Aldea Coffee - Muskegon — Restaurant in Muskegon

After Drip Drop Drink closed in Muskegon, I needed to find a coffee shop that put as much care and precision into their coffee preparation and presentation. Aldea came the closest. The atmosphere is standard hipster--clean lines, bright earthy tones, and variously comfortable furniture. The coffee and tea drinks, like the furniture, can vary depending on the barista. Sometimes lattes are a perfect blend and temperature of espresso/chai and milk; other times they can taste like warm milk/cream/oat milk with a splash of coffee/chai. What makes me ultimately give Aldea three stars, however, is what feels like a half-hearted attempt at educating and encouraging their clientele to be more conscientious about the waste generated by the cups and lids that people generally throw away. Aldea recently started carrying these truly cool clay tumblers. They aren't cheap, and they are rather fragile. But, for the discerning and cautious coffee connoisseur, they are a neat alternative to the waxed paper, one-use to-go cup. So, cool cup! And, after purchasing one of these little beauties, I found out, when I brought it back for a latte the next day, that Aldea does NOT give customers any discount for bringing in their own cups--whether it's the cool clay tumbler or a travel mug! REALLY? On one hand, you're trying to get people to make some change for the betterment of the planet (COOL), and on the other hand, you're NOT offering any incentive to do the right thing by giving people a discount for participating (NOT cool)?! I think I'll go back now and again while my clay tumbler remains in one piece. But, truthfully, there are a few other places in Muskegon that offer decent lattes, WITH discounts for bringing in your own mug. Maybe without DDD, Muskegon just isn't going to be a place to find a stellar, generous...

Love this coffee shop but the experience is hit or miss. Hence I’m in the middle with 3 starts. Sometimes it’s a quite place with a great inspirational atmosphere and sometimes it’s a jungle gym for people to bring their kids. The coffee sizes are pretty small for what you are paying but sometimes i find it worth it for the good atmosphere. Speaking to the bad atmosphere: I’ve come in at times and peoples kids are running and screaming, throwing their food around and the parents are having a coffee date with other parents. It’s sometimes frustrating that the staff seem into it and know the guests but don’t ask them to control their children. I get it… Everyone should be able to enjoy a coffee shop, even the ones with kids, but people need to at least be respectful to the other guests who want a quiet place to catch up with friends or work. If I wanted to hear kids screaming, running around, and bumping into my table I would find a local daycare to...

I came to Aldea with high expectations and they were wildly surpassed! Aldea had been on my bucket list for a while and the last week that I was living in the area, I finally stopped in. The owner was working the register and was super kind, talking about their menu and my personal life right off the bat for a bit. The service was fast, the space was clean but inviting, and everyone seemed to know each other. My friend and I asked about the music that was playing and the barista stopped over to our table to chat with us about music for a while and brought us waters without even asking. There was a job interview going on at the next table so we heard a lot about the ownership and management of Aldea and we were floored!! They care about their community, the environment, and their employees a great deal. Our visit left us floating on cloud nine because of the incredible experience. I never leave reviews, but Aldea definitely...