This will probably be my longest post ever, but it might just be the best one as well. My best friend and I decided to plan an entire day this summer to go coffee shop hopping in Atlanta. A
whole day of coffee. Now maybe it's because we're coffee addicts, but we were extremely excited for this day to come. Unfortunately, it has now come and gone which is sad, but it was honestly the best day ever. We drove through places in Atlanta we had never been before so we had a cultural experience and we went to coffee shops that we also had never been to before. Obviously we needed food as well, so I'll also include the delicious places we ate at. It was a full day - 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. - but every bit of it was worth it. I mean who wouldn't want to spend a day with their best friend trying out cute coffee shops and restaurants?
The first place we went to ended up being our favorite place, Corso Coffee. Not only is it in such a great location - a luxurious shopping plaza - it had the most unique coffee and a great atmosphere. If I lived closer I would definitely bring my laptop and stay a few hours. They have indoor seating as well as outdoor seating. It was so crowded that we had no choice but to sit outside! My friend tried an iced soy vanilla latte (which in her words was the "best latte she had ever had") and the oatmeal (also good) and I ordered an iced soy cappuccino. This cappuccino was
incredible. They pour it into a (real) glass with perfect proportions, soy milk, espresso, and foam on top. This foam was unlike any other foam I have ever tasted on a latte or cappuccino. They use skim milk and somehow it magically tastes like whipped cream. Plus, they top it off with a few chocolate shavings which adds a perfect touch. It's delicious. So delicious that both of us actually went back today to bring our sisters for them to try an iced cappuccino. My only two cons would be that the employees weren't super friendly and it is a bit pricey; however, based on the fact that it's not a coffee shop I'll be able to get to on a regular basis, it's worth the price because of how unique it is. I give Corso a thumbs up!
Our second stop wasn't planned, but while we were at Corso we realized there was a Georgetown Cupcake - which neither of us had ever been to - so while we were there, we figured we'd give it a try. My friend ordered the chocolate coconut cupcake and I ordered the salted caramel cupcake. We both loved ours. The cake is fluffy and there's not too much icing. Plus they're only $3, which for a cupcake sounds pricey, but compared to other bakeries, isn't bad. It's a super cute setup as you can see into the kitchen; also, the employees were friendly and helpful when we asked about the best flavors. Thumbs up for Georgetown as well!
Our third stop wasn't originally a part of the plan either, but it was around the corner from where we were so we figured we'd give it a try. Quite honestly, we could've gone without it...not to be harsh, but it was definitely our least favorite. The location is inside a strip of restaurants, but it's also next to a Marta station, so the walk to the door is a bit noisy. The coffee shop is called Sip The Experience. We walked in to find that we were the only customers. The decor is cute, but the employees were not helpful at all and not very lively. We decided we didn't want to spend much money at this one so I ordered a cafe au lait and my friend ordered a macchiato. Both were extremely bitter. Needless to say, neither of us finished them. By the time we left, a couple people came in, but definitely a different vibe from Corso. Would I suggest it based on my experience? Not really, but I guess everything deserves a second chance, so if your heart desires giving it a try, go for it!
The fourth place we went to was Chattahoochee Coffee Company. This place overall is incredible. I don't think I have one con about it. If Corso's coffee hadn't been so unique, this place probably would have been my favorite. The employees were super friendly and helpful - we wanted to try something we had never had before so we decided on the cortado, which is exactly half espresso and half steamed milk. It was strong (which I love) so I thought it was really good. Plus they put a design in the milk which you already know is my weakness when it comes to coffee. The location is beautiful. It is placed in the back of an apartment complex sharing a log cabin styled building with the leasing office and overlooks the Chattahoochee River. We sat outside to enjoy the view, but indoor seating is also available. It's pretty large so you can pretty much guarantee you'll find a spot to sit (it was very crowded though). There are even chairs and hammocks placed right along the river! Definitely a thumbs up to this one as well!
Next stop? Food. We went to Kale Me Crazy and were amazed. It didn't hurt that we're both lovers of acaí bowls, but theirs was probably the best I've purchased from a restaurant. The employees were nice and the building was small, but calm and cozy. The bowl itself just tasted fresh, plus it's super healthy! The presentation was great, which is always bonus points in my mind. It was a bit pricey considering I can make my own for way less, but it makes for a good splurge every once and awhile. Thumbs up!
Our next stop was down the street from Kale Me Crazy, Inman Perk Coffee. I had been there once before and loved it (I got a hazelnut latte and the hummus and pita, both super good). We both ordered an iced decaf - we decided we needed to start easing out the caffeine - nonfat cappuccino. Once we got our drinks we both had a mini crash. We could barely get ourselves to look at another cup of coffee at this point let alone drink another one...even though we drink tons of coffee on a daily basis. I think it was the combination of being on the go from one place to another as well as the wonderful hotlanta heat. We allowed ourselves to rest for a bit and finally drank about half of our cappuccinos. Not because we didn't like them, (we did!) but because we still had more places to go and we didn't want to feel sick the rest of the day. Overall, the employees were very sweet and helpful and the atmosphere is adorable. It's exactly what you picture a cute coffee shop in downtown Atlanta to look like. A lot of people go there to work so it's very calm and quiet. I give it a thumbs up!
The next place we went to was Urban Grind. We decided to get a pot of tea here because we figured we needed a break from coffee. I'd definitely like to go back sometime to try their coffee because it looked like they had some unique house specials. The worker was super sweet and the atmosphere was adorable with great oldies tunes. I couldn't help but take a picture of the seating because I was hoping that one of the places would have couches like the one in the show Friends (my favorite) and this one did! We lucked out with this on the timing too because we were able to kill an hour by resting on the couches while drinking our tea (which by the way, was a great deal - about $4 for at least 2-3 cups each). Thumbs up again!
Our next stop was right down the street, Octane Coffee. My friend had been before, but I had not even though I had heard wonderful things about it from many people. We were told that they used homemade chocolate in their mochas so we decided to split one. It was good. It wasn't sweet like most mochas so you could actually taste the coffee flavor as well as the chocolate flavor. Plus it had a design! Octane has an awesome vibe. It's rustic and hipster. I loved the first wall you see when you enter the coffee shop, a white background with bold black lettering of all sorts of espresso drinks. The employees weren't the best, but definitely not the worst. Overall, definitely a thumbs up!
The next place was for dinner, bartaco, a Mexican restaurant that I had heard great things about. We have a weakness for tacos because, well, tacos are life. We walked in and automatically loved the atmosphere and decor of the place. It's a super unique restaurant as their tacos are bite sized...about 2-3 bites per taco. We ordered a guacamole to start and trust me we've tried plenty of different guac recipes, and we loved this one. It had a strong lime taste, just enough onion, but not too much, and a hint of jalapeños, which when I heard it had those I had a mini panic attack because I have the weakest mouth ever when it comes to spice. However, I could handle it as long as I didn't eat a chunk of jalapeño. It came with baked tortillas instead of chips which we thought was a really unique idea. My friend is vegetarian so she ordered the three vegetarian tacos, falafel, portobello, and roasted cauliflower, and she loved all three! I ordered the chicken taco and a chicken quesadilla and enjoyed both, but I definitely recommend the quesadilla because it had cheese and I'm kind of a cheesehead. Our waiter was extremely friendly and everyone else that stopped by to answer a question or deliver our food was nice as well. I definitely give this place a thumbs up!
Our final stop was Joe's East Atlanta Coffee Shop. We both ordered decaf nonfat honey cinnamon lattes and they were incredible. It's not on the menu, we just asked if they could make it. Based on the beverage, it was probably our second favorite place. We also ordered a slice of their chocolate mousse cake and it was delicious. The atmosphere was cute, quiet, and quaint, similar to Inman Perk. The barista was also very nice. It was a great place to end the day. Thumbs up!
Overall, if I had to rate the coffee shops, I'd say it would go like this:
1. Corso Coffee
2. Chattahoochee Coffee Company
3. Joe's East Atlanta Coffee Shop
4. Octane
5. Urban Grind
6. Inman Perk
7. Sip The Experience
I hope this post gives you an idea of how incredible this day was as well as some insight on some of the popular coffee shops in Atlanta!
