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| - Solo Cafe makes good coffee, has good ambiance, and the baristas are friendly and quick to give suggestions or advice. I like small local coffee shop. I especially like small local coffee shops with consistently good espresso and customer service. Since I drink double espressos, Americanos, or black coffee exclusively, my review of this coffee shop has absolutely no bearing on how good their sweetened milky drinks taste.
Espresso is the base for any latte style drink - and Solo Cafe makes good espresso. Not earth shatteringly great espresso - but good, consistent, chocolatey espresso. They get their coffee beans from a local roaster (Cortez Coffee) and use the Primo Espresso blend that is constantly being updated and improved by the roasters. The taste varies based on where the beans originate (Colombia and Cameroon blend as of this post) but the shots always taste balanced. Espresso is bold, chocolatey, smooth, and finishes mildly fruity with low acidity. Americanos are also smooth and easy to drink. My wife drinks Americanos with a splash of half and half and either raw sugar or agave and she gives quite the rave review.
The shop itself is quaint and inviting with couches and tables to hang out, study, or read. The baristas are friendly and interesting; the artwork is edgy and fun; and the overall environment lends itself to a variety of crowds without alienating anybody. The line has never been long and the drinks come out quickly. Overall, I would say that this is a fine example of what a local coffee shop should strive to be. Forget the self-righteous, hipster infested, elitist coffee houses that hail from the the newest northeastern coffee movement -- this place makes you feel right at home.
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