Drinks
Menu: Decent variety. You’ll
find the usually espresso drinks and many flavored syrups.
Food
Menu: Sandwiches, salads, and
breakfast items. I recommend the frittata!
Espresso
Machine: Automatic Franke
Brew
Options: Drip and espresso.
Hartford keeps it simple, skipping the handbrew options.
Location: Tower Grove South
Rating: 3 out of 5 (Extra points for the food)
Specialty
Drinks: Flavored coffee. I'm not touting this as a positive offering, but it is fairly unusual to find a local company that roasts flavored beans. I've heard good things about the Highland Grog beans, but I haven't tried them myself. As a coffee lover, it's hard for me not to look down on flavored coffees because they're typically made with mediocre beans and artificial, sweet flavors.
Review:
While I enjoy Hartford Coffee Company, I don’t
go there for the coffee. This shop roasts its own beans and brags about the air roaster it uses to get the beans just right, but because of the way the coffee is prepared, it’s impossible to taste that
quality – if it’s there.
Hartford
uses an automatic Franke espresso machine. While it’s possible to make decent foam and
pour latte art with a Franke (believe me, I’ve done it), that’s rarely done. The
point of an automatic machine is to remove the reliance on barista skill. This machine has a built-in hopper and grinder and can
be programmed to grind, dose, and pull the shots with the push of a button.
Similarly, the wand is programmed so all the barista needs to do is pour the
right amount of milk, aerate for a couple seconds, then set the pitcher on the
tray and wait for the machine to cut off on its own. The result of all this is
mediocre-at-best coffee. The drinks are hurt even more by the fact that there
is only one shot of espresso in a 12-ounce size, which means you’re really
getting hot milk with a faint smack of coffee.
The
drip coffee is also watered down. I’m not sure what ratio of coffee to
water they use, but the result is a brew that looks more like tea than coffee. Pro tip: order an Americano because then you at least get 2
shots for a 12 ounce.
Now,
I say I still enjoy Hartford because the food menu and the atmosphere of the
shop make up for the lacking coffee. This shop is located on the corner of Hartford
and Roger just a couple blocks South of Tower Grove Park. It is a true
neighborhood spot. When you walk in, you almost always see students studying over
textbooks and/or laptops, families chattering, and groups of people catching up. Everyone looks comfortable,
like this café is an extension of their homes. The
shop even encourages people to park it for hours with a garage that was adapted
into a silent study space and
a sizeable play area for kids.
This
friendly, comfy neighborhood vibe makes this a wonderful place to grab brunch or get some work done. Plus, the coffee is inexpensive –
less than $2 for a small Americano. While I think the quality is compromised to
make that price point possible, I’m more willing to buy that Americano when I
know I’m not paying what I would at Sump or Comet Coffee.
The
true draw for me is the frittata. This breakfast item (get it with a bagel on the
side and sausage!) is cheesy and fresh and the right
size to fill you up. It is one of my favorite brunch options. The bagel and lox is also a good pick. For something smaller, they also serve pastries, cheesecake, and salads.
Overall,
I think this is a great shop. Just don’t expect the full
third wave coffee experience of hand brewed coffee and $5 cortados. It’s not
fancy, but the comfortable, down-to-earth atmosphere makes up for the subpar
coffee.
- 6:41 PM
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