Alchemist Coffee Overland — Restaurant in Idaho

Overland is an area I usually don't frequent much of. I was in area today so of course I needed to stop at Alchemist for a caffeinated beverage. I remember this venue being another coffee joint back in the day. I knew this updated venue was going to be stunning like all the other ones in town. Every Alchemist shop is so pretty.

It's been years since I have been in this venue. My friend used to work in this strip. We used to grab drinks from the previous coffee shop. Can I tell you now gorgeous this shop is! The wood, the black walls, the simple decor and the rich colored hanging plants, it's all just beautiful! I love the set up of this place. So many tables, chairs and comfy sofas. It's the ultimate chill spot. Whoever decorates each shop does such an amazing job.

A nice gentleman behind the counter greeted me. He was really sweet. I ordered my normal drink, a small iced americano with sugar free white chocolate with room for cream. I also snagged a lemon poppy seed muffin to take with me for my Grandma.

I got myself settled at a table while my drink was being made. I love how busy it is. People chillin, enjoying their beverages and staying cool. Even though it busy, there was still plenty of seating available. My name was finally called. I went and grabbed my goodies that were sitting next to a well stocked condiment bar. I appreciate that they have the blue packets of sweeter here. Not every coffee shop is this cool and carries the blue packets.

I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed to see my drink was filled to the brim with no room for cream. I know that it's just a little extra water added to the espresso but it's that much more water that dilutes the espresso. And it's that much of my drink I need to dump out to give my cup room for my half and half. I honestly don't think my drink is that hard to make.

After I adjusted my drink with half and half along with a packet of blue sweetner, I hung out for a bit to enjoy my caffeinated beverage. My drink was decent. The balance of everything wasn't there. My espresso shot wasn't very prominent. Of course the cream and white chocolate was very noticeable. I have had amazing iced americanos from other Alchemist shops, unfortunately today is not one of them.

I love supporting local coffee joints. It's always neat to come to other Alchemist shops in town that I don't normally frequent. This venue is beautiful like all the others in the valley. The staff is really nice. My drink could have been a little better but it was still good. I know these folks push out great coffee so I know I'll be back if I'm ever in this area again. I'm just happy I got to check out another one of these amazing...

In my opinion, there are two main types of coffee served in Idaho. The first I call sugar coffee, where they use as much sweetness as necessary to hide the coffee. For example, Dutch Brothers serves 'sugar coffee' that appeals to people new to coffee and don't actually want to taste it. The second, I would just call 'coffee', or a traditional style coffee where the experience is all about focusing on the coffee itself. If sugar is added, it needs to only add to the coffee experience, not take it away.

Alchemist Coffee seems to serve an extreme version of sugar coffee. It also had a strong metallic taste that typically comes from sugar free syrups, but I couldn't tell. The first sip was a great experience, despite not tasting at all like coffee. The second diminished in enjoyment, and by the third I had to stop. It was just too sweet. I came for coffee and got a steamed milk shake.

The place was crowded, which is a good sign others enjoy the coffee. So this review is probably only directed towards the coffee aficionado. If you are looking for a high quality traditional latte, go somewhere else. If you are new to coffee, and quite frankly hate the taste of coffee, this might be the experience for you.

The reason why I gave three stars though is not because of the low quality of my drink. It was because the entire experience was poor. It seems like the owner is not supporting the barista's with the equipment they need. The grinder failed, the barista obviously needed some training, the crema looked terrible, and the overall situation for the employees seemed dismal. Service was slow, but I honestly just felt bad for the baristas.

The lobby was excellent though, especially...

Was needing a comfortable and safe place to meet with someone I'd never meet other than by phone. We arrived around 7:45 pm and was told that they close at 8:00pm, but without hesitation the staff person said we could stay and enjoy our tea while they were doing thier closing routine. Unfortunately my new friend ordered a coffee drink that could not be made due to they had already shut down the machine. This was no problem for either of us and my friend also ordered tea. After the Batista completed the order she offered us a free drink card for the inconvenience. I was impressed with the her ability to handle each situation with ease that usually is awkward for most. We had a wonderful conversation in a comfortable area of the shop never noticing the staff closing up. The artwork, layout, & products were done nicely and I felt relax in the atmosphere. Another staff member told us they had already been closed for a while, but would five minutes be long enough for us to wrap it up. At this piont I was extremely i.prezsed with the service and each individuals manners, kindness, & professionalism. Wow, an establishment that hit every mark. We took no more of thier time and as we were leaving another staff member offered us some of thier cuisine that otherwise would be thrown out. I'm kicking myself for not taking it as I'm siure it would have been as great as the service. To all the staff at Awakenings Coffee House, you are absolutely the best working team I've ever seen in action. And even though I was focused on my new friend, I walked away thinking, I've got to come back just to see it it's real....