Brakeman's Coffee & Supply — Restaurant in Matthews

WOW! Brakeman's Coffee & Supply. I have a lot of good things to say but, if I may be so bold, a few areas for improvement I'd like to point out, too. Let's start with the pros. I have never been dissatisfied with any drink I've gotten here (chai, tea, latte, steamer). They all came out quickly given the length of the line and were tasty! Yum, yum, yum. The lattes are a little milkier than I would like, but not everyone can handle their caffeine like me. Still, something to be aware of if you're particular. The baristas are always SO friendly, and they don't compromise on this even when there's a line, but they are still efficient, speedy, and streamlined. The layout is also just darling, and aesthetically the place looks good. The one thing I cannot stand for are these horribly unergonomic chairs. Brakeman's is not the only establishment that has these chairs and every time I'm left thinking "Why? Just why?" They are unanimously agreed upon to be so uncomfortable, and looking around people seem that way, too. You either have to sit super far forwards or completely sideways to avoid the metal bars cutting into your bum. Not fun, especially after sitting in it for more than a few minutes. The establishment warrants doing work here, so people wanting to do so for a few hours flock to the converted church pew: the only semi-comfortable seating option. Sadly, this accounts for just four seats, so it becomes a bit of a turf war, which I hate to see happen regarding such a Godly seating option. My only other note is this name... "Brakeman's Coffee & SUPPLY?" What are these so-called supplies? A Brakeman's mug or tee? Seems like a stretch to me, but maybe it's just due to by superior mastery of the English language that I find fault with this. An alternative explanation is that I am simply not seeing where the coffee supplies are, which is equally, if not more, possible. Keep up the fantastic work, but maybe look into slowly changing the seating options. And please, Brakeman's Coffee & Supply, do not get discouraged by my suggestions. It is only because I want to maximize your potential that I say such...

Came in for a quick caffeine pick-me-up one afternoon when wandering through downtown Matthews after grabbing some beers nearby.

I had been wanting to check this place out for awhile since I'd seen it because it looked so cute, and quaint, and like it would be make a nice cuppa joe.

Alas! I came in and it was pretty busy, waited in the long line, and the staff was really nice, making jokes and greeting people warmly as they walked up to order and calling out the drinks that were ready.

I ordered a simple espresso as I figured a place like this would make a great one. Sadly, that was not my experience. My espresso was way too acidic to the point of being almost undrinkable and it was a little burnt. Not sure if they were just having an off day or if I got some leftover espresso from a previous order or what the deal was, but for the price and atmo and other reviews, I expected so much better and was so disappointed!

Needless to say, I don't see myself coming back, at least not for awhile to get both the figurative & literal "bad taste out of my mouth".

1-star for the coffee but 4 stars for the service and decor. However, being the coffee junkie that I am, I should never like a coffee place's service & decor way better than their actual coffee (insert...

Anytime I am in the vicinity of Brakeman’s, no matter if I need it or not, it’s coffee time. It’s a quaint little home that they turned into a full-fledged business. The concept is locomotives, so the interior exposed brick, hard metal accent pieces, and even names of beverages all point in the same direction. The customer service is incredible and usually has the same faces, so getting to know the staff on a first name basis is very common. The bakery they contract with is a local non-profit and puts out amazing products. They also have other food related items for purchase for convenience. Where it all matters, because upscale coffee shops are white noise these days, the beans and roast are impeccable. I’ve tried a little bit of everything on their menu and the espresso is very high level. I highly recommend the Ticket to London. Pricing is on-point and reasonable considering the quality of product and location of business. What I really enjoyed, just as much as the rest of the aforementioned aspects, was the customer demographic. You get a variety of everyone in there, but yet it doesn’t feel overcrowded, overhyped, or commercialized. It’s just a good local spot with great coffee and top shelf staff. I highly...