Although a bit pricier for Taiwanese food, this place offers me comfort and coziness that other places lack. They treat you like family when you start coming often. Excellent service, like serving food in their own home. Recommend the combo specials, you get soup coffee and a rice/noodle dish that will leave you plenty full. Get ready to spend at least $30. Parking is available per PPA outside. read more

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A Taiwanese cafe in Philly? They've been around for a few decades, and I somehow didn't know about them until a few years back. When my friend brought me here, I was sold. I'm here *basically* once a week for their siphon coffee. If you've never had siphon coffee, ask the staff for a recommendation. For your reference, there's a board that shows their coffee offerings from light to dark roast. Besides coffee, they offer homemade breakfast and lunch options. I've yet to find a better place in Philadelphia for hot and sour soup. I recommend their lunch special so you can try a few of their menu items. Of course, you'll want to try their chili oil, and their pickled mustard greens are fire! Thanks to Grace, Lawrence, and the rest of the family for putting up with me. :) read more

A few weeks ago, my husband and I had a lunch date at Ray's Cafe & Teahouse. It was a Saturday and the place was packed and bustling. It's a family owned establishment in Chinatown. Luckily, we got a table towards the back corner. We started with coffees and then ordered lunch to eat family style. Here's what we got (everything recommended): -- Jamaican Blue Mountain Syphon Coffee -- Japanese Charcoal Roasted Coffee (Sumiyaki) -- Leek Boxes -- Vegetable Dumplings (7) with house made chili oil and dipping sauce -- Triple Green -- Taiwanese Rice Noodles I highly recommend getting a coffee or tea drink here, as well as some tasty food. Support local businesses! read more

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Great time getting coffee and dumplings! The slow drip cold brew iced coffee was delicious, and it came with cream and simple syrup. All the drinks also came with a small cookie which was delicious! The dumplings were homemade and very fresh. We enjoyed the curry chicken and pork with leek dumplings. The servers were friendly and helpful. The restaurant was small but we were easily about to get a seat during the morning on a weekday. I look forward to coming back again! read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Ray's 12 Hour Slow Drip Cold Brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The best iced coffee I had is from Ray's Café. The iced matcha was good too but a bit sweet to my liking. Upon entering around 3pm, we just wanted drinks but asked if we could sit. The host was like well you can for now but if someone needs a table then we'd have to move...but then he was like you know what, it's chill. In fear of being kicked out, we ordered an a la carte entrée and were so glad that we do. We ordered the walnut shrimp which was perfect. It was not drowning in sauce and the shrimp seemed freshly battered and fried. The broccoli was slightly steamed and still had a crunch. I cannot tell if the host is putting an act on for entertainment...but he is yelling and absolutely putting the staff down. I had to believe it was comical or else I don't think anyone would support the establishment. Could someone confirm if the behavior is just for show? read more

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Had really high hopes after seeing the reviews but I just don't understand. Got the sesame chicken and it just tastes like boiled chicken breast with some seasoning. Not wok/fire flavor at all. The dumplings - vegetable ones were off with the addition of taro inside. The curry tasted like dry samosas. The best were the pork dumplings. Also got the beef noodle soup and it was not great. On top of the food mediocrity, a young guy who seemed to be a son of the owners was super loud and talkative with the customers. I understand being friendly but my ears hurt and I could not enjoy the conversation with my friend due to his very annoying and loud voice. He was talking about how the store went viral and how many followers he has... ugh! I do not get the hype. Definitely won't be back. read more

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Late post, but well worth mentioning. We had lunch at Ray's Café in Philadelphia's Chinatown a couple of days ago with my wife and our two kids. We were seated right away, but the space is small and it was clear that timing matters--several parties after us had to wait. The staff was friendly and attentive, with an obvious family-run dynamic that added to the experience. We started with the dumpling sampler, which was excellent--so good that even our 5-year-old loved them (5/5). I ordered the Taiwanese beef noodle soup, which had deep, rich flavor and a solid portion size (4/5). My wife had the hot and sour soup with fried rice and was very happy with both (5/5). For our son, we ordered chicken and steamed broccoli with white rice--a perfect kid-sized portion, and he enjoyed it (5/5, from the 5-year-old critic). Drinks were a standout. The lemonade was surprisingly incredible. My wife had jasmine tea, and I tried the Japanese charcoal roasted coffee (Sumiyaki). The coffee was extremely rich and high quality--definitely something for true coffee lovers. At $17, it's pricey, but the beans are imported directly from Japan, and I'd recommend trying it at least once. Our total was $122 before tip. Not a weekly lunch spot at that price point, but absolutely not enough to keep us away. Overall, a very enjoyable experience, and we're looking forward to coming back. read more

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They are extremely busy and we had to wait over 30min on the weekend to be seated. Came mainly for my friends to try the unique coffee, which is $17?? It was cool to see the process of how it is brewed and my friends said the coffee was good, but not worth that steep of a price. Food was very very average and as someone who has grown up eating Chinese cuisine, I felt the stir fried rice noodles was overly greasy and the beef in the noodle soup was tender but the broth needed much more flavor, and again not worth for the price read more

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Ray's Cafe & Teahouse is known on TikTok for their Siphon coffee. Siphon coffee is a brewing method where the person brewing it pours hot water over medium ground coffee. The person working there explained all our options using a chart they had on the wall and helped us pick which type of coffee we would each like. He made a large cup of iced coffee and gave us a little cup of hot coffee, explaining that it does taste different. I appreciated the guidance. The person working behind the counter said that Ray's Cafe is the only place we can buy the Sumiyaki beans in the US, so I bought a bag to bring home. He was nice and helped my friend grind up her beans since she doesn't have a coffee grinder at home. The service here was excellent. There are 4-5 tables inside of the cafe and signage that says not to have a laptop out, so that the tables empty out sooner for new customers. I wish we had time to try the Taiwanese beef noodle soup because it looks very delicious from the other reviews. Perhaps next time! read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Family owned, family run. Not sure that actually influences the review or your decision making, but I wanted to note it anyway. We arrived for a late breakfast, early lunch. The place is a bit small but they do accept reservations if you call in advance. I think you'll get a kick out of the setup as they have an open-style coffee brew section with the kitchen in the back. I don't even like coffee and just felt it gave a cool vibe. They have a decent menu. We focused on their top recommendations/items everyone seemed to talk about. We did the dumpling sampler (2 of each dumpling) which was not only tasty but probably could have been a meal for one. We also got the beef noodle soup which had both plenty of beef and bok choy. It comes with homemade mustard green-ginger on the side and some spicy oil on the side. I didn't spicy things up but enjoyed the soup with the occasion mustard green topping. We also got a tasty tomato beef rice dish. Beyond coffee, they offer smoothies and a few creative drinks. Portions for everything are fair although prices might come out to be a bit higher than some other places in Chinatown - you have to pay for quality. I def recommend a visit! read more

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Absolutely fantastic coffee. The Sumiyaki specialty coffee was exceptional. The Vietnamese iced coffee was also outstanding. The owner, Ray, was hilarious and warmly welcomed us from out of state. His mom is a delight. I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone wanting some of the best coffee I've ever had. Went back later for some iced teas and was not disappointed. They were the perfect sweet refresher on a hot summer day. 100/10 will be back to Ray's every Philly trip we take. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Ray's Cafe and Teahouse. Ray's is nestled in Chinatown and is the best iced coffee I've had in the city. But that's not all they have! Stop in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The ā mā of the tea house is SO sweet and kind, and really just wants to feed people her delicious food! Pro tip: don't forget to try some desserts! read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Iced coffee and homemade cookie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I got the siphon coffee that I saw on social media. It actually was very very tasty. Delicious! Came early and it was nice a quiet. Watch them make the coffee. It's a prettty cool process read more

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This is a family owned Taiwanese restaurant in Chinatown that's tucked on 9th between Race and Cherry. After reading reviews we ordered the dumpling sampler, beef tomato rice (loved this dish) and the beef noodles. I would definitely get all of these again and dumplings alone were meaty enough to keep us full. The server was very friendly and I heard him say that his brother is the cook. The restaurant only has a few tables so I would highly recommend getting a reservation for your visit. read more

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Ray's is one of those spots you hear about from someone who says "trust me" and actually means it. The dumpling sampler is hot, juicy, and gone way too fast. The beef noodle soup is rich, comforting, and exactly what you want on a cold Philly day. Even on a cold rainy day, the iced coffee hit. Definitely adding this to one of our regular spots. read more

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I stumbled in here on a day I was looking for a nice intimate sit down cafe. I want to start by saying Ray and his staff are pretty friendly folks. I caught them on a day where they were a tad understaffed and really fully, but I appreciate Rays honesty. This place is more of a cafe than a place I would go for food. Most importantly if you are just getting a drink, I suggest getting it to go! There is very limited and intimate seating and the biggest draw of this place is their beverages! I got a soup and I asked for it as spicy as possible and there was no spice at all. Again, recognizing that they were understaffed and just trying their best I would have loved to have had a better experience so I will return and get a drink and a pastry! I want to give this another chance. read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Large Asparagus Chicken Soup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cute little cafe in Chinatown. We just got coffees to go, but they were all very good. I had a hazelnut cappuccino and it was not too hot, it was percent sweet, and I will be back. The guy working was very friendly and chatty. The food looked really good read more

Great food and coffee. The dishes are familiar yet demonstrate the cafe's unique touch. The portion size is on the smaller side considering the price but quality is high. The mixed dumpling sampler is a must get. We tried the house blend coffee which was excellent. The restaurant is small but we were able to get in for lunch on a weekend. Worth the visit! read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Stopped in for a coffee to go on a Saturday afternoon - hard to choose because there were a lot of tasty sounding options and specials- I went with a medium dirty chai latte with oat milk and it was AMAZING - one of the best I've ever had. The group of friends I was with all really enjoyed their drinks as well. The tea house was small but didn't feel cramped, and had a lot of pretty teacups and cool looking coffee making tools. There were people sitting and eating, and their food looked amazing. Would definitely come back to try more coffee and probably some food too! read more

Came in here for a weekday lunch. The place isn't very big and only has a few tables but when there wasn't that much foot traffic when I came in. Since there wasn't much people it was super quiet while I had my meal. They have a nice variety of coffee and tea with a cute collection of tea/coffee cups. Food - The Beef Noodle soup was super good. You could definitely taste it was home made with love and care. I appreciate how they give you complete control of how spicy the dish is with a dedicated container of chili oil. Service - One of the owners is a sweet old lady who took our order. She was so nice and explained how they make all of the soup and sides in house. When you order a coffee/tea, it usually comes with a couple small biscuits/cookies that compliment the flavor of your drink. read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Homemade Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This is a very special place. Amazing staff (who are happy to clarify pricing & details) and a solid menu. Many coffee roasts to choose from as well as tea options-- go for their whole leaf in a pot! I'll be coming back to try their syphon coffee & more teas. read more

Spectacular desserts! Cozy atmosphere; perfect place to relax, unwind...and enjoy your meal/dessert/beverage. Dessert consisted of homemade matcha ice cream, coffee ice cream, coffee jelly and iced coffee; each gave new meaning to 'homemade'. Flavorful beyond expectations. Great service--friendly staff. Wonderful experience! read more

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I have heard good things about this place so decided to check it out, maybe I had too good of an expectation and the experience turned out to be pretty mid, It's a family owned business and only has a few tables so the dine in experience was a bit stressful. They reserved the table for people who want to get"real lunch" instead of grabbing a coffee and pastries, so I definitely wouldn't call it a chill place to get coffee at. Ordered the dumplings samplers set with the house drip coffee, I love the presentation but the foods was kinda mediocre. They do have a list of specialty coffee and tea you can get, that's pretty much the only good thing I can say about it. The food is kinda overpriced for the environment it provides.(I just looked at the reviews from 6 years ago when the dumplings samplers were $9.75, it's now $17.99, I guess the inflation did get to all of us these couple of years) read more

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Homey cozy cafe with authentic Taiwanese recipe and experiences. Rare blend of great coffee and food.

The lighting blocked me from taking a pic of the entrance and no cell phones are allowed for use inside the cafe. The cafe is "too small" currently and maybe got superbly busy from the IG post on their siphon coffee but probably super popular before that. They don't need to be open at the crack of dawn or evening and they can still do super well. Know what you want or expect to spend a lot of time waiting just to get in on a Saturday. Sundays they do not do business currently: the dumplings are out of this world- better than Nan Xiang Bao. Nan Xiang is easier to park at and more accessible- so they will always have that going for them. Both have colorful skin ones to make the presentation stand out. The dumpling sampler is 8 dumplings and not cheap but well worth it for the quality that you pay for and the location you buy it from. The siphon coffee is pure quality. While you can get similar quality coffee in other places, they don't typically make it in a process like they do at this possibly seemingly unassuming cafe on the outside. read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Siphon coffee (Kona) and Dumpling Sampler - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Went here after hearing all this hype about the place. The place offers speciality lattes that are pretty amazing. Apparently, it is know for its siphons which are suppose to be really good. The place also has noodles and dumplings on the menu. We got a corn muffin to share and a latte. The latte was pretty big even though I found the price kind of steep for coffee. The latte was average but the corn muffin tasted so good/fresh. Since we got such a small food item we were subjected to a small table up near the window. The place is pretty small so plan accordingly. The place is also family owned. What really bothered me about the place was the son (I think?) was angry at his mom (again I think?) since he felt like she wasn't helping out. He started cursing and throwing stuff. My friend and I had to leave early because of this. The whole experience left a sour taste in my mouth. read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I first came to Ray's nearly 30 years ago on a first date with the woman who later became my wife. Since then I've recommended this place to dozens and dozens of people. Today I thought it would be meaningful to bring my son and his girlfriend to the spot where it all started. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst dining experiences I can remember. We arrived right when they opened at 11:30 and were seated about 20 minutes later. Another 20 minutes passed before we got water and placed our order. After that, things only got worse. Our coffee arrived first, then our appetizers, and then we sat... and sat... and sat. Nearly an hour later, it became clear the kitchen had lost our entrees, though no one bothered to tell us. Instead, we were repeatedly told they'd be "right out." Our first entrée arrived about an hour after ordering, and the second showed up 20 minutes later, overcooked and long after we'd lost any interest in eating. For a restaurant with so few tables, the lack of attention and basic communication was hard to believe. What should have been a nostalgic return turned into a very disappointing reminder that some places simply don't age well. read more

Went to Ray's for lunch on a Thursday. It wasnt too crowded and despite the small place we were seated quickly. The interior of this place and the general atmosphere were in my opinion the strength of the place. It's a very family-owned, small business vibe, and you really get the feeling youre almost eating in someone's home. This comes with all the good and bad (more on this later). The food here was a good but not great, and maybe just a touch expensive, particularly for the combos which run you about 30$ to add a soup and drink to your entree. They were out of chow fun noodles for their house special noodle dish so I got Lo mein instead, and the portion was pretty small for the 18$ it cost. The flavor was about what youd expect from a chinese takeout place but maybe just a little blander (and perhaps healthier?). Aside from the food, the actual experience of eating here was a little unique. As other reviewers have described, there was what seemed to be a little family drama occurring in both English and Chinese among the staff, and it honestly played out almost like a tv show in front of us. Just unfiltered back and forth in the dining room. Also as others have said, there are many signs throughout the place asking you not to use phones or laptops, which is why i only quickly snuck a picture of my dish to share. I'm not sure how seriously this rule is enforced as i noticed the presumed owner of the place browsing his phone in quieter moments throughout my meal. Overall, i would probably not return to Ray's just because of the large number of options in the area that offer a bit tastier, larger, and cheaper dishes, but it was an interesting experience. read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Lo Mein - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Family ran coffee shop/cafe. We ordered their sesame chicken special and two house drip coffees. The coffee was good but the we were expecting something else with the sesame chicken - perhaps we're used to ny style Chinese food. I would suggest ordering their famous items like the beef noodles.. read more

This is the first time I've been to Ray's Cafe in decades. I went with my wife and we ordered the kona brew and Ray's house mix iced coffee. Their syrup is incredible. The coffee is really good. The staff is friendly read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Found this gem on Yelp. Turns out to be a small business owned by a nice Taiwanese family for the past 34 years. It's a quaint establishment with a real homey feel. The owner and her family run the place and basically do everything. They're incredibly friendly and their service was great as well. We had both of the noodle soups, sampler dumplings, chow fun, and a couple Vietnamese coffees. Coffee was solid without the usual bitter undertone that comes with the Viet coffees. Chow fun was decent. I'm Cantonese so I'm used to a harder fry to the noodles. Tasted good though. Dumplings were great...good-sized and meaty. The pork/napa and pork/leek ones were our favorites. Star of the show were the noodles soups, particularly the beef noodle soup. It's her own recipe and the beef was amazingly tender. If you've ever had beef noodle soup before, you know that the meat can be a little tough and/or dry. There's none of that here. Beef was outstandingly juicy and tender. Soup was also amazing and had a great, deep flavor to it. Loved that they used the "right" noodles too. Had the toothiness of hand-pulled noodles; perfect pair for the soup. Will definitely come back when we swing by Philly next time. They close early, so make sure to check the hours before you go! read more

This places food is very amazing. Coffee selection is phenomenal. A lot of reviews say that the head server is rude I see a man who is passionate about his place and wants a specific quality from his food and staff. I can certainly understand how it can come off rude, but looking from the perspective of someone who is passionate about his work, I understand. Pictured is 2 of the syphon brewed iced coffees. The blue mountain (fantastic, chocolatey, and rich.) the other is the charcoal roasted Japanese coffee (a smoky full-bodied coffee). Beef noodles which are to die for. And the dumplings which were all phenomenal. I personally thought that the curry ones were the best. The Jasmine tea is some of the highest quality I have had. The vibe of the shop is relaxed. Though it is clear - and again, not in a bad way -its not a place to really stay for an extended period of time. They do have signs suggesting to limit the use of cell phones and that there is not a lot of space so that laptops can be used. read more

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Food was delicious and authentic. Family/owner was super friendly and funny - he chatted with my boyfriend for a bit in between service because they're both half Taiwanese. 10/10 service and food!! Cozy spot as well, felt like we were in someone's house read more

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Cute vibes. Lovely family-owned/operated cafe. Enjoyed their houseblend coffee that came with a macaron! Their house noodle soup was pretty good as well. Seating can get scarce but it is definitely worth dropping by for tea/coffee if not lunch, especially if you happen to be at a convention nearby. read more

Enjoyed our lunch at Ray's Café & Teahouse. As the dining room is small, with 2 or 4 tops, suggest coming right at open (11:30AM) if you've more than 4 in your party, otherwise expect a bit of a wait (even for a 2-top). Service is efficient with no frills. The spyhon cold brew coffee was tasty, though the "toasted marshmallow" didn't have much of a marshmallow flavor, especially with a splash of cream. Food comes out as it's ready, which means we received our homemade Taiwanese-style beef noodle soup before our handmade dumpling sampler (2 each of vegetarian, pork, pork and chives, and potato). The soup was dark and flavorful--such tender beef! Ours had linguini noodles--I would've liked a rice noodle for the chew. Our favorite dumpling was the pork and chives...such a nice crispy bottom...though they were all folded and cooked beautifully. (The potato was similar to a samosa.) Overall delicious, if a bit pricey. It was nice to see a wide variety of diners, from locals to tourists to those in from the suburbs. read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Taiwanese-style beef noodle soup, syphon cold-drip coffee. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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What a Unique place to come and have Coffee! Food is fantastic as well. We had a little bit of everything but the Sesame Shrimp was my favorite. The service was fantastic. Everyone was so nice and happy to explain everything. Will definitely be back! read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A charming place to stop by. It's hard to find a place serving good food, especially taiwanese food while also serving great coffee. I came in pretty early around 10 AM so while I saw the signs of no phones/computers there were few here so they didn't seem to care otherwise The older woman who served me was great, I ended up ordering the taiwanese beef noodle soup and an iced siphon coffee (the japanese charcoal one) When the food came out you can tell they put a lot of care into it. She explained that it was her own recipe that's been cooking for three days, the dish also came with a side of lightly sautéed pickled mustard greens and homemade chili oil. I loved that it looked and tasted just like a dish you would have at home, the broth is very flavorful and really doesn't need any of the sides. Normally restaurants will give just a few pieces of meat and maybe some veggies. This came full of tender beef and plenty of veggies. The pickled mustard greens had a nice flavor that helped to cut through the richness. The chili oil is spicy spicy, good though! Only thing I would say is that the bokchoy and noodles were slightly softer than I would have liked, but could just be a personal preference The siphon coffee was also great and exactly what I needed. It came with a macaron as well which was appreciated. The coffee wasn't too acidic, I haven't had this type of charcoal roasted beans before, but personally couldn't pick up any specific notes. Overall would recommend coming here, wish I lived in the area or was staying longer to try their other dishes as well read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Iced siphon Japanese Charcoal Roasted Coffee (Sumiyaki) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The snickerdoodle latte (with oat milk) was so good! Staff was friendly and welcoming. Plenty of seating. read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When I first saw the Yelp reviews, I was debating whether to try Ray's because one picture shows the price of Beef noodle soup as $29.99. I threw caution to the wind and decided to check it out. So glad I did! First of all, I was delighted that their signature beef noodle soup was $24.99 not $29.99. Was it worth it? OMG, the MOST TENDER beef I've ever had and I've had some wonder beef in my life. The flavor was knocking me off my feet. The lady who runs the place was very nice and you can tell she loves what she does and has so much pride in her work. We will be back!! read more

Ray's Café & Teahouse - Their famous Taiwan BEEF noodle soup! Most tender beef ever! Rocking' flavor - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I've come here a few times and the mom is great. You can tell how passionate she is. I like their coffee and they were the first coffee shop I tried when I moved to Philly. I rated lower because of the last time I went. I really did not like how the son was overly friendly with us but talked so badly to the staff. It completely turned me off from going there. If it was just him it would be 1 star just for that, but the mom makes it a 10 out of 5 experience. read more