In the last edition of this article, the two of us were region-locked to James Island due to inclement weather and a 9/11 drive-through memorial that came two days early. However, for our second day of taste-testing coffee, we set off to explore greater Charleston with a list of six new coffee shops and an extra friend to help us test them out.
Lillian’s Thoughts:
Front Porch Coffeehouse (Mt. Pleasant): Our first stop of the day, and it was an absolutely wonderful way to start out our voyage. Our order was a cappuccino and breakfast bagel, coming to a total of $15.72, and while it was expensive, the food was more than worth the price. The coffee was warm and incredibly strong, and the food took a little while to arrive. However, I can safely say this was one of the best breakfast bagels I’ve ever had, as it came with tasty bacon, eggs, and cheese. I would definitely visit this shop again if I was in the area.
The Dime (Daniel Island): Our second stop was a bit underwhelming compared to the first, as it seemed more like a restaurant that also offered coffee rather than a proper coffee shop. We ordered an americano with caramel syrup and an egg and cheese bagel for $12.21, and once again, the wait was pretty long, but the coffee was pretty good so that makes up for it. It was served almost hot enough to burn my tongue, but that’s the best kind of coffee. The egg and cheese bagel was tasty, but it also tasted like something that I could get at McDonald’s for half the price.
The Market @ Paradiso (North Charleston): This was our third stop, and I was a big fan of how close it is to AMHS, being located in a neighborhood just down the street. However, the parking situation was a bit strange, as the coffee shop is located in a residential area and the only open parking was for 15 minutes. Our order at this shop was an iced mocha and a cheese and fruit danish for $11.10. The mocha tasted very nice and milky, with a delicious undertaste of chocolate, and the cheese and fruit danish was surprisingly good as the two opposing tastes balanced each other out very well. This shop is open from 7 AM to 7 PM every day, so if you find yourself craving some coffee before school or on your way home, consider checking it out!
Lu’s Thoughts:
Bitty and Beau’s – an absolutely adorable little shop right next to Market Street downtown. While not a local shop (it’s a chain), it’s locally run, and staffed nearly entirely by disabled and special needs people who might have trouble finding a job elsewhere, which is why it claims to be “a human rights movement disguised as a coffee shop.” After getting tired of ‘real’ coffee, we got a cookies and cream frappe and a brownie for $11.39, around the average price for all our trials. While the frappe was suitably cookies and cream flavored, (practically a milkshake) the brownie was mid. It was pre packaged for convenience, (hence not freshly baked) and while I appreciate their commitment to having it be a gluten and wheat free option, it significantly diminished the taste. Also there was a 69¢ upcharge for whipped cream.
Muddy Waters Coffee Bar – Located in the same plaza as the Harris Teeter on the northside of James Island, Muddy Waters absolutely had the Halloween aesthetic nailed down (even if I will slightly protest their presence in mid-September.) Definitely a place that caters well to regulars, (there were some working on their laptops in the back) but still had great options to choose from on your first time. We got an iced honey lavender latte and what can only be described as a homemade poptart. It was $11.77, again an average price, but absolutely worth it for whatever was in that poptart. It was pretty much just covered in brown sugar, which is probably why it tasted so good. The coffee was once again really good, and I’ll credit our slight dissatisfaction not to the coffee itself but to the fact that we were getting a little tired of coffee. Still, an absolutely great place to stop for breakfast in the morning of an after school snack if it’s on your way.
Center Street Coffee – Right in the center of Folly Beach, where the primary challenge was parking. After 10 minutes of searching for a spot that wasn’t $20, I had to utilize parallel parking for the second time since my driver’s test, and I’m pretty sure I parked illegally. Center Street Coffee was by far the most compact of all the shops, as you had to squeeze past other people to pick up your order, and there were only 3 seats. There is an opening in the wall to the next shop over, a TCBY-type frozen yogurt shop, which I regret I didn’t try. We got another iced frappe for $10.71, this time vanilla, which compared well but perhaps fell slightly short of the one from Bitty and Beau’s. Overall, still a great experience but nothing to make it stick out from other local small shops. (But still definitely worth a stop if you’re in Folly.)
In short, there are a ton of amazing coffee shops all over Charleston that are more affordable, have better aesthetics, and offer more options than bigger chain coffee shops. If you’re feeling exhausted after a long night, or if you want a little pick-me-up, consider checking out one of the shops we’ve reviewed in these articles! There are even more cafés all over town that we weren’t able to touch on, as well, and it’s never a bad time to start being adventurous. Regardless of your choice of vendor, coffee is a delicacy that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter where you get it from.
