Surprisingly, I was not able to find a central “don’t go here” list to report bad espresso. So, here’s the places I’ve encountered that you should avoid.
Starbucks – Just don’t do it…anywhere (unless you are buying food…the pastries are decent)
New York
- FIKA – All locations. They are trying to be a hip Scandinavian place, but the espresso isn’t worth it.
- Porto Rico – East Village. This place will draw you in with the aroma of the massive supply of beans they sell there…all different varieties and roasts, but the latte was undrinkable. The shot was horrendous and the milk was burnt. My 8yr old son can make a better drink with my Delonghi machine.
- Re:vive – Terminal 5 JFK. This is an Illy cafe that has their “Artist I Del Gusto” label. This means that the barrista is supposed to have the highest level of training. The woman, that made my drink was on her phone the entire time, didn’t clean out the portafilter, and foamed the milk by just dunking the wand all the way down in the pitcher and let it it there. This post is a direct result of me trying to find number to call at Illy to report this travesty.
San Diego
- Black Rock Coffee Bar – 1918 Oceanside Blvd Oceanside, CA 92054. See my review here…
- Cucina Enoteca – Del Mar. The food at this restaraunt is outstanding, but the espresso isn’t. It’s sort of strong coffee, but it is bad coffee.
- “Espresso” Cart – San Diego Zoo (near the entrance)
Palm Springs
- Mr. Parkers – In the the retro-fab Parker hotel lies this restaurant. The food is good. The espresso is not. It is actually espresso, unlike some other restaurants (who think strong coffee will pass), but, it is very bitter and had a sour aftertaste.