Coffee or tea in a place most people wouldn't think is a college town - 1 of 2…read more This coffeehouse, Rise and Grind, came up on a search when I was in this immediate area. I chuckle at all the names coffeehouses come up with that have the word grind or ground in them. It's a lot like how places that cut hair seem to work in the word(s) sheer and/or shear. The college here is private Baldwin-Wallace University which may have had a religious denomination closer to its founding, but, at this juncture, appears to be more secular. It's actually a few miles east of Rise and Grind, closer to the older town center, and offers instruction in a broader range of fields than one might expect. I saw that this coffeehouse got very good reviews and, with its big parking lot near a major gym, I thought I'd take a look. Parking was easy and, upon entering, one sees it's both a physically and personally welcoming place. The store is lengthy, so one can sit in the front half or the back half, which is more suitable for larger groups, but I chose the table I selected for its proximity to outlets and the counter. On what was a warmer day, I opted for iced tea and an orange frosted donut. The brand of unsweetened iced tea was very good and the orange donut was delicious. I could have eaten another one. Beyond chocolate donuts, this is probably my favorite flavor and one doesn't often come across orange frosted donuts. The service was very amicable. The prices are in line with what others running independent coffeehouses would charge. In fact, I'm starting to like independent coffeehouses more and more for a multitude of reasons, one being that they now handily compete with the chains and have more character. Rise and Grind falls in between 4 and 5 stars, but it tilts to 5 stars because of the tidiness and pleasing ambiance of the store, the apparent vibe that this is a labor of love for the proprietors, and even for having that orange frosted donut.

Solid coffee, great owner, nice location…read more Looking for a fancy coffee spot, this was the king open local shop during Memorial Day weekend. Made the trek to give them a try. Inside is decorated well. Very modern and very tasteful. Only people inside were emts and the owner. We talked briefly and they are a veteran owned coffee shop promoting another veterans coffee beans. Always love to support local business, so it was nice to talk turkey a bit. Got a donut and a latte. Everything was quick to deliver and I took pics and dug in. Donut was okay, soft but older. Flavor was good strong maple but consistency was too bready for my liking. The coffee was great. A honey lavender latte with the right flavor notes but still had a pronounced coffee bite. It was well balanced and very tasty. It's a nice local coffee shop, with strong coffee but knowledgeable staff and balanced flavors. Worth a try if you're around

I was meeting friends at Red Cedar without realizing they only had a few benches outside for…read moreseating. They mainly a coffee roasting facility. They have a drive thru and walk up inside. We were visiting because they are part of the Cleveland Cafe Passport. The staff were friendly and helpful. Now that I know I will go thru the drive thru. I did get a small drip. The coffee was very good.

It's Christmas in July at Red Cedar Coffee company, a small batch specialty coffee roaster in…read moreBerea! Limited roast Jingle Bell Java is available while supplies last! Check out their summer coffee available by the pound: Blueberry Cobbler, Cold Brew Blend, & Campfire Memories! Drive Thru available and a few benches outside to enjoy your brew. Seasonal Drinks: Iced Blueberry Chai S'mores Cookie Mocha

Today was a better day here. The food was amazing and the ambiance was great as well. As we were…read morethere eating our brunch and drinking my Americano Coffee, I looked out the window and snowflakes were falling. I was transported to some other place and time. The service was pretty fast and it was pretty full.

Pricy, big portions, good flavors…read more Wanted to try something a bit fancy while out and about in Ohio. This place came out as a local crepe place, and that sounded good to me. Inside is very spacious, homey but modern. There was a lot to consider, but they advertised as a crepe place so I opted for a savory and sweet crepe plus a croissant to go. Plus some macaroons because why not? Got to watch my crepes come to life, and food got dropped relatively quickly. Took pics and dug in. The crepes were fairly large and had pronounced flavors. The Paris crepe was citrusy and sugary in the right ways. The whipped cream was of low quality though, leave a film on top of the pallet and the propellant was bitter which makes the whipped cream taste cheap and out of a can. The savory crepe was odd. The presentation made it look like a sweet crepe, but it was balsamic glaze. It worked with the filling but threw off my expectations. It was funky, cheesy, and very savory. Needed a little salt to help make the cheese flavor pop. The croissants are gigantic. Did not expect as big of one for the price. Was suppose to be pistachio flavored cream but it was more almond flavored. Think they tried to use extract and lost the flavor with the sweet. The macaroons were okay, little crumbly and also lacked flavor. Not bad, but not with the price. Everything came out to about 45 bucks, so a bit pricy but the portions were large. I would expect a bit more punch in flavors for the money, but it wasn't too bad given the size. It's good crepes, and great portions. Needs better quality control on their flavors but if they can fine tune that then this would be an easy recommendation. Right now, it's fun to try but might be not to everyone's taste

Nestled with walking distance of Baldwin Wallace, Cafe Ah Roma is bustling with students and…read morelocals alike. Whether you are grabbing a coffee and muffin, curling up with a book or doing homework this is the blend to be. They offer a variety of sandwiches, pastries, bagels, coffees and teas, just a little bit for everyone. We opted for bagel sandwiches made to order, simple no fuss and delicious. The chai was perfect...extra hot spicy and full of nutmeg just the way I like it.

Coffee or tea in a place most people wouldn't think is a college town - 2 of 2…read more In downtown Berea and not far from small private Baldwin Wallace University is this independent and popular coffeehouse. It's popular with students, with educators, with local residents, and with whomever has had it recommended to them ... like me. I have had two people tell me about Cafe Ah-Roma and one was a local friend who now prefers coffeehouses in suburbs closer to the lake. Regardless, everyone you ask about it seems to know exactly where Cafe Ah-Roma is. When first told about it, I thought it had something to do with Rome. It then became very obvious it's a play on the word aroma that will additionally have you making an "ah" sound for relief and/or elation. The interior is comfortable like an old shoe and, based on the postings, art work, and vibe, the store has real connectedness to its community. Note that this area leans slightly liberal but not ridiculously so. That means you might even see a Karen or two in here. Also, true to the notion that "culture comes from the top down," the staff that helps you, often students, are very polite and customer-focused when the chain coffeehouses are almost at the point of sliding things at you. These are good values that the owners are passing on to employees and, here, it's about the customers. They want to know that you are happy with your purchase. I want to add that, to go with your coffee or tea, they have cookies, pastries, or could put together something savory for you. In my case, I added a tomato basil bagel with a vegetable spread that they made for me. It's all good. The prices for menu items are also fair. This coffeehouse is in the suburb immediately south of the international airport. Only a few hotels are north of CLE, with most of them being south in Berea or Middleburg Heights. If staying at a nearby hotel, this locale is nearby. Cafe Ah-Roma is for everyone and the broad customer base is really interesting. In more temperate weather, there are exterior chairs and tables under the covered walkway to nearby stores. The interior is fairly spacious and bright. In closing, Ah-Roma deserves high marks for being a good coffeehouse (4 stars) and then some, hence 5 stars.

I really thought Sips n Such was just a coffeehouse. I don't drink coffee, so I haven't paid…read moreattention to any hip coffee spots. I'm so glad to have been wrong! Table for one please! I stopped in last minute while out running errands. I was seated immediately on a busy Saturday late morning and greeted right after. The menu is fantastic. Great options, wonderful seasonal specials. (Short rib omelette?! Hell yes!) I wanted basic, so I built my own omelette with a side of bacon and a hot tea. They have a great drink menu- coffee, specialty cocoas, tea, cocktails, mocktails, and refreshers. I was on my way to see a friend, so I grabbed us each a refresher to go. My meal was out in just minutes. Expertly prepared, fresh and delicious. Also a very nice portion. Sourdough toast was excellent. Generous filling for the omelette too. The only drawback was a common plight for strip mall restaurants- entrance that opens straight into the dining room. No foyer or vestibule means the cold January air nipped you in the face every time that front door opened. On cold days, get a table in the back. I'd like to highlight the mocktail concept, too. I often want a spirited drink but don't imbibe booze often. I love that they have offerings. The entire staff was so nice and helpful. I can't wait to come back!

Stopped by for a quick breakfast while visiting the area on a business trip. Definitely better than…read moreyour typical breakfast joint. The eggs were served as requested. It was to be able to add avocado as a side too.

I don't do reviews, usually, but feel the need to for Roasted. It is without a doubt my favorite…read morecoffee place in NE Ohio. The coffee/tea is top quality and the baristas make it perfectly, every time, no matter who is making it. The staff is also, incredibly friendly and personable, always making the trip a good one. I highly recommend Roasted. It is the best.

I love supporting local businesses. Roasted Coffee Shop is owned and operated by fellow North East…read moreOhioans. Hot or cold, coffee is always fresh and yummy. A hot breakfast sandwich with a medium latte (1 pump of brown sugar and extra shot of espresso) is my go to order and a great start to my day.

Not your typical coffee shop. It's a church with a coffee shop inside. They don't have a true…read moreespresso machine. It's all automatic. I ordered an espresso macchiato and really got more like a cappuccino. I tasted it and then re-ordered it the correct way. Neither one was very good. The first one had way too much almond milk in it. I could barely taste the coffee at all. The second one that was done right had a more acidic bitter taste to it. Not a very good cup of Espresso. The price was good though two dollars and change. The customers seemed happy and friendly. The employee was friendly and accommodating. She remade my espresso macchiato the proper way With a friendly kind demeanor. The inside of the church and the coffee shop are beautiful too bad they don't have a great cup of coffee though. you just can't get a great cup of coffee when you're not making the espresso from scratch with humans. Automated machines preset etc. never make an amazing cup of coffee or espresso. I would've given zero stars if I could for the cup of coffee but three stars for atmosphere and surroundings, hence one star since the main objective of the store is making a good cup of coffee.

Global Grounds is wonderful and perfect for a delicious cup of Coffee, Espressos, Cappuccinos from…read morecoffee grounds from all over the Earth. Perfect place to meet a friend, study or just relax. Free Wifi and Plenty of Power Outlets. The best part of it all, all profits go to Global Missions. God best great coffee and everyone who drinks it!

As always the food was delicious. I had the "lighter lunch." It is the house salad with sesame…read moreginger dressing and a baked sweet potato served with cinnamon butter. So good and just the right amount of food. Gabby served us and is always nice and easy to work with. The building is old and breezy and not anything to be done about that.

This place was fantastic! How quaint. Eclectic assortment of dishes and decor. I went here for my…read morebirthday lunch with a friend and we had a bit of a wait because it was so busy. Definitely worth it. Honesty was our waitress and she was fabulous. We dined downstairs and ordered French dip (the au jus was amazing) and club wrap. The sandwiches were amazing and the macaroni salad was very good with homemade pickles. We ordered tea and a lemon bar and Samoa cake for desert and it did not disappoint! We will definitely go again. What a great birthday lunch!

I visited on Christmas and received a very warm greeting when I came in. The gentleman was very…read morefriendly. He even came to the table during my visit to see how everything was. It was very nice to have personal interaction. I had seen on social media the S'mores Latte many times and wanted to try it. I was exited that it was able to be made dairy free so I ordered it with almond milk. I also ordered a dessert while I was there. The Kataifi topping had me sold. Both were very delicious. The latte was not strong like some other places would make it. There was a perfect portion of all the flavors; not too milky or overpowering with coffee. The dessert was very light and creamy. The topping also had honey which added to the deliciousness. I enjoy everything in-house while enjoying the atmosphere. It was very clean and relaxing. This is a great place to catch up with family or friends or enjoy some time alone. While I was there I downloaded the app on my phone that not only gives rewards but allowed you to order in advance.

We stopped if for a quick coffee and pastry. I appreciate the quality of the organic coffee served…read moreat Shibam. I ordered a Turkish coffee. The cardamom was very tasty. Having the option to order single servings or a whole pot is nice also. The service was very good. The server brought our drinks to the table. There were not many people there when we arrived around 10a. As we sat there the entire cafe filled up. It is definitely a popular spot for coffee. Overall the coffee is also reasonably priced. The decor in the cafe is very nice. The chairs were comfortable. We also saw the staff spraying air freshener on the artificial flowers. They pay attention to details.

Bright, open and full of local art, the staff is welcoming and attentive but our breakfast choices…read morewere just okay. We ordered two different Benedict plates, the smoked salmon and the Joe, with sausage. Our meal arrived, huge portions of Homefries, lacking in seasoning but nicely browned, the English muffins were toasted to hard which made cutting eggs Benedict a bit difficult and the hollandaise sauce got thicker the more it sat and was just okay, wish I would have got it on the side. The rest of the menu looked appealing enough, the eggs Benedict just want the go to for us.

My eggs benny was in A+ territory. My son had French toast with strawberries and cream. He seemed…read moreto love his meal as well. No issues there. My problem really didn't begin until I saw the check. The one cup of black coffee that was "warmed up" apparently qualified as a second $2.59 order. While I'm not going to lose my house over that kind of money, the principle was pretty rotten in my opinion. Said warm up was literally a half inch splash in a standard coffee mug. That smacks of ridiculous greed and ridiculous policy. As I mentioned, the food was some of the best brunch I've had in a long time, but $47 for two plates at breakfast...? I am ok paying for quality, but this coffee business was a terrible dessert. I doubt I'll go back.