Bubble tea shops, beauty salons, outdoor workout facilities: these are just a few of the recent additions made to the town of Ambridge, Pennsylvania.
Founded in 1905 by a group called the Harmonist Society, Ambridge is a small town known for its quaint charm. Despite this trademark allure, a vast majority of residents, especially those of younger generations, recognize the need for updates and improvements. One of the results that have come from these discussions is a modern, trendy cafe.
Caffe Nero, located on Duss Avenue, first opened its doors earlier this year. With the news of a new local eatery opening near the heart of Ambridge, people rushed for an opportunity to experience the latest food and drink craze in their town. As a self-proclaimed food critic, I considered it my duty to visit the establishment and inform readers on whether they should visit or spend their time elsewhere.
Let’s start with the atmosphere. When first walking in, you’ll notice black, Parisian-style tables and chairs scattered around the spacious room. Two wall-mounted TVs sit on either side of the room, giving customers the option between shows. If you make a beeline from the entrance, you’ll find yourself standing at the ordering counter. On your left is a display case of the cafe’s limited variety of pastries, including donuts, danishes, and the occasional muffin. The real show-stopper is their drink selection, though, advertised all over the walls on various menus.
While a modern, semi-chic space, it is a bit unorganized. The kitchen seems to be outdated, with flavor syrup bottles cluttering its counters. To the left of the ordering counter is a foldable table, whose only purpose appears to be holding old Crock Pots, empty cardboard boxes, and loaves of bread. Next to the table, brooms lean against the wall, causing the area to look like and exposed janitor’s closet. Since the business is so young, I’ve decided to chalk these minor inconveniences up to the lack of time to organize that comes with opening a new business. I have faith that they will get it all taken care of.
The next category is food and drink. My colleague and I ordered the Fruity Pebbles donut and the Biscoff donut for breakfast. For drinks, I ordered their famous s’mores latte, while my colleague ordered a matcha tea. We each had half of the other person’s donut, and I had to trust his review of the matcha, considering I had a bad experience in the past and refused to try it.
The first donut half I tasted was the Fruity Pebbles donut. My tongue was immediately met with a sweet strawberry sensation. The Fruity Pebbles gave a satisfying crunch when chewed and added mini bursts of flavor to the already delicious strawberry. I also enjoyed the soft, doughy texture of the donut. Unlike chain restaurants, grocery stores, and gas stations’ donuts, these tasted relatively fresh and weren’t stale to the touch. The only complaint I have is that the Fruity Pebbles were a bit soggy from sitting in a case most of the morning. Overall, the appearance was fun and vibrant, and the taste was delicious. It gets a solid 8/10.
The other donut half I tasted was the Biscoff donut. At first glance, the appearance isn’t as exciting as the Fruity Pebbles donut, due to its neutral color. However, the cookie on top caught my eye, and the flavor blew the Frutiy Pebbles donut out of the water. The kick of flavor from the cinnamon on the first bite caught me by surprise, and I’m glad to say it was a pleasant one. This donut was super sweet but not overly. Its cinnamon icing melts in your mouth, and like the Fruity Pebbles one, the texture was great. I especially enjoyed the tiny Biscoff cookie on top. It had a small crunch to it and was packed with cinnamony goodness. The only complaint I have for this donut other than the dull colors is that the cookie on top, like the Fruity Pebbles, was a bit soft, taking away some of the crunch. I would give this donut a 9/10.
The final category I’ll be reviewing is drinks. As previously stated above, I ordered the iced s’mores latte, so we’ll begin with that. First of all, it’s important to note that this can be ordered warm, too, but I chose to go with the iced option. As a fan of lattes, but not necessarily the coffee flavor itself, this drink was perfect for me. The coffee taste was minimal, with overpowering flavors of graham cracker and mocha. The combination of flavors was delicious and created a very sweet drink. I really don’t have any critiques for this drink. If you’re a fan of sweet drinks, order this. If you prefer the strong roots of coffee, then I would not suggest this latte. For me, it was a 10/10.
Finally, my colleague was kind enough to provide his own short review of the matcha.
“For starters, it’s your average matcha latte. Just your classic green look, the sweetness of the tea itself, and, of course, the icy temperature,” he explained. “Once I drank the entire cup, I had come to the conclusion that it was kind of lame. There was too much creamer and too much ice, as well. It took away from what you’d normally expect a matcha latte to taste like. I’d give it a 4/10.”
Overall, I’d have to rate Caffe Nero an 8/10. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a small, local cafe to catch up with friends or work on business matters. I will definitely be going back and believe that their rating will grow even higher once they settle in and get the business in order!