While I'm no coffee connoisseur, I do need my beans in the morning to be functional. I also need to start getting out of the house more. Working from home full time has finally started to get to me.
So when I saw all the independent coffee shops within a mile of my place in Albuquerque, in the cool neighborhood of Nob Hill, I decided to try them all. And why not share my thoughts with you?
Michael Thomas Coffee Roasters
- Oatmilk Latte - 5. Excellent.
- Food Options - 3. Not a lot on offer but what they had was a bit upscale and quite delicious.
- Staff - 5. Welcoming and friendly.
- Atmosphere - 5. Love it! Both inside and outside. Great place for coffee with a friend or solo.
Update
I ended up going here twice and I'm happy to report the second time was just as lovely. I dined in this time, instead of taking my coffee to go, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere, sitting at the big windows and watching the world go by with a friend on a cold and rainy morning. And the young guy with the glasses who works there on weekday mornings is just so pleasant. I still wish they had a few more savory food options, but this place is going to be a staple for me.
Dawn Patrol
- Oatmilk Latte - 5. Excellent.
- Food Options - 2. Not a lot on offer. The donut was terrible but the cheese and green chile bagel with cream cheese was fantastic.
- Staff - 2. The people behind the bar were not friendly at all. But there was one guy walking around doing random things who was very helpful and friendly.
- Atmosphere - 4. Excellent indoor and outdoor space, with a dog friendly patio. But why is there no garbage can by the dirty dish bin?
Satellite Coffee
- Oatmilk Latte - 2. No flavor.
- Food Options - 5. Expansive menu and bakery case. My burrito and scone were both wonderful.
- Staff - 3. This one is hard to judge. They were super understaffed when I stopped in, so the staff was harried. Regardless of the reason, that's not a great customer experience.
- Atmosphere - 3. Not bad, not special. It felt a little corporate. And I think the AC was blowing even though it was snowing.
Humble Coffee
- Oatmilk Latte - 4. Pretty decent cup of coffee.
- Food Options - 4. I didn't eat anything but they had some tasty options in the bakery case and had some handwritten signs advertising breakfast burritos and a few other things.
- Staff - 1. The barista was counting change when I pulled up to the counter. No problem, work has to done and it was slow. However, she could have at least acknowledged me instead of completely ignoring me for two minutes. And then not even a "sorry to keep you waiting" when she was done. Also, not even a friendly hello. Just a "what can I get for you?" Honestly, I should give the staff a zero.
- Atmosphere - 3. Two rows of rectangular tables of various sizes and hard chairs. Not cozy or inviting, but at least it wasn't corporate.
Little Bear
- Oatmilk Latte - 4. Good cup of coffee.
- Food Options - 1. If there was food for sale somewhere, I didn't see it.
- Staff - 4. Nice enough service, not noteworthy.
- Atmosphere - 4.5. Lots of great seating options, inside and outside, from cozy couches to solo work stations. And really cool artwork on the walls. However, I have to mark it down a half point because it actually took me three tries to get into this place. The first two times, every seat in the house was taken and there was a huge line of people waiting to order. It's a great problem for a business to have, but for me as a customer, if I planned on meeting people there and we have to figure out another place, it's annoying.
Duggan's
- Oatmilk Latte - 5. Delicious!
- Food Options - 4. They had what looked like a decent breakfast food menu, but they said they weren't serving any food the day I went. Unclear why. They did have some nice options (including savory items) in the bakery case, but I was in a hot breakfast mood and decided to pass.
- Staff - 4. The trainee was super friendly, the woman training her was neutral.
- Atmosphere - 4. It's a small place - if you're there in the winter it seems impossible not to freeze every time someone opens the door. But they have a few cute seats out front too and it has that nice, independent vibe.
Ancora Cafe and Bakery (slightly east of Nob Hill)
- Oatmilk Latte - 5. Delicious!
- Food Options - 5. So many food options. I wasn't feeling breakfast like my friends were, so I got a nice creamy tomato bisque with cheesy toast. My friends enjoyed their food too and there was a nice bakery case.
- Staff - 5. I'd give them 6 stars if I could. Wait, it's my blog, so 6 stars. This cafe has a mission to employ former addicts in recovery, and you've never seen a group of people trying so hard. Really friendly, really attentive. Such a pleasant experience.
- Atmosphere - 5. Loved it. Good indoor and outdoor seating, and they have an event space for open mic nights, which I fully plan to go check out soon.
Zendo (more than slightly west of Nob Hill, actually Downtown)
- Oatmilk Latte - 5. Delicious!
- Food Options - 4. Great options in the bakery case and a dynamite breakfast burrito, one of the best I've ever had, but those burritos are the only hot and savory option.
- Staff - 4. Nice enough, not a standout.
- Atmosphere - 4. I'm not cool enough for this place. This is hipster central for Albuquerque. But that's not why I knocked off one point. I did that because it was too crowded in there. When all the seats are full (which they were), the line to order and line to pick up food is jammed in and around the tables and it's awkward. They need more room at the coffee bar.
