Rowster Coffee Wealthy — Restaurant in Grand Rapids

As someone with barista training who appreciated the nuanced craft of coffee making, I’m disappointed to share that Rowster’s has fallen far from its original standards. This used to be my go-to spot when they first opened, back when they were roasting beans in-house and clearly took pride in their craft. The drip coffee I ordered tasted distinctly burnt, suggesting their brewing equipment is overdue for maintenance or calibration. When you’ve worked behind an espresso machine, you recognize these telltale signs of neglected equipment - it’s not just about the beans, but how they’re being extracted. Speaking of extraction, the espresso I observed being served lacked the rich, golden crema that indicates proper brewing pressure and fresh beans. Good crema should be thick enough to support sugar for a few seconds and have that beautiful tiger-stripe pattern when milk is poured. Instead, what I saw was thin and dissipated quickly - a clear indicator of either stale beans or improper brewing parameters. The consistency has become frustratingly unreliable. Whatever changes occurred since their early days - whether new ownership, different suppliers, or staff turnover - have fundamentally altered what made this place special. For a coffee shop that once understood the craft, this decline is particularly disheartening. I hope they can return to their roots and restore the quality that originally made them a neighborhood...

The Coffee: guess I'm a fan of medium roasts because I haven't had a bean from them that I've hated. Comparing an in-house coffee roaster to a coffee house isn't exactly the same. I'll take a pour over that was fresh made over coffee that's been sitting in an urn anyday.

The Espresso: I've only had one bad espresso pull from Rowsters in the year I've been frequenting them, and they comped it for me because they even knew it wasn't good. A few other coffee shops I've visited here in GR have given me burnt shots almost every time. And I'm pretty sure Rowsters is the only place I've ever been anywhere (including a few Seattle roasters) that gives you soda water for espresso shots.

Prices: Yes, the prices of beans aren't cheap. But you're paying for the craft. If you survive on 5 cups a day, this probably isn't a great choice. But if you're like me who only needs 1-2 cups of damn good straight coffee throughout your day, Rowsters is worth the price.

Service: All of the employees have been nothing but nice to me. I have definitely witness them being incredibly helpful to customers who normally visit a chain coffee shop; explaining the style of their roasts and what the customer...

My favorite cafe.

Worth noting I quit coffee in early 2025 so this review is in retrospect.

Cute little seating area with bar seats and some tables. A couple tables out front and on a back patio, weather permitting. Artwork on the walls is always interesting.

Rowster roasts their own beans and tend to favor richer varietals, lots of caramel and coca and bourbon flavor in their beans, which is why I prefer them to Madcap, who tend toward brighter, fruitier varietals.

Espresso or drip coffee was my usual order with the ocassional latte. Batch brew was sometimes cold but that is the risk of batch brew in my opinion. Pour-over is also available. The house espresso is rich and nutty. Baristas always seemed to have their system dialled in pretty well compared, again, to Madcap, who has served me many an overdrawn, salty shot of espresso.

I might be done with coffee forever but this place will always hold a dear spot in my heart and be highly reccomended to any coffee enthusiasts willing to be subjected...