LV. Coffee Project — Restaurant in Pittsburgh

As a semi-regular customer of KLVN Coffee Labs, I was curious to try out this new location they advertised. However, it was clear that they had their priorities all wrong. The location tries to combine a bar and diner area with a cafe. Lots of work was put into the decor and visuals to make it look good for photos and social media at the expense of the customer experience.

Upon entering the store, the door blocks the entire space in front of the ordering station, so you would need to close the door completely to be able to order. There was no one in the store when I went there, but I imagine the door situation will be annoying when there’s a line.

The drinks are on the pricier side, but usually with KLVN the quality and seasonal items justify them. Here, the options are way more limited, and they do not have decaf.

To top it off, the barista working there took my order and forgot about it. I was the only customer, and watched them spend 20 minutes behind one of the coffee stations. It was my first time ordering this drink, so I assumed it just took a bit to prepare. It was only when another customer came in that I realized they were on their phone the whole time. Went up to ask about my drink and got a quick ‘sorry’ and my drink in 2 minutes like nothing happened.

Overall, great place if you want Instagram pictures or to wait forever for...

A cocktail lounge for coffee: I go to coffee shops all over the city regularly, and something that makes this place special is that it offers a clear identity in the types of drinks they provide, beyond the coffee itself (which is great). Most coffee shops that have standard coffee products (drink types and such) differentiate themselves through atmosphere, how they design their spaces, and moods, as well as the size. But this place offers everything, except a standard experience. So if you're looking for a coffee shop where you can have a highly designed and intentional coffee drink, as well as a good third space to do some work or have a conversation while surrounded by a nice relaxed atmosphere with lots of ambient light, then there's nowhere better that has all of that combined. For everything else, there are dozens of other places around town that can...

Please try the Black Sesame Latte. It's an achievement. Amazing flavor! It's the best flavor of a latte I've had in a very long time, maybe ever.

I also ordered the Orange Blossom latte which has a robust flavor, definitely didn't taste like a store bought syrup or flavoring. It had a subtle earthy freshness to it that really tasted like blossom part of an orange (I presume as I've never tasted a real blossom before) and was not at all an overbearing orange flavor. All their flavors taste complex and like the real things and are unlike a lot of the latte flavors in the area. Their cardamon latte and honey saffron lattes are fantastic too.

You can also order a small assortment of pastries like croissants and canelés. The canelés had a great texture and...