Java Shack
The new kids on the block, Dartmouth’s Java Shack are doing a lot of great things from mouth-watering food, friendly service, devilish pastries, drinks which include Kombucha on tap, and much more. What matters in my life is the quality of espresso and whether they “pull” a decent one. Why, yes. Yes, they do.
Don’t be fooled: Java Shack might be the newest addition to the cafe scene, but the entire staff – owners, chef, and baristas – are veterans who know their stuff. They know the best bean to buy, the proper grind, and how to make it consistently perfect. With welcoming faces and equally warm decor, you can sip the world’s worries away.
Starbucks
Don’t hate me. Starbucks provides a great working space, always working WiFi, friendly baristas and rewards for free food and drinks. OK, I’m a sellout.
While I don’t order the traditional espresso here, I also don’t order the venti iced caramel unicorn Macchiato, 2 shots of vanilla creme, extra extra Stevia, 1 Raw Sugar, Sweet & Low, splash of soy, splash of almond Frappuccino, shaken, not stirred. This is the only place where I get my espresso iced. I get the iced Double Shot Espresso, which is actually 5 shots when you order it in the venti size. So, it’s like an iced quintuple shot espresso.
Outside of selling soul to the devil myself for rewards, this drink is actually delicious and I’ve convinced a few other souls to try it and sell their own souls.