Bar none, this is my favorite Coffee house in the Charlotte metro area. They capture the neighborhood feel of NoDa perfectly. Having recently moved out of the area the one thing that I miss THE most are my daily trips to Smelly Cat.
I have been coming here for many years and I have to say that the group of people that work here are amazing. Forgive me if I misspell anyone's name....Tony seems to have the roasting business mastered as he roasts all of their beans in house. Not only do I go for a cup daily but I also buy all of my beans for home from here. Tony really influenced my love for this place as he immediately learned my name , my favorite type of roast and it felt to me like each time I stepped in the door that I received amazing service from him. This stretches throughout all of the staff ( the Rachels are the same, super attentive , wonderfully kind and they go out of their way to make my visits great). On top of this the owner is a frequent face within Smelly Cat and within the local NoDa community. She is as pleasant as anyone I have met and I can tell that she has put her stamp on the culture of this business. I sometimes wonder how they are able to keep such a quality staff of people as you don't find this within many businesses, it clearly stands out!
I will be ordering all of my beans on line from now on and I have already figured out a away to steer my workday through NoDa a couple times a week just so I can still enjoy my favorite spot. The atmosphere is great, the staff are great and the coffee is great...thanks Smelly Cat crew!!!
-Cameron