Narrative Coffee Roasters — Restaurant in Florida

Like the previous coffee shop before it (Second Cup Coffee), I’ve noticed Narrative Coffee take an unexpected/unfortunate decline in numerous categories within the past year.

Before I get into this review I would like to state ever since it’s grand opening, I have been a huge advocate, fan and supporter of Narrative Coffee. I would like nothing more than to continue being these things, however if Narrative continues on its current path, I fear they will lose their fan base ultimately leading to its demise like it’s predecessor.

Narrative Coffee has been a huge staple in my life. I would come here to conduct my academic studies, unwind with friends and go on dates with my girlfriend, all while enjoying their delicious specialty coffees, modern decor and cleanly atmosphere. Some of my favorite things about Narrative was the staff which I believed did a fantastic job at establishing real connections with their guests all while taking pride In their barista skills.

I’ll start my review on the staff members (this is targeted at the majority of staff I have encountered and it does not include the very few kind employees I have dealt with). I find the quality of staff members currently working at narrative appearing unmotivated and lacking in personal skills. I’ll even go as far to say some of the staff have presented me with brief/rude behavior including some major sass and attitude.

Moving on I’ll mention quality control. I used to go into narrative knowing my specialty lattes would be constructed as advertised. Now, I go in and find myself glancing over at the baristas to ensure all the proper garnishes have been added. Sometimes my drink comes with a hearty serving of delicious cold foam and other times I’m lucky if the top is half filled with it. Maybe my drink will have sprinkles or maybe it won’t. Will my latte come deliciously sweet or horribly bitter? It all depends on the day now.

Next is the cleanliness. I used to find Narrative to be in a constant state of being clean. Whether I walked into a clean building/bathroom or walked I into staff actively cleaning it. Now, I just find the store to be in a constant state of dirty. Stains on the couches/chairs, garbage/crumbs on the floor and an over all unsatisfactory bathroom (just a few photos taken from one of my visits posted). It’s important for management to know Narrative is housed in one of the more prestigious areas of Naples and should be upheld to fairly high standards considering it’s clientele. The store must be well maintained.

Finally, I’ll end with the specialty drinks. Within the last year the specialty drinks/flavors have been getting more and more delayed from being released. If you state you have seasonal drinks being created, those drinks can’t be released at the end of said season. If the team is having trouble concocting the drinks then just inform your customers the seasonal drinks are being postponed. When it comes to the flavors of the specialty lattes, I would like the inventors of the drinks to keep it simple. Trying to re invent the wheel with some of these drinks is not enjoyable (I.e. citrus infused with coffee).

I would like to end my “narrative” type review with re-stating that I do not wish for this company to fall victim of complacency just like the company that came before it. I would like it to return to a clean establishment filled with friendly staff who like their jobs and coffee that tastes delicious. I would like to find myself wanting to go to Narrative on my days off instead of going just to see if I will be irritated at what Narrative has become. I hope Narrative can pull themselves together before...

TL;DR it's ok/average. Would consider giving it another shot.

I'm not much of a coffee drinker, so maybe I didn't get the whole experience. But it was pretty standard: average food, nice staff, trying too hard at modern decor. You definitely pay for atmosphere, which is low key ruined by all of the dying plants in there... just water them, please lol. There's no way to socially distance inside, or any indicators placed at tables to separate customers. I dont think that's a mandate, but it shows that a restaurant cares a bit about health and safety? Whatever. Very standard food, and overpriced for what it is (as you can imagine, it's in Mercato). I had a masala chai, which was okay! Except that it came out of a carton. I understand that the focus of Narrative is on coffee not tea. But if I wanted boxed chai, I'd just go to Starbucks and get a venti for the same price as a Narrative small. At least try to fool me and put it in a different container or something lol. Also had a matcha latte that wasn't nearly as flavorful as I was expecting. Again, I doubt many people go for the tea, but this drink was underwhelming. The bulk of the taste was from the steamed/fluffy milk (which I love but I paid to taste bitter, grassy matcha lmao). If I go again, I'll definitely be asking for it STRONG. I will say that the matcha was prepared with a traditional matcha wisk, which was neat. I also had a sammy and guava pastry that were average. Liked the pastry more, since the sammy was a pretty ho-hum (boring Kraft-style American cheese, sausage without much seasoning, but I liked the poached egg). This is all to say, that I might try it again. One of the staff told me that there are more Narrative locations opening in Naples, and that more of the food and stuff would be made fresh there, which would be nice. Only time will tell ¯(ツ)/¯

PS for Narrative staff: your outdoor potted plants need water too! And the heliconia in those pots might get pretty big, so you may want to switch it out. PSS please train your staff as to why you're called Narrative! Why is it called that? Does it have anything to do with your pen logo? Not gonna buy your logo as a sticker until...

I've been going to Narrative for a couple of years now, and it's a really good, reliable coffee shop. For those wondering about milk options, they offer Minor Figures' Oat Milk and regular whole milk. Caffeine used to run in my veins, but now that I've been only having decaf, I can also tell you that this place does a great job with its non-caffeinated drinks as well.

While the coffee is solid, the food can be hit or miss. It's important to note that this is a coffee shop with limited food options, not a full café or bakery, so keep that in mind if you're planning to stay for a while.

The ambiance is fantastic. It's pretty spacious, and there are a lot of outlets for your devices if you want to park it for a couple of hours to do some work, reading, studying, etc. Just be aware that during the winter season, it can get super busy, and finding a seat may be a little harder during peak times.

Finally, the staff is super friendly and attentive. In the years I've been going, I can only count on one hand the number of times someone didn't greet me with a smile. So, if you're in the area and are looking for a great spot to enjoy good coffee and a relaxed atmosphere, I'd recommend...