Ultimo Coffee — Restaurant in Philadelphia

Edit: they're pricing their case now, +1 star!

Good coffee, wonderfully efficient & polite service, excellent sweet stuff. Ultimo gets their pastries from Dottie's Donuts several days a week, which almost always sell out, but there are also a few sleepers hidden in the non-Dottie's fare, such as the zucchini bread and apricot bars.

My two major criticisms are the lack of signage on some of the products in their pastry case, making it difficult to judge what some things are / how much they cost, and that there are not enough plus-sized options for the drip coffee. As a result, I'll still get the cheaper 16oz cup from the nearby Wawa if I'm not craving a Dottie's, and don't feel like I'm truly missing anything when I...

Ultimo consistently has the best cup of coffee in Philadelphia. And I saw this as someone who had tried most of the better shops. What distinguishes their brew from the pack is flavor - it's one of the only places I've ever been where different beans are actually distinct experiences of flavor and aroma. Outside of brewed coffee (espresso, tea, etc), they are still definitely top tier, but don't stand out in the same way from the myriad of other excellent shops out there.

Also worth noting: it is an excellent space. Tons of natural light, and manages to fit lots of people without seeming overcrowded. Could really use some more electrical outlets though, especially along...

The ascetic of this location is gorgeous, with a very clean feel and lots of natural sunlight. A lovely place to sit and enjoy the morning.

My shot of Geisha Esmeralda was unfortunately pretty salty. I won't knock them too much for this (geisha's are notoriously hard to pull as espresso) but given this (and the price, $6) I was disappointed the barista didn't follow up afterward. Part of me really respects that they put the coffee on the menu, but it's a risky choice that isn't always going to pay off. Still, a lovely place and the other couple of times the pour overs have...