Breakaway Cafe — Restaurant in Dover

Alright first things first, they have some really good product here. The pour-over coffee options are great and incredibly tasty (the best in the area). It’s incredibly refreshing to find a coffee shop that isn’t muddled with burn tasting dark roasts. The bagels are awesome and live up to the hype (the sandwiches can be greasy be warned). Can’t speak to the espresso, but it was fine the few times I’ve tried it.

(EDIT: gonna give this a quick edit before you read the below. This place has grown and changed in a many ways from when the new management took over, all for the better. While the space itself has changed a lot as well, I'm gonna just say that as a consumer, it's nice to see a company grow and adapt.)

The culture of this place is garbage though. I spent my entire morning hearing one of the managers and following staff blab about a sales goal they set for themselves that they had almost reached. For me, that’s a huge turn off. If I’m to be a patron of an establishment, I’d rather not have the operators openly speak about my experience as their direct capital. That’s just upsetting an unprofessional. There’s also this “best of the world we’re saving the seacoast coffee scene” attitude here that is really upsetting me. I enjoy an ultra fancy tasty cup of coffee just as much as the next person, but you don’t need to treat this store as if we’re in New York by getting yourself off with your product. There’s no need to tell people here that you’re the elite and you should buy into it. People will either recognize it or ignore it here rather than congratulate themselves on it’s opulence. Change your attitude, or move to an actual city. There’s no room for that here.

For most people who feel the way I do, they already recognize this and feel the same way pretty quickly, but I still feel like it should be vocalized. These days, I try my coffee, buy my bags, and make my...

Flight Coffee has become more than just a café to me. Within walking distance of my home, this place has unfailingly become my second living room, an extension of my workspace, and a cozy corner that nurtures my love for coffee.

Aesthetically pleasing, an unpretentious, relaxed vibe, Flight Coffee Dover is unique. It stands apart from the generic, dime-a-dozen coffee chains with organic charm, the earnestness that comes with being a purpose-built café. The mission to serve the community resonates and it's here where I often find myself scribbling away, inspired, or grading assignments with a delicious cup of their espresso (I lost a chess game there just the other day to my kid).

What I cherish most about Flight Coffee as a rendezvous spot that nurtures connection. Be it a tête-à-tête with fellow business owners or networking to find avenues of collaboration, Flight has always fostered these interactions with warmth and inclusivity. I recall a day when I was there for a straight six hours, meeting people and exploring real estate opportunities, and the staff, far from merely tolerating, were supportive and encouraging. Their coffee? Simply delightful. Robust, well-rounded. Their cappuccinos are no less a treat - perfect in blend and froth. Flight manages to create an experience you want to revisit, again and again.

The little touches matter too. I adore the little flowers on the tables, courtesy of The Flower Room next door. They add a dash of vibrancy and cheer to the place.

Flight is not just a café for me, but an integral part of my Dover life - a hub of warmth and connection. I recommend it to anyone who loves good coffee, appreciates a chill atmosphere, and is on the lookout for a sense of community. Flight Coffee gets a five-star rating for being unapologetically itself - genuine, welcoming, and serving one heck...

I really wanted to love Flight. I've been a fan of their roasts since back when they were CQ Roasters. I'm sure their coffee is still fantastic and they seam to care about the craft, offering pourover, siphon, etc. and recommending a prep method for each coffee they are serving. The environment is also wonderful and provides a great place to kick back and relax or bring some work to.

However, as my other reviews of coffee shops probably give away, I'm a big fan of espresso drinks and the is where Flight falls short for me. We tried several drinks: a valentine's day special with grenadine (sort of an espresso Shirley Temple), a maple latte, and a regular latte. In all three drinks, it was near impossible to taste the espresso. It was so overpowered by the milk that it was impossible to discern any of the notes of the espresso until the drink cooled, at which point bitter notes started to show through, but not in a good way. I will say that the maple latte was very enjoyable, but not as a latte so much as a nice, sweet drink. The valentine's drink was overly sweet, but fun and forgivable based on what it was. The real deal-breaker for me was the regular latte, though. For a place which roasts their own coffee and prides themselves on it, it's sad that I can't taste what I can only imagine is wonderful espresso.

If you like your drinks sweet and milky and barely tasting of coffee, you'll enjoy Flight. If you like your drinks to be complex, layered and based upon a fine, flavorful espresso, stick with the coffee....