Athena VII — Restaurant in Sandy

EDIT: I have been back about half a dozen times since out of curiosity, and each time has been exceedingly pleasant. I've upgraded the from a 1 star review to a 4 star as a result.

I came in today and asked for a black iced coffee and portabello panini to-go. The guy behind the counter went to the back of the kitchen and I didn't see him for another 15 minutes. He didn't say anything before he went to the kitchen; he just left. When he finally showed back, he said "I'm sorry, it takes a bit of time to make the food; it's all made fresh."

You couldn't have told me that before I stayed standing at the counter for so long? You couldn't have let me know to at least sit down while I waited? And anyway, it's still just a sandwich. How long does that really take to make? Even if you have to cut all the produce at the time of ordering, what justification is there for taking so long for such a simple food order?

It was only then (15 minutes after ordering, I remind you) did he bother to pour my coffee for me. They must use an extremely dark roast, or the coffee must have gone stale (or both), because it was unbearably acrid and unpleasant. I say this as a person who almost exclusively drinks his coffee black: what they gave me today was vile!

Another 5 minutes go by, and the sandwich FINALLY is ready. He gives it to me in a to-stay basket rather than to-go. I was tired and annoyed by this point and didn't feel like arguing, so I decided to just sit down and eat the darn thing. I should mention that I had been taking a walk with my daughter in the stroller, and she had finally fallen asleep 10 or so minutes before we arrived. I wanted the food to-go, so she would continue to sleep on our walk, and I could eat at home with her still napping. So, you can imagine my feelings when after waiting 20 whole minutes of faffing about in the restaurant, I go to sit down and eat, and my daughter wakes up. Just peachy...

And what of the sandwich? It was fine. For $10, it was kind of small, but it tasted just fine. All the vegetables were cut so big, however, that it immediately fell apart the moment I picked it up. It was really more of a warm salad with croutons and melted cheese. I certainly don't know what was so special about it to require 20 minutes of prep time.

It's a shame, because it's got a good location, and the interior is really nice. The decor is inviting, the space is large, and it's very fastidiously cleaned multiple times a day. But what good is an inviting space that offers overpriced food, bad coffee, and terrible service? Maybe I just came in on a bad day--the other reviewers seemed to have good experiences after all. I can't say for sure. All I can say for sure is that my experience today was awful, and I can't imagine why I'd...

I lived in Seattle when espresso was becoming popular, coffee shops were everywhere and most of them were short lived, however, the ones who were independent and survived the Starbucks monopoly did so because of the quality of their product. I had a tiny bakery around the corner from my apartment, they did things correctly, especially the espresso drinks. For years I would get my morning coffee there, so I got used to drinking a superior latte. I now live in the Salt Lake City area, and almost all the coffee shops are corporate owned, and the machines are all automated. A latte that is at parity with the cup of coffee I took for granted for so many years is illusive, I was beginning to believe that it no longer existed. Yesterday I dropped my sister off at work and had some time to kill, I was looking for coffee shops near me, and I spent some time looking for a good cup, with no luck. I had all but given up, but the last place on my list was called: Athena Beans, Coffee House and Bistro. Athena Beans is in a little square with several different businesses. I honestly wasn’t expecting much. The first thing I noticed was the espresso machine and I got into conversation with Matthew about the state of automation in the local espresso market. Matthew pulled a perfect latte; in fact, it may have been the best latte I have ever enjoyed. I didn’t eat anything there, but if the coffee represents the food, it is going to be delicious. I am so happy to have found this place, it is...

I am not usually getting coffee in this area, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the espresso and the service at Athena in Sandy when I stopped by unexpectedly the other day for my afternoon cup.

I regret not getting the Barista's name as she was charming and made a perfect latte that rivals the best coffee spots in town i.e. Coffee Garden and Rawbean. I am a bit of a coffee purist, definitely an addict, and I try hard not to be snobbish, but I generally cannot tolerate any of the chain places, and only like espresso shots with steamed milk and NO sugar or flavors.

Here the roast was deliciously balanced, a medium acidity, earthy, milk chocolatey, NOT overly fruity flavor. And the barista pulled the shot at perfect strength and steamed my milk at just the right temp in a few quick seconds.

I don't usually want to relax and \or work or visit at a coffee shop, so I prefer a drive-thru service place. But the girl that took care of me went so quickly and was so pleasant I cannot complain at all. And I think I may have seen a drive thru window now that I think back.

If you are in Sandy, and you like quality espresso drinks like me not drowned in syrups you simply are not proximal to any other coffee shop of a similar grade as Athena. There are two other places in Salt Lake that I can trust to give me a consistently good roast and perfectly pulled shot, but Athena thoroughly impressed me, so I will make it a point to drop in again and try their...