O&A Coffee is a cute little coffee spot on the waterfront in the Lakewood Ranch area of Sarasota. It's more of a coffee kiosk as there's barely any indoor seating, so not ideal to visit if it's raining or really hot outside. One big thing they got going for them is the expansive outdoor area just outside with plenty of serene lake view seating.
We went with a cappuccino and mocha latte. While both were smooth without being too sweet, we weren't overly impressed with the drinks and felt they were average. Honestly, if the barometer is Starbucks, then Starbucks would be better (although comparable in price). They only serve one size drink, and I felt it a bit odd that there are no drink or bakery item prices listed anywhere on their menu board. I'm all for price transparency as you shouldn't have to made aware of prices only while you're being rung up after ordering. I asked how much a brownie cost and they clarified it was $5, which I felt was a bit steep for a standard looking bakery item. They seemed to be selling quite a bit of company merchandise with their logo on it, but I really didn't understand why, as the drink experience was merely average. Anyway, I was happy to support a local business, and enjoyed some views of the lake, but probably wouldn't return to O&A Coffee again. read more