Proud Hound Coffee — Restaurant in Silverton

I had some work to do at two sites nearby. The first one was at 6:00 AM and once done I thought I would have breakfast and then go to the next site. I went to a diner (not this one) and the parking was so scarce I decided to go on and work at the next site and eat later. I then went to another place (not this one either) that had good reviews but was mostly takeout. People were waiting for their to go orders in all available seating. I preferred to eat with real plates and silverware at a booth or table and that wasn't happening there. So I got on my phone and discovered The Proud Hound. Nice place. Clean. It's more of a coffeehouse and almost everyone there was on their laptop. Lots of breakfast options. I went with a regular coffee and The Beast Feast. The food was freshly made. Sausage patty & bacon & eggs were great. I really liked the grit tots. Reminded me of something similar my dad made when we were kids. Biscuit with honey butter was pretty good as well. The coffee... well for all the coffee options available I would have thought my regular cup would have been hot. It was lukewarm. Yes I added some cream but unless the cream was super cold it shouldn't have made my coffee lukewarm. It tasted good but should have been hotter. Not sue-the-business-if-you-spill-it-on-you hot but hotter than what it was. And since almost every customer besides me was on a laptop, perhaps the staff aren't going around checking on people, but once I had my plate I became invisible. Other places, the server usually checks on you, asks if the food is ok? Of course they almost always do it when your mouth is full but at least they do ask. Nothing of the sort here. Food was really good, that's on the person that made it. I wish they made my coffee too. Could have been better on the coffee...

Okay, the food is delicious, and the drinks are mild but good. My most extensive critique of this place is the atmosphere and service. There's something off about this place. It doesn't feel welcoming at all. The baristas could be more welcoming. Even when I walked up to the register to order, no one greeted me. I mentioned it was my second time coming in, and no one tried to be enthusiastic about telling me about the coffee. I work at a different coffee shop and love picking people's brains about their coffee knowledge. Could you tell me about the acidity, whether it is a darker roast or lighter, and what notes pair with what? I got none of that.

Someone just pointed at the menu for the seasonal drinks and the food menu that's it and waited for me to say what I wanted: no light conversation, talking points, nothing. Almost robotic is how that felt.

My last point is that I hope this coffee shop gives back to the community in some way, shape, or form because its neighboring neighborhood is Kennedy Heights. Kennedy Heights is a predominantly black neighborhood, and coffee shops like this help create opportunities for gentrification, pushing out and displacing communities. This coffee shop is technically located in Silverton, but Coleridge Ave is the dividing street separating Silverton from Kenndey Hights.

I truly wanted to like this...

Fantastic new coffee shop. The drink selection seemed a bit small, but the quality more than made up for it. We got a mocha, a drip coffee, a Nashy Nati breakfast sandwich, and some cookies. The mocha was creamy and chocolatey, with a rich, tasty shot of espresso. The drip coffee was full bodied, and a nice medium roast. The Nashy Nati is a take on Nashville hot chicken. It's certainly not as good as Hattie B's in Nashville, but they make a delicious, spicy chicken sandwich on a flakey biscuit. The biscuit was a bit crumbly for a sandwich, but really flakey and delicious. The chicken had a great spicy flavor, but wasn't overwhelmingly hot. It was prepared perfectly, and the children was juicy and fresh. There were really flavorful pickles rounding out the sandwich... unique and possibly homemade. The cookies were a chocolate chip and coffee cookie and a lucky charms cookie. I really liked the chocolate chip, which was a bit salty and the coffee added a great flavor to the cookie. The lucky charms cookie was fun, but I definitely preferred the chocolate chip. This place is new, but easily the best coffee shop in the neighborhood and a great option for anyone in the area. Parking is a bit limited, so you may need to walk a bit...