Shortwave Coffee — Restaurant in Tampa

I was so excited to try this beautifully designed coffee shop near downtown Tampa. The aesthetic is lovely, and I had high hopes. Unfortunately, that excitement quickly turned into frustration.

First off, one of the most annoying things ever: I spelled my name slowly at the register and it was still misspelled. They gave us a number and asked if we were dining in or taking it to go ~ I clearly said we were staying. But apparently, the number meant nothing because they still called out my (wrong) name when the order was ready, instead of bringing it to the table.

My two sons and I found a window table with tall chairs. No one came by to clear the dirty glass or wipe the table for more than 15 minutes, so I had to get up and ask the cashier to do it. That’s when I finally heard someone shouting a mispronounced version of my name ~ Mariana - and realized our coffee had been sitting there getting cold.

Then the cinnamon roll for my son was handed to me in a to-go box. When I reminded the staff we were eating in, the response was “Oh, I’ll give you a plate” ~ but again, we had to go back and forth to get our own food and drinks. Nothing was brought to our table until the avocado toast arrived. Even worse, when our avocado toast and bagel sandwich were ready, those came in to-go containers too. When I asked why, I was told they “ran out of dishes.” Honestly, one of the most frustrating responses a customer can hear.

On top of that, you have to grab your own napkins, plastic utensils, everything ~ and while you’re doing all the work, you’re still prompted to leave a tip at checkout. We tipped at the register, but looking back, I wouldn’t tip a single dollar based on the service we received.

For a place that looks THIS good, the service and overall experience was a major letdown. Sadly, I would not recommend Shortwave Coffee and will not...

Visiting from out of town , found this gem! Walked in to smell of fresh roasted beans.

Tried the Costa Rica V60 pour over and Ethiopia , both delicious. I love their mugs and saucers, interior decor is clean and nice lively plants. Juice boxes and quick grab snacks for kids available. Big and spacious , saw several people working on their laptops. Filtered water on tap at the self service bar.

The barista making my V60 was new she said it was her 8th shift but did a great job with my pour over. The other barista who rang me up was more experienced and very knowledgeable about their equipment, beans and roasting process.

Bought a bag of beans freshly roasted 5 by 5 blend , the man who was roasting was pleasant. My home set up / hand grinder didn’t get shipped in time for my trip , so perfect they ground my beans for me. Also got an extra free cup of coffee with my bean purchase, made my day!

All set to have tasty coffee for the next week.

They time, measure and calibrate their shots and pour overs ! Rare to find places like this, you can tell the owner is passionate about the products and services.

If your into third wave coffee , this is the place to visit in Tampa. Behind the shop is a nice area to walk the...

It's open, sleek, and modern. There's lots of natural sunlight. There are plants and flower arrangements throughout the shop. What's not to love about this newest coffee shop on Channelside at Sparkman Wharf?

I was greeted right away even though they were busy with other orders. There were some beautifully presented honey chai tea cakes at the counter with other pastries. I have to try that next time. This visit was for coffee, and they have an extensive menu full of various flavors. I chose one of their signature iced drinks called Mint Mayday. It was surprisingly delicious & refreshing for coffee. It must have been the fresh muddled mint leaves. It was all natural mint blended with their cold brew coffee. More of a mint taste than a coffee taste which is what I was going for. Absolutely everything that I wanted and more. I did try my friends peppermint coffee which had such a fresh roasted taste. Definitely not bitter or burnt tasting. It kind of made me want to order more but I resisted.

I'd make a special trip and pay for parking just to revisit this coffee shop. It's totally worth it. It's also within walking distance from the cruise port and the Florida Aquarium. It's definitely a great find and deserves...