Raining Berries - Lutz / Wesley Chapel — Restaurant in Land O' Lakes

Raining Berries is a Starbucks competitor which does many things well, but misses the mark on some minor details. I recommend this place heartily, with caveats.

If you're into coffee, be sure to ask for recommendations. The staff is pretty knowledgeable, and their regular brew tastes burnt and bitter to me. It reminds me of Starbucks Pike Place coffee, which I also don't care for. But they have many other brews available and can help you get the flavor you like. They have a latte, espresso, Americano, tea, etc. They also have the sweeter drinks which, as a low carb guy, I don't drink. A huge bonus is they don't upcharge for things like almond milk or real cream. They also have several pastries and sweet "bowls" (like coconut, granola, etc.). Again, I'm low carb, so I didn't try any, but they do look good.

The lounging area is very nice. The tables are all a beautifully lacquered unfinished wood. However, the size of the tables are all just a little too small to get all my work stuffs comfortably situated. The high back chairs are beautiful. The light fixtures are all retro filament lighting which give a nice visual cue for the shop, but put out too much light. On the wall is a magenta neon sign (think T-Mobile pink) which casts hot pink all over the front of the shop. There's also a big conference room which you can reserve for $50 an hour, and a bargain for what it is. And finally, the Wifi is excellent, full stop. They understand their shop is a nomad's office and they serve this function very well. There are dozens of outlets in the floor for all the computing devices you need charged. It would be neat if they took this a step farther and gave you wireless charging in the tables, but nobody is doing that right now.

My favorite part of Raining Berries is its comfort. At 9:00 on a Thursday, I'm sharing the space with one other patron and three employees. The employees are very responsive and kind. They see I'm working on something and are respectfully letting me do what I need to.

I hope Raining Berries can compete with Starbucks across the street. It is qualitatively better than Starbucks. The experience is nicer and the atmosphere is friendlier. For now, I will definitely come back and consider this one of those secret finds. I will cross my fingers they will dim the lights a little. But even with those problems,...

Coffee, Conversations, and Inspiration at Raining Berries ☕️💬

Raining Berries is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots for great coffee and even better conversations. The location is spotless, beautifully decorated, well-organized, and thoughtfully designed—an ideal environment whether you’re catching up with a friend, handling emails, or diving into deep research (as I often do for my PhD).

A special shout-out to their large, glass-walled conference room—a perfect setting for caffeine-fueled team collaboration and brainstorming sessions!

I was warmly welcomed by Angie, one of the friendliest and most energetic team members I’ve encountered. Her enthusiasm and bright smile left such an impression that I had to take a photo. She truly represents the kind of customer experience that makes a place unforgettable.

My drink of choice was an iced caramel coffee with heavy cold cream—a refreshing, high-quality blend that hit the spot perfectly.

What made this visit even more meaningful was a powerful conversation with Julie Stevens. Her story deserves to be heard—she is not only a stage IV cancer survivor, but a true “thriver.” Julie applied her background in organizational psychology and her passion for data to uncover answers that radically transformed her health. Today, she is cancer-free and works with both patients and doctors to educate them on the types of data that can be used to predict and treat cancer more effectively.

Her journey is chronicled in a book I highly recommend (see picture). It’s a compelling story of curiosity, hope, and science converging to produce life-changing results.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Highly recommended for your next coffee break or...

I visited the first day it was open.

Decor/Design:

The decor is nice but generic, very instagramy. You can tell it was made to be "trendy" for the teeny boppers who want to post on instagram. The conference room is a great addition, but the rental cost is pretty high considering it doesn't include drinks or anything off the menu.

Menu: So, what floored me was that acai bowls are technically supposed to be healthy. However, every single acai bowl on the menu had added sugar. I might as well have ice cream or a brownie.

I was also very unimpressed when I found out not all their teas were loose leaf nor can they make a tea into a latte, since their coffee latte machine is a part of the coffee.

I ordered an avocado toast, and it was very overpriced for an unseasoned avocado.

Staff:

That staff working was very sweet and went out of their way to answer all questions.

Overall: Food and bevernage quality wise you're better off at Buttermilk Provisions, Buddy Brew, or Kaleisia. I think the spot will do well, since it's something different from the other coffee chains in the area, and they have long hours for work/study. However, I may just have high standards and found the place too commercialized for my personal stamp of approval. I will likely give it another shot after it's been open for a while to give it a...