I love me a good coffee shop, so when I heard this was opening in downtown Urbana (walking distance from me) I was thrilled! The cafes on campus can get way overclogged for me.. I like to spread out! On Friday afternoon, TMC was pretty empty, which I hope changes. It is very cute and has a lot to offer. There is free wi-fi, sandwiches (with Boar's head meats and bread made in house), homemade soups, annnndddd homemade gelato! I tried one of their teas (magic moon?) which was tasty. My companion had a macchiato which looked fantastic. The music was pretty bad (some kind of smooth listening radio?) but it was quiet enough to read and my friend tapped away at his laptop. As we were leaving, the man behind the counter (my guess is the owner) asked if we'd like to try some gelato. He gave us each a large spoonful of each of the three flavors that day: strawberry, vanilla chai latte, and chocolate almond fudge. The strawberry was a bit tart for me (think less real strawberry flavor and more strawberry lemonade.. it will be perfect in the summer), but the two cream-based gelatos were perfect. Real flavors (not obviously artificial tasting like at the former Cafe Giuliani) and the right texture. This is some of the best gelato I've had in the states! I can't wait to try their food. Be warned: they have strange hours as mentioned before... so don't plan on staying late!
Also: keep your receipt.. save 10 and get a free gelato or fruit smoothie (I almost didn't notice.. this is printed on the receipt and the owner didn't mention it)