Cordial Coffee Co. — Restaurant in Berryville

I've visited Cordial Co. a few times in my ventures out to independent coffee shops. Cordial holds it's own as a particularly unique shop. It's interior is academic and cozy, although seating is somewhat limited. You'll be happy to hear that there are no uneven or rocking tables or chairs, which has become something of a hallmark among middle-scale coffee shops.

But on to the coffee!

The espresso is light and sweet, but somehow avoids the strong acidity and overpowering fruity notes that is characteristic of modern espresso. If pulled correctly, and we'll get to that, it blends very well with milk and provides a creamy texture that makes their milk-espresso drinks some of the finest I've tasted.

The only issue is the inconsistency among the baristas. As a career barista myself I know I have served a bitter shot here and there. The process of pulling espresso is delicate and involved and, if done incorrectly, can damage the shot. My first time visiting Cordial I was served two very bitter shots (over extraction), and the milk was poorly steamed. I talked with the barista there and she'd told me she had worked there for a few months, so plenty of time to get the hang of the bar.

BUT please don't let this damage your view of Cordial. It really does depend on who is making your drink. My latest experience there was welcoming and warm and the barista serving me, although she was still being trained, pulled a perfect shot and was flattered when I complimented her.

The Pour overs are utterly delicious. Like most 3rd wave coffee shops, they play with lighter roasts that participate in a far more expanded flavor profile, but they are not "too light", if you catch. The balance of medium and light is precarious, but the roaster of Cordial has found a very accessible, delicious profile that befits the east coast's collection of roasteries.

Novelties!

They have affogatos! Despite the popularity of this espresso-dessert, it's not too common among coffee shops; it's rather difficult to find the space for ice cream storage. But Cordial has joined the small list of shops that serve them on their menu!

Valencian. Clearly an homage to the item from Happy Creek Coffee and Tea's menu, who the roaster of Cordial used to roast for. It's a mocha latte with orange zested over top, and it's very delicious.

Belgian Waffles! They're big, they're fluffy, and they're the perfect breakfast or snack.

Last minute checks

Serves in ceramic and glass ✅

Nitro cold brew ✅

Homebrew Syrups ✅

Artistic displays ✅

Indoor seating...

I am a fiend for coffee shops and my family and I traveled over an hour to give Cordial Coffee a shot.

In terms of atmosphere, Cordial is one of the coolest coffee shops that I've been to in a long time. The building, the decorations, the seating, the ability to throw on a literal record and play it while you sip coffee – I loved it.

The coffee and food was okay. I'm willing to look the other way on a lot when a coffeeshop does their own roasting (and their vintage roaster in the main lobby is incredible). I ordered a latte and while it was good, but I wasn't blown away. It lacked the full-bodied flavor that you'd expect from coffee that was freshly roasted. We had to order waffles, because that seemed like a cool combination and they were fine too. I've had great waffles in my life (see my other reviews) and these aren't going to top any of my lists, especially at the price point (more on that later).

The other bummer for me was the staff. I'll say up front that no one was rude, but there was no warmth or friendliness about them. Again, they didn't do anything wrong, but they made me feel like I was imposing on them and it left the whole interaction feeling a little awkward. For example, when we ordered waffles the cashier literally turned around and apologized to the employee cleaning the waffle machine. Again, I get it, but we were ordering their speciality food well within business hours so I wouldn't imagine that would be an inconvenience.

Now, back to the price. Coffee shops are typically expensive, I've got a grid for that and I'm okay paying a little more to support a local business. My family and I paid $60 for two lattes, two waffles, one hot chocolate and a bag of beans. That's a $10 average per item, which is crazy. Another small thing that bothered me is that they didn't have their prices listed anywhere. They have a great menu with lots of different options, but no prices so we went into the purchase pretty blind until we were rung up.

All in all, Cordial is a cool spot and worth a stop if you're in the area, but not worth the hour drive we took to...

I wrote them a 5* review over a year ago on Yelp. I won’t damage their reputation with low star review, as I know as a small business owner myself, how important ratings are. I wasn’t thrilled this past weekend after paying them a visit after several months. I noticed new employees that I’ve never seen before. I don’t know if that’s the issue or what could it be, but the coffee was lacking. Waffles were great as always! The coffee foam was not smooth and silky as I remember it. Just poor and full of air bubbles like the milk you boil to make rice pudding….just way bellow average. The foam I make myself at home is stellar compared to what we’ve got served this weekend. And then, the coffee cups vs price. They downsized the cups to the point I feel like I get served half the amount I used to get in the past and for a higher price. The big wide white cups for the latte are gone and replaced by these black much skinnier cups. I understand…pandemic, Covid, or whatnot….but it feels like doubling up on saving, and screw the clients! Smaller cups, higher price….it just doesn’t speak well. I will think more than twice from now on weather or not to make the trip from Purcellville to Berryville with my whole family for what it used to be the best coffee shop in the area. I was very disappointed. I hope they change something soon and get rid of the lame hicCUPS. A 5* review client getting back a year later with a 3* review gotta mean something….the real rating for this...