Spitfire Coffee Bar — Restaurant in New Orleans

Order: Chocolate board, Cortadito, Maple latte Price: $21 Pros: They use really good coffee, and pull a mean espresso, best coffee in New Orleans, make their own syrups Cons: The chocolate board is overpriced though still a cool idea, the parking situation is close to apocalyptic being so close to Burgeon street, the actual shop has literally 4 seats

Thoughts: So everyone has that one place they would go move often if only it wasn’t so far away, or in this case, with such insane parking. If I lived in NOLA, I feel like that would be my take on Spitfire Espresso. It was definitely the best coffee/espresso that I had in NOLA, the catch was that it was in the French Quarter, like one block over from Bourbon Street so traffic and parking was absolutely nightmare levels of insanity. We actually ended up walking from the Aquarium the day we went and it took us almost 10 minutes to walk there.

Once we got in the door though we ran into the other “issue”…there are 4 seats in the tiny little coffee house, and they are not around a table but a “mini bar” that is attached to the way. The place was almost broom closet level small. Despite that we were pretty excited because everyone knew what they were talking about and it gave off real coffeeshop “vibes”. On top of ordering our “normal” coffee (a Cortadito and Maple Latte in this case), we also ordered this crazy item they had called a “chocolate board”. It was basically 2 or 3 different types of chocolate with a shot of ridiculous espresso. While it was a neat, unique item but pretty overpriced for the small amount of chocolate you get.

Overall I think I would say it was the best coffee in NOLA, from a pure flavor profile perspective, in the worst spot with almost no seating. Given how hard getting to this place was, and then how difficult it would be to “hang out” there. It would be one of my favorite, rarely visited coffee shops. You owe it to yourself to visit, but I can see how it wouldn’t be your regular...

Spitfire may not have a long history in NOLA (opened in 2013), but it's actually one of the first specialty third wave coffee shops in the Big Easy. Their specialties are espresso, cold brew, and V60 pour overs. However, they also have iced coffee and classic espresso drinks like latte (plus they offer a variety of flavored lattes like Mexican vanilla and wildflower honey), machiatto, cortado, gibralter, and cappuccino. Additionally, they have some special signature drinks like las tres flores, hellfire mocha, and "Cuban" cortado. And if you're not a coffee fan, they have tea here as well. They do not roast their own coffee; instead, roasters range from Panther Coffee, Crema Coffee, Onyx, Bean Fruit, Passion House, and Hey! Cafe.

I ordered the las tres flores, which is espresso with lavender infused milk and orange blossom topped with rose petals. A bit pricey at $6, but the drink is wonderful. I personally love lavender infused in espresso drinks and the rose petals added another subtle dimension of sweetness (but not too sweet, which I don't like) to the drink. I'd recommend it if you like espresso beverages.

The space is very, very small. There are only 4 bar seats. We were lucky enough to come here when it wasn't too busy and we were snag two of the seats but not 10 minutes after we sat down, a large group of 8-10 people piled in. Thus, it's mostly a...

This place is the real deal. If you are someone who enjoys quality coffee, please check this place out. I have spent the majority of my adult life in the coffee world. Roasting, tasting, extracting, participating in the culture all over the country, and spitfire is hands down the best coffee I've had. You will get a perfect drink every single time. The menu is small, but masterfully crafted in a way that stays true to the traditional espresso menu but the drinks have a really unique take that just absolutely hits. The menu is fresh, and has something for everyone. The person behind the counter is passionate, and that is reflected in every drink.

If you are into coffee and miss the more intentional nature of the OG third wave shops this place will blow you away. As a batista at heart I sometimes fight the mental urge to ask to jump behind the counter and whip up some drinks just to be a part of the vision. (Not literally)

This review might be coming off as dramatic, but shops that really just ooze an authentic intentional passion for everything coffee seem to be getting near impossible to find. This place does everything right. Nothing is played out, nothing is fake, just damn...