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| - Next Coffee is a difficult place to rate. It has some things I like, and some things I really don't. Overall, it balances out to 3 stars for me.
First, the likes. I like that it's close to my house and that it's one of the few non-Starbucks coffee shops that braves the lousy coffee scene of the west valley. I also like the fact that they have a lot of space with various seating options, as well as large tables that lend themselves to laptop users.
Now, the dislikes. I don't like the fact that their baristas are not particularly competent. I often have received espresso shots which were not well pulled and over-steamed and over-frothed milk. Tiny bubbles, people! They're not just for champagne.
I'm not a huge fan of the pastries either. I haven't had anything which really wowed me. Sometimes I've had the feeling that the pastries have been out all day and become a little dry and stale. Other times I get the feeling that they're just not that great tasting.
Next serves actual food such as salads, sandwiches and they now have beer and wine as well. I admit I haven't tried any of this, but I do wonder what Next's focus is. The environment and ambiance doesn't really seem to be the coffee and wine bar type, so I have the feeling that Next is trying to be all things to all people, but not exactly succeeding.
Overall, the convenience of Next's proximity to my home will probably keep me coming here on a semi-regular basis. But when I want the coffeehouse experience I really enjoy, I'll keep heading to my favorite places in Tempe or CenPho.
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