Duino Coffeehouse: McKinney — Restaurant in McKinney

More like Starbucks than third wave coffee. Ordered a flat white but the only size options were 12oz and 16oz (?) Espresso was far from dialed in and kinda tasted like dirt tbh. I asked for oat milk but I’m pretty sure they used whole milk. It was burned and yet contained more foam than a cappuccino.

The coffee was a disappointment, but I’m still leaving 3 stars because the environment looks good for working, and they had an active community board.

Update (to the owner’s response): I appreciate the refund, but perhaps I can try to elaborate on my feedback in a way that feels more constructive.

Re: drink sizes My go to order at craft coffee shops is a flat white. I like to order this, which I’m used to coming as a 6 oz drink, because it offers a more concentrated espresso taste that allows me to explore the notes more than a latte, which I personally find too dominated by milk. I’m also accustomed to it having little to no milk foam, otherwise I’d order a cappuccino. My intent is not to be pedantic about drink sizes, but rather to explain my confusion.

Re: espresso flavor I apologize that you took offense to my comment about the espresso tasting like dirt. Fully understand that this wouldn’t be most people’s interpretation, but I used that term from a perspective of describing flavor notes. I also describe some pu erh teas as tasting like dirt, and those can be quite good! But that flavor note is not what I was looking for in coffee. Perhaps a more useful comment would be that I found it to be over extracted, resulting in a bitter and burnt taste. The milk felt steamed too hot as well, which certainly didn’t help.

Re: equipment I’m aware of how expensive good equipment can get and how many different things go into the process. But I also believe that having top of the line commercial grade equipment isn’t what guarantees the coffee is well made. An entry level home machine that’s properly dialed in can outcompete fancy equipment that’s not. Another reviewer mentioned they have used the same beans with success but also found a discrepancy with yours.

Re: oat milk This part bothers me because I know I for sure asked for oat milk, like I always do at every coffee shop, because I’m lactose intolerant and whole milk will make me and everyone in a 10 ft radius of me have a bad time. Maybe I wasn’t loud enough or the cashier didn’t hear me, but please don’t put words into my mouth. I’d hope cafes in particular are careful with such dietary restrictions given how common they are.

I hope you find this to be more constructive feedback. I see you care a lot about the cafe and I want y’all to continue striving for greatness. I’m not here to comment about the way you run your business because that is well outside my area of expertise. I’m just one customer’s opinion, and am probably more particular about their coffee than most. There are other places that serve the kind of coffee I’m looking for, and I think it’s fair to inform others with similar preferences what they might get here...

If you’re searching for a heartwarming coffee experience in McKinney, look no further than Duino! This family-owned gem, opened in 2019 before the pandemic, is not just a coffee shop; it’s a vibrant community hub that brings people together, inspired by the charm of a small seaside town on the Adriatic coast of Italy.

From the moment you step inside, you’re greeted by the inviting atmosphere and a smile from the lovely owner, who pours her heart and soul into every detail of this establishment. The commitment to quality is evident in their locally roasted coffee, sourced directly from Eiland Coffee Roasters. The coffee machines are manual and the staff is trained on manual Coffee machines ....Most of the syrups are made in house ..Each sip is a testament to the freshness and care that goes into crafting their brews—no middlemen here, just pure coffee goodness!

What truly sets Duino apart is their dedication to serving delicious, homemade food. The breakfast options, pastries, paninis, and sandwiches are all made fresh on-site, with real ingredients that make a difference. Most ingredients have never been frozen ...You can taste the freshness in their homemade pesto and hand-cut vegetables, and trust me, their avocados are the real deal! It's a breath of fresh air to find a place where nothing is frozen and everything is prepared with love.

Duino is more than just a café; it’s a gathering space for the community. They host fantastic events like Cars & Coffee and Bikes & Coffee, fostering connections among neighbors and friends. The walls are adorned with art from local artists, celebrating the rich culture of McKinney and reminding us all of the beauty in our diversity.

Whether you're looking to enjoy a cozy cup of coffee, indulge in a delicious meal, or simply connect with others, Duino is the place to be. It’s a soulful experience that resonates with anyone who walks through the door. I wholeheartedly recommend this wonderful coffeehouse to anyone in the area. You’ll leave not just with a full stomach but with a heart warmed by the sense of community and connection that Duino embodies. Strangers truly become friends here, and that’s...

Disappointed. I finally stopped here for a cold brew hoping to find a great coffee place to study in the area. While the shop itself is beautiful my cold brew had a fly in it and my cookie was not fully baked. The staff was nice to give me a new cold brew but it definitely ruined my first impression of the shop.

Edit- After speaking with the owner I have realized the cookie was not underdone but gooey. However there was a fly not an ice chip that was in my drink. I would know considering that it did end up in my mouth and then in my hand.

Edit 2: A reply to the owner: Even though you have not spoken to me directly we have communicated through these reply’s in which I felt an edit needed to be made to explain that I misunderstood how the cookie was made. However it seems just like the grossness of the fly in my coffee your customer service seems to have the same amount of unprofessional. As a manager who deals with negative reviews this has had to be the worst way I have ever seen a review dealt with. Assuming this is a family owned business I understand negative reviews may have a harsher effect however how you deal with them it’s what makes a customer give you a second chance. This is Google Review, I have no personal relationship with this business and no reason to want to go out of my way to write a negative reviews unless something negative happened during my experience there. There was a fly in my coffee, I got a new coffee, I came home wrote a review and now I am have a very unprofessional back and forth with the owner of the shop via google reviews replies. The professional way of handling this is by reply with “I’m sorry you had a bad experience with us, give us another chance sometime.” I did not need nor want a refund or to be accused of not having a fly in my coffee. With that I probably would have deleted my review and tried again next week and have hopefully became a regular customer...