Cali Coffee — Restaurant in Minneola

Stopped by Cali Coffee today, boy was I shocked that this was a drive thru or pick up window only facility. Yes, I noticed that it says drive thru on the sign but I interpreted that as drive thru option, not...drive thru/pick up only. The store itself looks so large from the outside, I was sure it was going to be super cute inside. But, alas, you cannot enter.

Initial shock aside, the barista at the pick up window in the front was super nice. Although, I almost tripped and broke my ankle on that unmarked sidewalk dip by the menu. There def should be some markings to note that there's a curb. My peripheral vision only saw light gray side walk and assumed it was the same height. Oof.

The coffee and chai latte were pretty good. I love that there's milk alternatives and different sugar substitutes. The atmosphere was pretty cheery and I left happy. It's definitely a good place for a...

Food: I went during their grand opening. I had a matcha latte, matcha shake, lavendar haze, and beverly. the Lavender Haze and Beverly were great, but both of the matcha drinks were nasty. They didn't taste remotely like matcha at all. It tasted more of oat milk/vanilla ice cream (respectively to their latte and shake) with an artificial after taste. I'm not sure if it was the mixer they used or if it was an off day.

Atmosphere and Service: Very friendly people. When I went to pick up my order, the lady ask how my day was. You don't get that kind of service at a speedy coffee shop. I would rather support another coffee company than Starbucks. They give out free stickers and added a nice surprise to the visit and their vibe as a company.

I might come here again for their other flavors. I'm a big matcha fan, and I wish they got that...

We visited this café over the weekend, excited to try a spot so close to home. The staff was very friendly and welcoming, which we appreciated. However, we were disappointed by the coffee—both the caramel macchiato and the cosmo tasted like flavored milk with cream, with almost no coffee flavor or color.

We also ordered a lemon cake and a muffin top, but were surprised and let down to find that they were served cold, straight from the fridge, and pre-packaged. This made the pastries unappealing and took away from the experience. While the atmosphere and staff were great, it felt like the focus here is on speed and convenience, not on product quality. We left wishing the drinks and food matched the warmth...