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| - I can hardly imagine that you can find a place that takes coffee so seriously in all of Pittsburgh. The staff are all really knowledgeable about their products and their craft. The drinks that I have ordered (typically espresso based drinks) are quite delicious. If you are a fan of hot chocolate, theirs is the best I've ever tasted.
The atmosphere of the shop is pretty good. If you are planning to sick around, there is a loft upstairs with seating, a few tables on the first floor, a bar area against the window to stand, and bistro tables outside. There is good light from the large windows and good music that help the ambiance.
Ordering and waiting for your drink gets a bit cramped up because of the layout of the space (and honestly, this is where the shop does not clinch that last star for me). They use a brewing method of pour over, so it seems the drinks take a bit longer to make. Literally every single time I go to 21st Street Coffee, someone grabs my drink from the pickup counter because the ordering/waiting for your drink to come up process is a bit awkward due to the shotgun (i.e. skinny) layout of the shop. What is even more awkward is when you have to explain to your fellow customer that was behind you in line that they just picked up your drink, and since I am admittedly not the most forward person, it is something that I deeply dislike dealing with when trying to relax and get a coffee. Perhaps associating a name with the order would help this process?
Regardless, it is definitely worth a visit to the 21 Street Coffee and Tea shop for a delicious coffee and you'll be treated with the fruits of labor from real coffee craftsmen.
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