GrindTime Coffee — Restaurant in Gilbert

GrindTime Coffee is one of the East Valley's local coffee shops. Tucked in the corner of Warner and McQueen, GrindTime's atmosphere was welcoming and the barista was certainly friendly.

I ordered my usual, a cappuccino in a mug, a bit dry, whole milk. While at times I stray, today I held to my convictions. To liven the affair I added a cortado, which I also have a relationship with, and a "Chagachino." I can't be certain if I have the spelling correct on the later of the two.

Firstly, GrindTime's presentation was on point. When ordering a cortado, the palate cleanser is a bit of distinction I always value. Nicely done. If the critique was limited to the presentation, GrindTime would have 5 starts and high praise. Regrettably, this is where the accolades come to a not so bitter end.

The coffee itself I found to be mellow, with overarching expressions of earth. Not bitter, which is good, but the earthy notes reflected the roasting more than any organic nature of the coffee. To be honest, I didn't enquire where the beans were sourced. I did ask about the roasting, which GrindTime does in house at a separate location.

My cappuccino, although served with care, lacked the impact of fat and foam necessary to harmonize with the espresso. I do recall asking for "whole milk", but the finish product drank more like a 2% or skim. The nature of the roast and the addition of the froth created an overall cappuccino that lacked substance. Doubling down, the cortado I would say was similar in its delivery. All of which left me quite disappointed.

By contrast, the Chagachino was surprisingly enjoyable. A mix of organic sweeteners, including monk fruit, mushroom, and others added delights, the Chagachino didn't resemble the overly sugar'd drinks that are so common at coffee shops today. Rather, it was quite drinkable for those who are like minded in our enjoyment of the coffee over the sweet.

To summarize, GrindTime offers a great deal of potential, but it has a way's to go in terms of finding a recipe that hits home. If you are nearby, do try that Chagachino and post your...

I have to be honest here, the coffee was ok. We got an iced Carmel coffee and then we decided to add 3 of their donuts 🍩 and man, for one they are tiny donuts, not even worth $3 each! I thought they would be $1-$1.50 at the most. My husband ended up throwing his donut away, I was going to but my mama taught me not to waste food AND I didn't want to waste another $3, lol. We thought they were going to be FRESH but no, they're far from fresh! It taste like they had just taken them out of the freezer an hour before they opened and they were DRY!! Very dry! They had a weird texture to them. I'm not sure if they were supposed to be gluten free, wheat free, sugar free or taste free... but I would not recommend them and would never buy them...

I've come twice now and will definitely be back for a third time. I always drink coffee whether its drip or espresso without any flavors, but these homemade syrups were wonderful. I tried the chocolate and then the cinnamon pear the next day...they only complimented the coffee and in no way over powered by them like any chain coffee stop does. The cortado on its own with no added flavor was bold and rich. My sister in law got a great pumpkin latte and my brother a cold brew flight, both tasty.

The owner was friendly and knowledgeable, two very important things. It's great to have another quality coffee shop on this side of the valley instead of having to go to Phoenix. Nice to see another local family owned family...