had to drive back to Huntsville for an appointment. I could EASILY sit here and read or write for hours.
The barista was pleasant when we talked, though I would've been more at ease if she'd asked if I'd had any questions or wanted any recommendations. I stood there awkwardly looking at the menu for a bit lol.
I'm a suuuuuucker for a seasonal special, so I wound up getting an iced "Cozy Flame," which is a mocha with graham cracker cereal milk and a toasted marshmallow on top. I didn't get a toasted marshmallow I'm guessing because I ordered it iced, which was fine, lol. I was also really hungry so I got a "Nutty Professor," which is fancy toast with nut butter, banana, cinnamon, and honey drizzle.
My drink came out quickly; toast was a little bit slower but given the gorgeous presentation I can't blame them. The toast was very yummy -- I actually could taste the cinnamon, which was super nice -- and surprisingly filling for the size of the serving.
I will say it's kinda pricy. My drink + snack before tax and tip was $14 (and approaching $18 by the time the rest was covered) which is still a good bit for a fancy coffee and a fancy piece of toast.
That said...the quality is absolutely there.
Which brings me to the coffee!
The Mallard uses June coffee for its beverages. I am, regrettably, someone who prefers a little coffee in their sugar, which is to say: I like my drinks veryyy sweet and not very coffee forward. The Cozy Flame was not that; I got hints of mocha but it was still very strongly coffee forward.
THAT SAID. I've had enough coffee that I feel like I can discern good coffee from bad coffee (even if I prefer all coffee blanketed in a robe of sugar), and if you're gonna drink coffee for coffee's sake, then this is GOOD coffee. I say this because I still drank most of and enjoyed my beverage despite it not being my ideal fit. That's big! The coffee was smooth and rich and not terribly bitter. I'd order my drink again even if it never got any sweeter.
When I return (and I will), I may see about adding some extra syrup to my next drink. I'd also like to try some of their tea and spritz drinks.
I wish them the best and I'm so glad that they're around! Looking forward to stopping in several times this winter! read more