CRACKED BEAN ROASTERY & CAFE — Restaurant in City of Syracuse

There are a handful of coffeeshops near me, but the Cracked Bean is far and away my favorite. Why, you ask? I'll give you a hint: it's not the coffee.

The coffee is by no means bad, mind you. I'm just not a coffee aficionado. The reason I go to the furthest of the three cafes in my area is the environment, which is to say, the people.

From the first day I walked into the Cracked Bean, the staff were happy, helpful, and just downright fun to interact with. For me, that alone makes this place more appealing than most.

I've lived in quite a few places, including several in other parts of the world, where outward happiness and quality customer service are not the norm, so a warm, friendly environment is particularly important to me.

Additionally, as someone who moved to a new city and didn't know anyone, it has been truly heartwarming to get the kind service, and even conversation, that I inevitably get when I come in.

While everyone who works there has been lovely, Sam has made the biggest impression on me. After only a handful of interactions, her openness and quirky sense of humor helped me come out of my introverted shell and resulted in an ongoing inside joke that is both magical and hilarious! She's a delight.

I'd never left a cafe and thought to myself, "that was fun!" until I started coming to the Cracked Bean. Anywho, many months later, I still go come in several times a week, mostly when Sam is working, as we've become friends, and I know other patrons do the same.

All of this to say that, once again, for me the environment is significantly more important than the coffee!

P.S. The pumpkin bread is utterly out of this world.

P.S.S. The music is usually pretty solid, too. Often Motown-sy, blues-y,...

So grateful this has become an Eastwood staple! Perfect location for walking to on the weekends and stopping through on the way to work. Cold Brew with Oat Milk is my go-to drink along with a Chocolate Filled Crissant (warmed to crisp-gooey perfection) Coffee Blends are smooth and low acidity unlike the bitter chain coffee. The owner and her barista are ALWAYS super friendly and they remember your order and first name! Parking can be precarious on busy weekends, my suggestion is to walk if your close or park in the lot behind the building to avoid busy traffic on James St. Also kid friendly with a cooler case of caffeine free drinks and various baked goods! Wifi and indoor or outdoor seating options are great for small groups and 1:1 business...

Visited here for the first time. Today it served as a landing pad between client meetings. Atmosphere is cozy, relatively quiet and didn't have too much echo. Even when it filled with people, it was still not terribly loud. Tables have outlets available on the floor (bonus!) Multiple outlets are also available at the counter space making this a nice place to study or work. Staff was attentive and friendly. Full selection of coffee beverages one would expect at a coffee spot. My vanilla latte was made well and not overly sweet. I had broccoli quiche (was a 2nd choice as they were currently out of the ham & cheese croissnt). It was velvety and made well. Quite tasty. Was bummed mugs and only disposable cups, but that won't stop me from...