Erie Island produces great espresso drinks and seems to do so very consistently. They are giving Phoenix some serious competition, which is encouraging to see in the Cleveland metro. Phoenix outperforms them in making my litmus-test drink, the short (8 oz) latte (though I will admit that from time to time Phoenix's baristas seem to get flustered by large crowds and the drink quality can suffer). Also, Erie Island is not a roaster like Phoenix is--they are only a coffee house. I think to truly compete as an expert in this space you need to roast your own coffee.
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Why am I qualified to give this review? I am an espresso fanatic, perhaps even a connoisseur. I've had my fair share of espresso in Italy (over the course of 15 years), I've sampled drinks from countless coffee houses across the U.S. I have a professional-grade espresso machine in my home, and as a hobby am working toward personal mastery in creating espresso drinks (not there yet).