I'm going to assume that a place calling itself "Waterbean" is going to take the two things most important to coffee seriously. Indeed, this is a Charlotte based roaster with 20 some locations serving small batch beans and paying attention to the brewing science. 5 stars because they offer 5 roasts to choose for your espresso drinks. Five stars for having a ceramic mug option. (I won't drink a cappuccino in a paper cup). 5 stars for having a high quality drip system but also offering any roast as a pour over. I have notes for the owners: Clean your glass front door at every open. It's filthy and makes a terrible first impression. Ditto on dusting those globe lights over the counter- they should sparkle. Bonus if no one behind the counter says "expresso", but that's me being a persnickety coffee snob. Ambience is bright and airy with small tables anchored by a Yamaha baby grand! Decor is a tad Instagrammy (formulaic retro modern) but as they've just opened, maybe they are working on that. I'm delighted to see a new coffee option in Banner Elk, especially one keeping open until 9pm daily! read more