For Coffee, Tierra Caroline Van Voorhis

Upon first walking into Tierra Coffee, I could barely tell the difference between it and Terrapin, the coffee shop that had previously occupied the space. The tables were in the same position, to the right of the main entrance, with the couches next to the windows in the very front. The atmosphere was still hushed, with quiet jazz music and the hissing of the coffee steamers making the majority of the noise. Very quickly after entering, the differences began to show.
First off, the barista was attentive and ready to serve me, much different from the workers at Terrapin, who were disorganized, distracted, and very slow to serve the food.
The menu offers a wide selection of drinks including classic and flavored espressos, brewed coffee and alternative drinks such as tea, steamers, and hot chocolate. Additionally, they offer a few unique seasonal favorites such as an eggnog latte, mint hot choco, caramel apple cider, and a toffee nut latte.
Along with the drinks, they present a wide selection of goodies including muffins, cinnamon rolls, croissants, breads and cookies. For the more health conscious customers, there are options such as bananas, sandwiches, and bottles of water and juice.
All the items on the menu are reasonably priced, at least when compared to other competitors in the coffee business. The sixteen ounce simpler drinks, such as brewed coffee and tea are less than $2 and the specialized drinks range from $3 to $4. The muffins and other breads offered are fairly big, and despite this fact, they are only about $2. The cookies are less than $1, compared to Starbuck’s smaller cookies that are nearly $2.
While ordering, the barista was very helpful, asking if I would prefer skim milk in my ‘Milky Way’ drink (caramel hot chocolate), before offering and recommending that I heat my cinnamon roll.
Within two minutes of sitting down at a table by the wide windows, with a copy of the New York Times, chosen from an array of magazines and newspapers, the server delivered my order. He brought my drink over in a painted maroon ceramic mug, my warm and gooey cinnamon roll on a decorated plate, and also offered a fork and a stack of napkins. Before leaving, he cheerfully told me to enjoy.
Although Tierra Coffee did not change the décor very much, or even the name of the shop, their friendly, helpful service and wide selection of reasonably priced goodies definitely sets them apart.