Tolbara Coffee + Treats — Restaurant in High Point

(4.5 stars)

High Point coffee shops tend to spring up in unexpected locations, and Tolbara seems to be continuing that trend. It can be found in the lobby of the co-work space Renaissance Place, and it calls to mind a coffee reception desk more than a cafe. That said, Tolbara was in business as a pop-up stand before settling on a permanent home, so the setup here makes sense (Besides, there is still seating available).

Tolbara sources its beans from Vignette and its baked goods from Delicious (with an additional vendor possible in the future). The owner, Jamie, is friendly, and the barista, Charlotte, can whip up drinks quickly. Both seem to value their customers.

As Tolbara is just getting started, the menu is understandably a bit small, but even still, you can find a decent assortment of hot and cold drinks (including teas for the non-coffephiles among you). There are also two (seasonal?) flavored drinks, both of which I decided to pick up (one for me, one to share).

While I really wanted to like the coffee, the syrup proportions need work. In the Sweet Berry (blackberry and brown sugar), the brown sugar flavor overwhelmed as did the almond flavor in the Twisted Mint (peppermint, almond, and vanilla). Given how much else it has going for it, I'm not averse to giving Tolbara another shot (espresso pun unintended), but next time, I'll probably aim for a single flavor.

UPDATE: I decided to give Tolbara another try, and I'm glad that I did. The vanilla iced latte I had today was perfect: smooth with a good balance of vanilla and coffee flavors. As previously mentioned, the folks here are friendly and personable. Tolbara's selections are, for the time being (they are still fairly new), a bit limited, but this spot is well...

Tolbara Coffee + Treats: I work next door, and honestly, it’s a miracle I haven’t overdosed on lattes and baked goods.

Jamie runs this place like a caffeine-powered wizard. One minute she’s pulling the smoothest espresso shot in the Triad, the next she’s whipping up a treat that somehow makes you forget about every adult responsibility you’ve ever had.

Every day, I tell myself: “Today, I’m not going over there.” Then I smell something. Next thing I know, I’m double-fisting a cold brew and a muffin the size of my steering wheel.

The shop? Cozy. Friendly. Smells like happiness. The menu? Dangerous in the best way. Jamie? A coffee genius with a smile that says, “Yeah, I saw you in here yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that.”

If you’re anywhere near Renaissance Place and NOT stopping by Tolbara, we can’t be friends. Come for the coffee. Stay because Jamie made eye contact and now you’re emotionally invested.

Seriously. Save yourself. Or don’t. Get the mocha. And a cookie....

Honestly, I like to think of coffee as more than just the raw flavor of what’s going in my mouth. The experience of getting the coffee is just as important as the beans, or the milk, or anything else. That said, Tolbara is by far the best coffee experience I’ve had in a long time. Jamie is so knowledgeable about coffee and very nice, Charlotte is pleasant to talk to, and the atmosphere is very clean and welcoming. But on top of all that, the coffee do be banging! I’m not the most well versed on all the intricacies of a perfect espresso, but what they made me had me thinking “wow, that’s a coffee that tastes really good”

TL;DR coffee...