Comments on: Starbucks: Putting a lid on it

by: Mike Dillion

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:48:52 +0000

I’ll say it again–we need a Daily Grind here in the Charleston area. They are hands down better than Starbucks.

by: Lydia

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 20:16:27 +0000

as a general rule, I don’t buy Starbucks because a) I have issues with their business practices (long story; search ‘em on corpwatch.com), b) I think their flavored drinks are ridiculously sweet, and c) I hate the whole concept of the pod-making espresso machine. in addition to all of that, I prefer the European style espresso bar where two shots in a 12 oz. cup is standard (paying extra for it always makes me wince). if I’m in a strange place and need coffee, I may go there because you have a pretty good idea of what you’re going to get. however, I have issues with buying espresso downtown. Sophia’s is consistently pretty good (I love the mocha) but you still get a burnt aftertaste sometimes — it seems like no one around here rinses their filters after brewing a shot, which results in a really nasty burnt aftertaste (more common at Capitol Roasters than anywhere else) which espresso is NOT supposed to have. I never knew that I could enjoy a plain latte until I started working at Ellen’s and she showed me how to make them — she’s very anal about rinsing the filters, so now I am too. so as a general rule, I make my own espresso drinks, and if I’m going for coffee anywhere else I just get regular old drip. Taylor’s dark roast is usually decent in the morning.
wow, I made that long… sorry. I’m slightly obsessed with the coffee scene in Charleston.

by: Brooke A. Brown

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:00:21 +0000

d.o.l. - Sophia’s is fantastic. Read this old post and the comments for more coffee-talk than Linda Richman could ever ask for!

by: demosthenes.or.locke

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:52:44 +0000

Has anyone tried the place in the bottom of the 5th 3rd center? Sophia’s, maybe? I figured it was probably the equal to capital roasters, but i’ve never been in to give it a shot.

by: Raging Red

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:06:56 +0000

Now if only someone would give the rest of the baristas in town an espresso boot camp. In my experience the quality of the coffee beverages at the downtown coffee joints is hit & miss.

by: Brooke A. Brown

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:56:12 +0000

The pastries are certainly bland and usually dry, not unlike a Triscuit snack cracker. However, their molasses cookie is phenomenal, that is, when they have ‘em.

Miss S makes a fine point re: Starbucks’ consistency. I just wonder if this “Re-Boot” Camp is more for big-city stores with heavy traffic (thus necessitating a complementary, across-the-street store) than it is for the handful of W.Va. locations. Hmmmmmm…

by: The Lovely Miss S

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:46:54 +0000

Interesting, since one of the things I think of when I think of Starbucks is consistency. Sort of makes me want to visit our Town Center location tomorrow to see if my fave Soy Latte is any better.

by: admin

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:46:27 +0000

Read through the comments to the link on “Here are the details.” I agree wholeheartedly with the stale, cardboardy quality of Starbucks un-yummy pastries. And fi upon their overly expensive wi-fi (which should be free). I do buy some of their whole bean coffee and appreciate having a port in the storm to sit and read in the wastelands of mall strips. But their recently added pod-making espresso machines have made their high-test stuff coffee blander. The barrista is dead in Starbucksland. | Doug