Mocha House (INDIE)
Mocha House (INDIE)
Manzara Cafe (INDIE)
Manzara Cafe (INDIE)
Colliers Cafe (INDIE)
Colliers Cafe (INDIE)
Little Bits Coffee Roasters (INDIE)
Little Bits Coffee Roasters, in Irondequoit, opened last May, like their name, is small in size. Based on experience, I was immediately concerned when I walked in and spotted their drip coffee offerings in carafes on the condiment bar. I associate this setup with mediocre coffee, especially when the only options are blends, not single origins. SURPRISINGLY, HOWEVER, their medium-roasted Love You More house blend, a combo of Colombian and Brazilian beans, was actually pretty darn good, above average for the blends I've tried. The cafe itself is simple, not much in the way of decor, but already popular on a Saturday morning just half a year after opening.
Little Bits Coffee Roasters (INDIE)
The Siren and the Sea: Books and Coffee (INDIE)
The Siren and the Sea: Books and Coffee (INDIE)
The Siren and the Sea: Books and Coffee just opened in October, but I'm still surprised that I had not noticed them during my regular searches on Google Maps for "coffee" or "best coffee". Happy for that 'Democrat & Chronicle' article, because this place is lovely. Quite spacious and homey, Siren and the Sea offers plenty of seating and some books downstairs, and the upstairs in quite book-heavy, a proper bookstore which might help them compete in Rochester's crowded coffee scene. The cafe sits in a former Tex-Mex restaurant and preserves a lovely mural upstairs while adding some great touches, like ornately decorated walls leading up the stairs while book-decorated plants hang above. Coffee-wise, Siren and the Sea serves beans from Elm City, and for drip I had a Mexican bean that was a bit too dark for me. HOWEVER, they are thinking of switching to a local roaster, so I look forward to rewisiting them when I return to Rochester at some point in the future.
Clownboy Coffee (INDIE)
Clownboy Coffee (INDIE)
Clownboy Coffee, opened last May, is not far from one of my now-defunct faves, Pandemonium, and although the coffee is not as good, their decor is almost as charming with a combination of a clown theme and local artwork inside a brightly-coloured but not overwhelming space. Clownbody is queer-and-women owned, wegan, and for coffee they offer Sightseer out of Austin and Blind Tiger out of Tampa. For the winter months, however, they are only serving the Sightseer Dad Bod blend on drip, but I look forward to when they start rotating in other options. Oh, and check out the awesome packaging artwork that both roasters use!
Professor Javas Coffee Sanctuary (INDIE)
Professor Javas Coffee Sanctuary (INDIE)
Stumbled across the relocated Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary in Albany. I had not realised they had moved because their coffee is not for me, more like commodity coffee than specialty coffee, albeit still better than Starbucks. The space, however, is lovely with three seating areas, including a secluded one in the back, and plenty of nifty artwork.
Elvio`s Coffee (INDIE)
Elvio`s Coffee (INDIE)
Elvio's Coffee on Empire Blvd, right next to the lake, has been open since April, but after hearing about it from a coworker, I forgot to go, and it slipped under my radar. Thankfully, I was reminded of its existence when chatting with a barista about where I might find Aporia coffee (with Pandamonium closed and AM:FM remodeling). As I expected, Elvio's does not offer a selection of single-origin Aporia beans, but rather a single custom blend, but it was pretty good, better than the Gucci Blend from Locals Only. As for the cafe, it leans heavily into a music theme, and I happened to walk in on one of the live music performances that they host every weekend. I strongly suspect that this place is hellah popular during the summer.
Tree Town Cafe (INDIE)
Tree Town Cafe (INDIE)
Tree Town Cafe has been on Penfield Road since 2019, and like Eden I pass it regularly (while on my way to the gym), but the cafe is tucked into a parking lot behind some trees, so I can be forgiven for not having noticed. The cafe was quite busy on a Saturday afternoon, with keen interest from customers in the food menu and the merchandise arrayed on the middle tables, but in terms of coffee, the place is not for me. They have multiple drip options, but two are flavoured, one is dark, and the light is a mediocre blend from Evening Star.
Eden Coffee Co. (INDIE)
Eden Coffee Co. (INDIE)
The presence of Eden Coffee Co. on East Avenue proves that I am bad at noticing things because I drive that stretch of East quite often without having noticed Eden for 3 1/2 months! Eden's sits in a portion of the space formerly occupied by Spot Coffee, and by coincidence, I was recently chatting with a barista about what might go into that spot. Eden is lovely with plenty of room even with only half of what Spot occupied. Decor is minimalist, lots of white and gold, with a chessboard on the big table and a cooler holding flowers (presumably for sale) by the door. Coffee-wise, Eden serves beans from Localist, a roaster that used to be just west of the airport but has relocated to Nashville. Their only option is a Colombian bean (possibly a blend, not sure), good enough that I've put Localist on my map for my next trip to Nashville.
Mercury Coffee Co. (INDIE)
Mercury Coffee Co. (INDIE)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I continue to be amazed by how a city of Rochester's size keeps adding coffeehouses. Technically, Mercury Coffee Co. is not a net addition because it replaces Coffee Connection, which has another location at Marketplace Mall and decided to consolidate operations into that single space. At first glance, Mercury appears to be smaller than Coffee Connection, but it's the exact same space and only looks smaller because Mercury offers more than twice the number of seats as well as more decor leaning heavily into plants. Coffee-wise, Mercury Coffee serves beans from Intelligentsia, a roaster that I really liked in the early 2010s, but I later found that they were not as good after being acquired by Peet's/JAB Holding. Still, I would have enjoyed reconnecting with one of their single origin beans, but they only offer the Frequency Blend on drip. It was, however, not bad, better than the common blends from other big roasters like Counter Culture or Stumptown.
RESHOOT: Aeropuerto Internacional Tocum, Panama, Panama
RESHOOT: Aeropuerto Internacional Tocum, Panama, Panama
This store is unusual because, unlike all of other Starbucks in Panama, it is only 50% owned by Caribbean Coffee Traders Ltd, the current license holder for Starbucks in this and several other Caribbean countries. But as long as CCLT owns even a tiny fraction, the store counts for me.
Cafe Unido - Casco Viejo (INDIE)
Cafe Unido - Casco Viejo (INDIE)
Tiempos Specialty Coffee (INDIE)
Tiempos Specialty Coffee (INDIE)
SBUX Westland Mall, Arraijan, Panama
SBUX Westland Mall, Arraijan, Panama
SBUX Westland Mall, Arraijan, Panama
This store features a colourful mural that wraps around the entirety of the drive-thru lane.
SBUX Westland Mall, Arraijan, Panama
SBUX Westland Mall, Arraijan, Panama
SBUX Westland Mall, Arraijan, Panama
SBUX Panama Pacifico, Veracruz, Panama
SBUX Panama Pacifico, Veracruz, Panama
SBUX Panama Pacifico, Veracruz, Panama
SBUX Panama Pacifico, Veracruz, Panama
SBUX Panama Pacifico, Veracruz, Panama
SBUX Panama Pacifico, Veracruz, Panama
SBUX Panama Pacifico, Veracruz, Panama
This store features a beautiful and colourful drive-thru mural, as well as an indoor one that wraps around the wall behind the bar. Also, the store is named for the nearby airport, which is the smaller airport in Panama City.
DT Costa Del Este, Panama, Panama
DT Costa Del Este, Panama, Panama
DT Costa Del Este, Panama, Panama
DT Costa Del Este, Panama, Panama
DT Costa Del Este, Panama, Panama
DT Costa Del Este, Panama, Panama
DT Costa Del Este, Panama, Panama
DT Costa Del Este, Panama, Panama
This is the first relocation in Panama, replacing the Atrio Mall store. Besides including a drive-thru, this cafe is much larger with two stories, more natural lighting, and even a mural along the drive-thru lane wall.
Kokoma (INDIE)
Kokoma (INDIE)
Wknd Specialty Coffee (INDIE)
Wknd Specialty Coffee (INDIE)
SBUX Hilton, Bella Vista, Panama
SBUX Hilton, Bella Vista, Panama
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SBUX Hilton, Bella Vista, Panama
SBUX Hilton, Bella Vista, Panama
SBUX Hilton, Bella Vista, Panama
Esplanade at Aventura, Aventura, Florida
Esplanade at Aventura, Aventura, Florida
Esplanade at Aventura, Aventura, Florida
Esplanade at Aventura, Aventura, Florida
Esplanade at Aventura, Aventura, Florida
Esplanade at Aventura, Aventura, Florida
This store has many unique features a new and possibly unique design including a ceiling artwork, a funky coffee table, and a gorgeous Siren mural.
Esplanade at Aventura, Aventura, Florida
Esplanade at Aventura, Aventura, Florida
Biscayne Blvd & Ives Dairy, Aventura, Florida
Biscayne Blvd & Ives Dairy, Aventura, Florida
This store boasts two gorgeous indoor and outdoor muralss by @art_of_anon.
Biscayne Blvd & Ives Dairy, Aventura, Florida
Biscayne Blvd & Ives Dairy, Aventura, Florida
RESHOOT: US-1 & Virginia, Fort Pierce, Florida
RESHOOT: US-1 & Virginia, Fort Pierce, Florida
I-95 & SR60 - Vero Beach, Vero Beach, Florida
I-95 & SR60 - Vero Beach, Vero Beach, Florida
US Hwy 27 & Eagle Ridge, Lake Wales, Florida
This store has an unusual style of tall table.
US Hwy 27 & Eagle Ridge, Lake Wales, Florida
US Hwy 27 & Eagle Ridge, Lake Wales, Florida
RESHOOT: Whipporwill & Narcoossee Rd, Orlando, Florida
RESHOOT: Whipporwill & Narcoossee Rd, Orlando, Florida
RESHOOT: McCoy & Narcoossee Rd, Orlando , Florida
RESHOOT: McCoy & Narcoossee Rd, Orlando , Florida
RESHOOT: McCoy & Narcoossee Rd, Orlando , Florida
RESHOOT: Alafaya & Golfway, Orlando , Florida
RESHOOT: Alafaya & Golfway, Orlando , Florida
Red Bug Lake Rd & Mikler Rd, Oviedo, Florida
Red Bug Lake Rd & Mikler Rd, Oviedo, Florida
Lineage Coffee Roasters - Colonial (INDIE)
Lineage Coffee Roasters - Colonial (INDIE)
John Young Parkway & Town Cent, Orlando, Florida
John Young Parkway & Town Cent, Orlando, Florida
John Young Parkway & Town Cent, Orlando, Florida
Relocation.
Daryl Carter & Palm Pkwy, Orlando, Florida
Daryl Carter & Palm Pkwy, Orlando, Florida
Daryl Carter & Palm Pkwy, Orlando, Florida
Hartzog Rd & Western Way, Winter Garden, Florida
Hartzog Rd & Western Way, Winter Garden, Florida
Avalon Rd & Marsh Rd, Winter Garden, Florida
Avalon Rd & Marsh Rd, Winter Garden, Florida
Avalon Rd & Marsh Rd, Winter Garden, Florida
FL-50 & Green Valley Blvd, Groveland, Florida
FL-50 & Green Valley Blvd, Groveland, Florida
