First visit to this location and I believe Franklin Square is one of the nicest little areas in Syracuse. The cafe was slow upon our arrival and I ordered a small Cappuccino ($5.94) and it was excellent. Location has a small outdoor patio which is very nice and the inside is beautiful with the brick walls and large windows. The only reason this wasn't a 5* review is the service we received. When someone is waiting on you and their not paying attention to you or your order, too busy restocking cup lids etc. Asking you to repeat yourself and not even looking at you.... that just takes away from the experience. . read more

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We are just visiting from out of state. This place has a nice feel to it and a great little outdoor seating area. Was raining but today though so seats weren't set up. Pretty are to stroll around in. I was really impressed with the friendliness and speediness of the barista. Hot espresso drinks ready in a flash! Maple spice latte is delicious. read more

Freedom of Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Stopped in after a wedding at the park across the street. Cute little outside seating area along with the brick building aesthetic really gives a vibe. Inside they had some listings for classic drinks as well as some specials . Being a fan of blueberry, I had to get that special. It was a hot day so I got it cold. For the last 10 minutes of the shift, coming in folks were friendly . Price was a bit expensive, but the latte was delicious. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area. read more

Freedom of Espresso - Blueberry Latte Special - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Highly recommended. Wonderful coffee shop. Neat, clean, and very welcoming. Super friendly staff and good selection of coffee. One of the few coffee shops that have serves one of each roast levels: light, medium, and dark. I went with the light roast Ethiopian coffee and it was delicious. Highly recommended. read more

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Absolutely horrible customer service at all of their shops. Do not try to order anything within fifteen minutes of closing-you'll be told the machine has been shut down. read more

Went on a Friday afternoon. Loved the ambiance of this quaint coffee shop. Will definitely be back. We sat outside and for a moment we felt like we were in a different town. Great escape. read more

Butterscotch iced coffee was good and sweet. I loved the inside and outside parts of the cafe. Staff was very friendly read more

Freedom of Espresso - a hand holding a cup of iced coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Syracuse, New York

This is one of my favorite coffee shops to study at! Good table set up, outlets are accessible, and of course amazing coffee. I most recently got the snickerdoodle latte which had just the perfect amount of sweetness to it. I usually go on the weekends and spend my afternoons there which aren't that crowded. I was just there on a Friday during the morning and it was a little more packed and loud, so the atmosphere definitely varies depending on the time you go. Overall I love coming to this place if I want to be productive and treat myself to a fancy coffee. read more

Freedom of espresso on solar street right In Franklin Square, is one of the best coffee shops in Syracuse. Th selection of flavors and different drinks is huge in fact they have four flavors of sugar-free flavoring that you could add to any coffee usually most places only have one sugar-free flavor that would be vanilla but freedom of espresso has vanilla caramel hazelnut and a 4th flavor. I love going there and grabbing a cold brew and walking around the creek walk & Franklin Square it's definitely a great great location and a great coffee! I wanted to add that they also have CBD additive that you could add to your coffee, delicious & relaxing read more

Freedom of Espresso - Cold brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Needed a place to chill and visit with family and this was close by. So glad we tried it out. It was very quiet so we were able to sit and chat for quite awhile. I had the chai tea latte which was very good - not overwhelmingly spicy which can be an issue sometimes. Really interesting building and quaint atmosphere. Have definitely bookmarked for future visits. read more

A local chain... Ice coffee brewed great, $3 for a small ice coffee is a bit steep in my opinion. None the less I really enjoy this location. Very clean, comfortable seating and not noisy at all. Bathrooms are clean and always free of vagrants. I do not reside in the area, but it would be cool if they hosted more events. read more

Freedom of Espresso - Iced coffee in a mug. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Great drinks, great location. When I lived in Syracuse and would walk the creek walk, FOE was always a nice place to stop for a coffee or tea. Especially because it is right across from Franklin Square! It is absolutely beautiful in the spring and summer. The inside seating areas are nice; the whole place has an industrial aesthetic and they have a few leather chairs if you're lucky to get there first. read more

I love coffee shops, like, individualistic, eccentric, trendy, hipster coffee shops. I think there are a few elements I critique when I'm at any local coffee shop: decor/atmosphere, service, drinks/food, and price. Decor/atmosphere: lots of space, large windows open to the stunning Franklin Square. There are a couple of couches, a bar for sugar, cream, straws, napkins, lids, etc. The majority of seating is located on a lower floor (just a couple steps down) and it's perfect for sipping lattes whilst reading, or working on your laptop. Honestly, one the best coffee settings I've seen. Love the location and peaceful ambience. Also, free WiFi! Service: there were two girls working. Both appeared attentive, helpful, and ready. I asked the cashier her favorite drink, and she was informative and kind. Drinks: two menus of hot or cold beverages. Fun names, like Poor Man's Mocha. They had iced coffee, lattes, this lavender chai tea I wanted to try, but I didn't because I'm a wimp. Many syrups: hazelnut, vanilla, toffee nut, and some really interesting and unfamiliar flavors I want to try next time. On the right hand side was a pastry case with scones, muffins, cookies, and other treats to satisfy/accompany your hunger/coffee. I had the hazelnut iced coffee (recommended by my barista) and the berry scone. The coffee was just sweet enough (the syrup settles at the bottom, so make sure to give it a good swirl/stir) and they had some liquid cane sugar at the bar in case the sweetener wasn't enough. I think this was delightful as it wasn't overly sweet and there was a hint of hazelnut that was never artificial-tasting. The scone was light, airy, and tender. It had a crunchy-sugar top, and the inside was specked with red and blue berries. Super fluffy! I believe my total came to $7 something. It wasn't terrible, but of course, if you're in any city, expect the prices to be a bit higher. I really loved Freedom of Espresso, and I will totally be back again; though, I might mix it up and try their other locations. read more

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Visited the Village of Liverpool location this morning for the 1st time. I had a stroller and the person working was kind enough to direct me to a second entrance that was stroller friendly. I asked them what they recommended and it was suggested I try an iced mocha with caramel and coconut and a ginger cookie...both were delicious! Will be back after the friendly service and sweet treats :) read more

My new favorite coffee shop in Syracuse! They have a robust variety of flavor options, which is the most important thing for me. The atmosphere is also beautiful, with industrial architecture and a lot of bright green plants inside, and the music is not too loud. I enjoy working here, but I've also been lucky that it hasn't been crowded because only certain tables have access to power outlets. The baristas are SUPER friendly! The last time I went, one of the baristas suggested an additional syrup for my drink that I hadn't tried before (I enjoy a less common flavor) and it was delicious!! Definitely stop by if you're in the area. read more

It is one of the most beautiful places in the fall. The atmosphere is wonderful, and it's perfect for studying. There is outdoor seating and indoor seating. Plain lattes are definitely really boring, though. Their london fog is definitely my favorite. read more

Went on Monday morning to grab a spot outside my house to study. Got an iced coffee with caramel and oat milk, and I did not like it at all. The caramel flavoring was not good and the drink itself had an almost chalk like texture. I liked the actual spot! It was well distanced, and had lots of outlets for doing work. Overall, did not enjoy the coffee (willing to try something new) but will be back for the actual spot to do work read more

First trip to Syracuse. FOE is situated in Franklin Square which is trendy, artful and architecturally interesting. Easy (free) parking, dog friendly, plenty of seating but only at tables (no comfy couches or anything like that). Free wifi. I worked on my laptop for a couple of hours amidst the murmur of weekend conversations. Coffee was terrific, price was fair (compared to SBUX), but was hoping for a few more food choices instead of biscotti and small scones. Counter staff was all business (which was fine, but since I was by myself, I was looking for just a little bit more interaction . . . "How's it going? Working on your laptop I see? What are your thoughts on bitcoin." Somethin', right?). Anyway, a fine coffee shop in a cool neighborhood. I'll swing in again when I'm in Syracuse next. read more

This Saturday's coffee break is brought to you by Freedom of Espresso. The place is named after espresso so I had to get an espresso based beverage. With the door being inches from the counter I felt rushed to make a decision so I went with the fail safe. A cappuccino and a bagel (pumpernickel). The cappuccino had a nice flavor but despite ordering for here came in a to go cup with a more airy foam than I prefer. The bagel however was tasty despite not being as soft as I prefer. We took a seat in the comfy chairs in the corner and relaxed for about an hour drinking our coffee and relaxing. The café is a little loud due to not having any rugs or window treatments to dampen the sound but it was defiantly inviting and comfortable place to spend a lazy Saturday morning. read more

Freedom of Espresso - Cappuccino and a pumpernickel bagel. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Syracuse, New York

This is a nice, quaint place with unique pastries across from Franklin Square park Lots of indoor seating, some outdoor seating. Friendly people here love the Zen drink with rose, free WiFi read more

Freedom of Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Very enjoyable and authentic coffee. Why go across the road to Starbucks for formulaic crap when you can get the reality here. Nice people and good product. Good croissants too. read more

Love this place. Random find on a random trip into Syracuse. In a really pretty spot in the city, town, brick buildings, beautiful fountain. Great spot to chill on a quiet Sunday morning and enjoy some sunshine and coffee. I got an iced latte that was good, but if you want a flavor shot I'd recommend going for a double shot. I asked for a shot of hazelnut and didn't taste the flavor at all. read more

The location looked especially beautiful today because of the Spring buds. It was seriously something out of a fairytale. Photographers were taking engagement/family/senior high school photos. People who I assume were influencers posed with their best duck faces in front of the foliage while taking selfies. We arrived at 11:45 as a sort pit stop from the Creekwalk. Ahead of us in line was a family of three. However, because this FOE was severely understaffed, it took a VERY long time for the trio to get their order and even longer for us to get two small drip coffees and a bagel. And as the minutes passed by, more and more patrons filed in. We felt sorry for the one girl who was working there. She soldiered on and was incredibly nice to everyone, but she was clearly overwhelmed. I read in previous reviews that this coffee shop did a good job with COVID protocols, but I didn't see anything particularly outstanding. And to be honest, I think the employee's attention was mostly on attending to everyone's orders rather than enforcing social distancing. The toasted bagel was decent and the coffee was just OK. I'm sure many would say there is not contest, but I've had better at the little bodegas in Brooklyn. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here again unless I happen to be on the Creekwalk and was in need of a maintenance cup of coffee. read more

This very cool little spot is in the same building as my friend's loft and does a great latte. The space itself, as are most of the spaces in these factory turned lofts, is very interesting and seems like a nicer place to hang out and read the paper or surf the web than the typical Starbucks. Also bonus points for the very personable young lady behind the counter. She engaged everyone who came in to order and seemed like she was enjoying herself, which always helps set the mood in a place like this. She was cute too, which never hurts :) So good coffee, cheaper than Starbucks and in a interesting location. Win, win and win! read more

Great building, great space. This place has a lot of potential. But the coffee and service are mediocre. The coffee I received was just above lukewarm, nowhere near hot. It's a decent brew, but right temperature is a must. And when you get charged $2.90 for a medium, you expect it to be good. Further, it seemed like I was interrupting the barista to put in my order, and there was no one else in line. She was simply putting stuff away. I guess if I'm desperate and in the area I'll try it again, but certainly won't be going out of my way to come back. read more

I usually L-O-V-E this place, because it is so chill and quiet and an awesome place to work. The people who usually frequent this place are PhD students, SU grad students, and locals who love to quietly and respectfully read the paper and drink delicious iced drinks. They have day-old bagels and muffins here for $1 a pop and those make a tasty study break snack. It's definitely my top choice coffee shop to frequent when I actually have serious work to do. EXCEPT for those days when a rowdy, drunk wedding party decides to come inside and drink beer and talk loudly and not buy any coffee/tea and the staff don't do anything about it. I watched people leave almost immediately because the noise levels got ridiculous. To recap: 98% of the time = 5 stars, "as good as it gets!" The few times when it's overrun by drunk, obnoxious frat boys/men in tuxes = seethingly terrible, avoid at all costs (I actually saw people high-five each other when the wedding party finally vacated the premises). read more

I'm an avid coffee shop hopper, and this is my favorite spot in Syracuse to hang out and get work done. The coffee is organic and chemical free, and they do a great job with espresso drinks. I feel like the true test for a coffee roaster is if their decaf is good, and FOE passes the test! It's nice having this place so close to home; I would choose their coffee over Starbucks any day of the week. read more

Freedom of Espresso - Latte art! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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drinks are to die for, and the staff really makes you feel welcomed. and the park across the street is perfect to check out while you sip

This is a nice space in a very nice square (though the space could use a good design update). As I'm allergic to coffee I drink black tea, though not the dominant beverage in the US, certainly not an obscure one. I can't tell you the number of times I've come here and been told that they're out of black tea. And when they do have it, they charge me a different amount every time. They've also hired some pretty surly staff in the past . Off to Cafe Kubal where the tea is better and they've never run out of it. read more

Pretty decent latte and OK service. I went when at an off time, so things were pretty slow. As another reviewer mentioned, without much music, the place feels really dead. Otherwise, the seating is ample and the place is nicely decorated. Outdoor seating and free WiFi make this place a pretty attractive coffee spot. read more

yes. Nearly always, I stop by when I'm walking my dog, (they are allowed to come in when you're ordering to-go) Staff will even offer your pet a treat, it's very cool. Great pastry and iced coffee, great patio in warm weather, wish that there were more places like it. read more

I thought the coffee had improved a bit since my last visit. The selection of food items was a bit sparse. Also the barista seemed overwhelmed at times. read more

Really good, well made latte, nice atmosphere. I met a knitting club here on Saturday and really enjoyed it! Thanks for the nice space. read more

Our latte's tasted like chemicals. Kind of like cleaning solution or something along those lines. But definitely should not of tasted like that. Not sure what else to say here other than that. read more

Met up with someone yesterday at Freedom of Expresso for a meeting. I love this atmosphere, the coffee is wonderful and the vibe is cool and comfortable! This location is in Franklin Square and very charming. It is a great place to meet up for a meeting or with friends! I highly recommend it! read more

I hate having such high standards for coffee sometimes. This place is great, but the coffee isn't awesome. I love the atmosphere and the staff are super friendly. They have a decent selection of teas as well which is definitely a plus and that's what I elect to get there most of the time because the coffee just doesn't cut it for me. The lack of a variety pastries is sort of a letdown too. This is a great cafe to go study in or read a book. Location is amazing, right in Franklin Square. I go here often and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good hangout spot. read more

Quiet cute place in the middle of Franklin Square in Syracuse. I was meeting someone here to discuss a business opportunity. Nice place for a casual meeting over coffee. I got the coconut cafe au lait which is half coffee half steamed milk. I got mine with soy milk. It was pretty good. Lots of foam just the way I like it. I feel like it goes have more potential though to be cooler. This is Syracuse the land of modern hip stuff. I drove 40 minutes to come to this location. Just was expecting more! I think they may have other locations around the city that might be more "wow" factor. read more

I love this FOE. During the COVID pandemic they have done a nice job of reorganizing to ensure safety and cleanliness. They have easy marks on the floor as well as plexiglass, though it's not obstructive or difficult. The coffee and croissants are fabulous, as always. The staff are friendly, funny, and good at their jobs! read more

Conveniently located off the freeway. Cute spot with outdoor seating in what looks like a gentrified neighborhood of Syracuse (but I don't know much about this city -- was just driving through -- so could be totally wrong). Ordered tea, coffee and cookies. The cookies looked better than they tasted (a little too sweet for my taste). The staff was crunchy, seemed kind of out of it. Had a big selection of tea and coffee drinks. read more

First-rate coffee infrastructure (Synesso, etc.) is somewhat undermined by inconsistently-skilled staff. One barista's espresso will be fabulous--the next one's will be terrible. Makes it hard to go since you might get something you don't want to drink. That being said, it's a great atmosphere, and even the bad barista is friendly, so if you care more about the experience than the coffee, it's a win. read more