Shepherd Artisan Coffee — Restaurant in Miami Beach

From my vantage point at the far end table next to the side alley exit, I came for a coffee and a chocolate-filled croissant and instead witnessed a majestic sight: This Miami café has become an impromptu meeting point for enterprising youth from around the world, predominantly from Argentina.

You cannot help but feel moved by the staff's blend of escapism, gentle rebellion, and self-discovery. (One of the fellows, Joaquin, whose heavy mustache had made him look like an ancient Gaul, recently shaved his whiskers—giving him a baffled yet still jovial look. He perfectly embodied the French expression "perdre son latin.")

This is a dynamic, amicable bunch. While friendly, there is nothing servile or obsequious about them. Rather, they carry themselves with pride—after all, these are Argentines. Though they might not see it yet, this group—Layla and Agustina are two more names I remember—is destined for success. Unlike their American counterparts who often drift through aimless existences, bloating themselves at their parents' expense while trading vapid compliments like "I love your skirt!" and other inanities that collect in their purposeless circles like dust on ceiling fan blades, these remarkable Argentines work hard and find joy in their efforts. More importantly, they're gathering priceless experience along the way.

The owner, Dana, is Israeli. Rather than employing a top-down approach, she fosters an environment where all employees have equal voice and shared responsibility. It operates through collaborative decision-making rather than hierarchical commands—in essence, functioning like a kibbutz. (Dana's son is quite the cool cat, too.) This juxtaposition of Argentines working alongside Israelis inevitably brings to mind the tragic Bibas family, but also how Milei's rapprochement to Israel is a smart move: He sees that the "Startup Nation" model is ripe for Argentina's smart, energetic, and vigorous people.

Highly...

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Shepherd Artisan Coffee in South Beach for a date, and I can’t say enough about the incredible experience we had. The location is ideal – centrally located and just a short walk from the beach, making it the perfect spot to grab a refreshment before or after enjoying some time by the ocean.

What truly made the experience stand out, though, was the impeccable service provided by Nicholas, our barista. He went above and beyond to accommodate our dietary preferences with ease, ensuring our tea and coffee were made perfectly to our liking. Nicholas is not only extremely knowledgeable about the menu, but he’s also incredibly kind and welcoming, making us feel comfortable and appreciated from the moment we walked in.

His friendly and attentive nature, paired with his ability to manage a bustling café while giving us personalized attention, was beyond impressive. Nicholas’s professionalism and genuine passion for ensuring customers have a great experience really made our visit memorable. His warm, easygoing demeanor made the date even more enjoyable, and we left feeling not only well-cared for but eager to return.

Nicholas is a true asset to Shepherd Artisan Coffee, and if anyone deserves recognition or a promotion, it’s him. His exceptional service sets the bar high and makes this café a must-visit spot in South Beach. I highly recommend stopping by – you won’t be...

The place inside is very cute. However, the service is not so good. We ordered an iced chai tea latte and a caramel frappe. I didn’t like the frappe at all, and asked if we could switch it for another chai tea late (I only took a sip, and I didn’t like it at all so I didn’t drink any more of it). The barista said “oH wE cAnT dO tHaT bEcAuSE wE cAnT rEuSe tHe cOfFeE” like, sir, that’s the whole point. I don’t want you to reuse that coffee, it’s not good. I wanted something different. I paid almost $6-7 on that drink just to go to trash, and I didn’t even drink it?

We had to insist on changing it, we had to get mad, and he was still resisting until we mentioned we wouldn’t leave a good review (I was planning in giving 5 stars) then all of the sudden he said he would be able to give us the drink.

I’ve never experienced this treatment anywhere. Not even Starbucks or other small coffee shops would treat their customers like that.

The iced chai tea latte was really good. I truly recommend it. I don’t recommend the frappe.

Again, the place is very nice and their baked good look really good (I didn’t have any but they look yummy). The service just kinda sucked, especially the fact that they made us get mad just to change a drink we...