hey y’all,

i need a little change of pace, so i’m launching what i hope is the first of many coffee review editions of sweet tea & kalamansi. i’m playing with the title, but so far i’ve got “kuya kapé dispatch”. it likely won’t just be coffee, since i love an eclectic cocktail and wine bar every now and then. if i can drink it, i’ll probably tell you about it.

my local coffee crew here in the triangle consists of my husband, otto, and my dear friends megan and joelle. we fancy ourselves café/coffeeshop connoisseurs, but only otto is actually a professional. they are a certified roaster and professionally trained barista, so really they’re the one with the real opinion, but i like to think i have coffee chops too after 10 years in the industry.

we spent a day exploring some local spots in the downtown raleigh area, since i don’t venture out of durham that often. herein you’ll find my reviews! i’m ranking them on a few criteria:

1. is it a coffee shop or a restaurant that sells coffee?

2. coffee quality

3. atmosphere/ambiance

4. service

5. that little something extra

please enjoy!

heirloom 4/5

what i ordered: heirloom breakfast baguette, ube mochi donut, banana bread cold brew.

1. this was a restaurant that also served coffee. this is a ding for me, because i am the type of person who prefers a coffee-specific establishment. it was fairly busy, too, since it was a saturday morning and the people were out in droves for brunch. but it was the first stop of the day and we were HUNGRY.

2. i was impressed with their cold brew. the banana bread syrup was strong and sweet, but it didn’t totally overpower the cold brew. plus, a bad batch is discernible to me no matter how sweet the syrup is. it was bright and citrusy, but not astringent. there was a juicy mouth feel; almost tea like. next time, i do think i’ll go half sweet and get a little less cream.

3. it is absolutely gorgeous in here. lots of natural sunlight, eggshell walls with bright pops of gold, orange, and pink everywhere. they have custom mugs and glasses with their logo on them, and to-go cups to match. their tables are long and shiny white, with tan booths and modern white acrylic chairs. i could definitely see myself spending all day here.

4. our cashier was extremely kind and knowledgeable, and our food and drinks came out fairly quickly. but, it is a walk-up style where you place your order and are given a number to take to your table. there was no system to rotate tables, so there was no guarantee you’d get one. that caused a bit of stress for us, since we weren’t planning to take it to go. i’d say to go early in the morning, or go during the week to avoid not having anywhere to sit.

5. they have a custom a cool-tone pink espresso machine with their name on it right at the counter, and i’m obsessed.

tldr; coffee and sandwich was delicious, atmosphere was clean and inviting, staff were friendly, and the brand is very strong. it is very annoying to navigate if it’s busy or you’re trying to have a sit down meal. overall, i do recommend!

little native 2.5/5

what i ordered: vanilla cappuccino.

1. this was a coffee shop! a little hole-in-the-wall style, with a speakeasy bookstore nook that sold local art. all they had was coffee and pastries, which is my kind of place.

2. okay, so… i’m so sorry but the coffee isn’t good. and that’s the reason for the score. everything else about it was perfect, but if the coffee isn’t good, it doesn’t matter. the espresso was over roasted and under extracted. it was bitter, but also watery somehow. it’s possible it was an off day, but i’m not inclined to try again.

3. i loved the aesthetic of this place. it is dark and moody, with black paint, earth toned furniture, and a charming enclosed garden area out back. there’s a skylight right over the cash register, and it brings this old library-esque charm to the experience. the alcove off the right is filled with soft bean bags and antique style tables with a built-in bookshelf. it is the perfect place to spend the day working or reading, undisturbed. i felt whisked away.

4. our cashier was delightfully welcoming and warm. she complimented my sweater as i was checking out, and answered my questions. otto ordered a single espresso and a single traditional macchiato. she did not seem to fully understand the order, but she didn’t ask additional questions. we could hear her and the barista trying to figure out what it was they actually wanted. i think some additional espresso training would probably go a long way.

5. i really did feel like i was in a secret garden the whole time we were there, and they had a flyer for a poetry reading in the bathroom! i love any place that supports the arts.

tldr; little native is style over substance. while i enjoyed spending time there, i did not enjoy drinking their coffee, so i do not recommend. maybe only for a poetry night, where drinking coffee is not required.

the optimist 3/5

what i ordered: golden milk latte, goat cheese and fig jam english muffin.

1. despite them having a functional kitchen and a food menu, i still think the optimist qualifies for coffee shop status. i didn’t get the sense that people go there for breakfast or lunch; it is a hang out spot that has small plates in case you get peckish during your stay. this is a win, in my book.

2. this is tricky. i didn’t like my golden milk latte. it was somehow both bland and over-steeped. what i’m looking for in a golden milk latte is a cream-forward mouthfeel, warming spices, and a tingle on my tongue from the turmeric. this just tasted like spicy water. but! joelle’s latte was delicious. the espresso was smooth and thick, rich but not bitter. the syrup-to-milk-to-espresso ratio was perfect. i would go back and order espresso next time.

3. at first glance, the optimist is beautiful. it reminded me of one of my favorite coffee shops in PA, char & stave. pennants on the wall, lots of plants, dark moody tones and industrial tables. the bathrooms had bright white and gold hexagon tiles. but, unfortunately, it was quite dirty. there were crumbs everywhere, the water glasses had soap scum and caked-on detritus from the dishwasher, and there was trash and sticky drink rings on all the tables. i would understand if it was busy, but ours was one of only 3 occupied tables.

4. this was the worst service we received by far. our cashier was not welcoming, did not want to answer our questions, and was exasperated when bringing things to our table. and look, i worked in coffee and food service for 10 years. i get it. i know it’s exhausting, i know people suck, i know sometimes you’re just having a shit day. i know you don’t get paid enough. to this day, i believe that choosing to enjoy your day and choosing to engage with customers in the way you would want them to engage with you makes the shift better (and faster!). some of my favorite shifts ever were ones where i befriended a customer or taught them something about coffee. attitude is never a big enough reason for me not to go back somewhere, but it is enough for me to remember the attitude.

5. they had a coat rack and a board game wall, which was a nice touch.

tldr; this vibes were rank and the tables were dirty, but the espresso is good. i would come back and order to-go, but i don’t think i would sit in next time. not sure i recommend, but i’m not actively deterring you either.

takeaways

the best spot out of the 3 was heirloom by far, but i wasn’t blown away by any of them. i’m still on the hunt for another high-quality coffee shop in the triangle area. so far, the only one that measures up is omie’s. the triangle coffee scene is not lacking in aesthetic, but the product leaves something to be desired. we have a whole spreadsheet full of places left to try, though, so i’m sure i’ll find one! if you have recommendations, please let me know.

enjoy these extra bits and bobs from the day out, too <33

xoxo,

kuya von