Gregorys Coffee — Restaurant in Jacksonville

I swung by at 2:55 p.m. on Sunday, August 10, and ordered a vegan deluxe (for here) plus three vegan croissants (to go). The vegan deluxe was great, no complaints, but the croissants? Absolute hard as a fossil. If I dropped one, I’m pretty sure it would’ve chipped the floor. I’ve ordered them before and they were soft and lovely, so I’m guessing these were either from another era or left out as an art installation.

Then the rain rolled in, and I decided to get a decaf espresso. I asked for a splash of non-dairy milk, just a tiny bit, like the free half-and-half you get with coffee anywhere else, but the barista said that would “have to be” a cortado (extra charge) even if the milk wasn’t steamed. That was a new one for me. Everywhere else a splash of cold non-dairy milk is offered complimentary, in lieu of nondairy half and half.

The barista (light green dress with black stripes, blondish ponytail, gold hair tie, silver dangly earrings, colorful tattoo on left arm, her name not listed on my receipt, so this is my best description) was… well, let’s say her customer service style was “borderline prison warden.” Rude. Mean. Short. Impatient. There was no one else in line, and I was paying through the InKind app, but my phone had connection issues. It took a minute to pay, but instead of showing some patience, she looked at me with a death stare and clutched the espresso low and tight, like she was guarding the crown jewels. I think she thought I’m gonna steal it and run with it.

It was kinda amusing, but super awkward at the same time. Once my payment went through, she retrieved the drink from wherever it had been under protective custody and handed it over.

I’ve been a loyal customer since this place opened in Jacksonville, but after paying premium prices for croissants that could double as paperweights and being treated like I was plotting an espresso heist, I’m rethinking my visits.

Update: I...

ok so i really liked Gregory’s when i went this past weekend! i got the iced biscotti testarossa and loved it and my mom got the gingerbread latte and liked it a lot. it was a bit expensive but there’s a lot in it (including a little piece of biscotti!) so i get it. the mascarpone cold foam is amazing. the staff were really nice and were working really hard, it seems like they have a great crew!

the interior is alright, it’s very minimalist which is not my cup of tea personally but there was comfortable seating and it wasn’t bad to wait in, just not very cozy, which makes sense since it’s in a mall and they’re probably expecting people to be in and out.

the only thing is that i think they are brand new which i understand, but there were 2 people just kinda hovering (maybe the managers?), and one of them interrupted a barista to correct her while she was talking to a customer. i just felt that was a little strange to do in front of other people and i know i would personally feel embarrassed if it were me. i understand training is important, but idk… it just made me feel a bit weird! not a huge problem, just something small i noticed as a former service worker in a coffee shop myself.

regardless, i’m always happy to see smaller coffee shops/chains replacing Starbucks locations! i expect to return when i come back to the...

I stopped by here on Monday morning looking for a new place to grab coffee, maybe a bite to eat and catch up on work emails. The atmosphere is light and airy - black and white decor - not cluttered or dark. There is lots of seating inside and outside. There are no shades in the windows so the sun coming up in the morning can be bothersome.

I tried the tried the "Nu Brew" based on a recommendation from the Barista. It's an iced coffee with Nutella. The taste was average at best. There really was not a coffee flavor or a Nutella flavor that stood out to me - something other Yelpers also mentioned about drinks. The price is a bit more on the pricier side. A medium iced coffee is $ 5.99. I looked at getting a bite to eat and most of the items on the video board were over $6 for breakfast items - croissants, etc. They were baking muffins that smelled great and everyone working was friendly.

Pros: Free Wifi - good speed for those wanting to work and maybe have a few conference calls. Great Atmosphere Location, location, location Mobile ordering available Staff was friendly

Cons: Quality of the drinks (which has been noted in other reviews) Price of the drinks and food They do have a rewards program you can join but you have to spend $250 before you get a reward (extra expresso shot in a drink)

Not sure I will...