Ripple and Rose Cafe — Restaurant in Taylor

Edit: I have since visited Ripple and Rose again and found their coffee and service is much improved, so I added a star. I still don’t bring my family here, because it’s just overstimulating and many fragile things are put at the eye level for young kids, but I would feel comfortable recommending the coffee .

This place has potential, but it's still a miss for me. The first time I tried their specialty coffees with my husband - one had black sesame and white chocolate, one had miso. Yes, like the soup. I would describe myself as pretty adventurous in terms of culinary experiences, but the truth is, one tasted like good coffee mixed with, well, savory sesame, and the other tastes like coffee and miso soup. Neither worked. It just tasted weird. The second time I got the drip coffee. I watched the barista totally eyeball the cream and sugar without measuring or portioning anything. To her credit, it tasted good, but it was also served lukewarm. Personally, that breaches what I find acceptable at a coffee shop. I'm happy to visit again to revise my opinion. I assume this place has some quirks to work out because they are so new, and I would encourage people to give this place a chance so they can improve.

I will add, I don't really get the aesthetic appeal of this place. The vibe is off-putting and strange - I personally don't like the aesthetic choice of suffering, ugly heads or the wall of eyes. If you're looking for a place to focus on a book or have a polite conversation, this is not really it. I actually find it a bit overstimulating. I would consider myself a fairly artistically open person, and I can accept it's not my cup of tea (or miso coffee) but, I find it so disturbing I wouldn't want to show it to my kids either. Because of that, and because there's enough things at a toddler's reach and eye level (like a table of knick-knacks, a nice record player, a low table with the sugar, etc.) it is not ideal for families with little, wiggly children. But that's also most of Taylor's dining scene, so that's...

New coffee shop with DELICIOUS treats that have both sweet and savory options to fill you up before or during your shopping trip to the other great small businesses!

Got to talk to the owner while I was there with my friends and he said how 99% of the decor and furniture are thrifted from nearby shops.

I ordered the Miso Happy latte that was made with espresso, oat milk, and their house made miso syrup. It was so delicious I had to order another one after. This drink is perfect for those who like their drinks sweet.

I also ordered the Ripple Toast and a blueberry pastry. They said they get their pastries from a local bakery. The ripple toast……. Oh my god. I didn’t think yogurt, avocado, and micro greens and strawberries could all taste good together but the chef definitely knows what he’s doing. I almost wish I ordered one to go. I tried recreating it at home and it didn’t hit the same way. Will definitely be coming back just for that!!

The atmosphere of the shop was very inviting and they were dog and family friendly. I sat inside for a couple hours and ended up buying myself a hat and a shirt. Several groups of people were in and out so it seemed like this place can get busy but the line goes by quickly and there’s plenty of beautiful artwork and decor to occupy your eyes with in the meantime. Lots of fun photo ops in the eating area and quirky walls in the bathroom too!

Overall I loved my time here and would definitely be back with some friends while taking a stroll around downtown Taylor.

The shop doesn’t have a sign yet so it could be hard to spot, but once you get a glimpse of the purple walls with funky faces you’ll know...

While Ripple and Rose is a reasonably new addition to Taylor's downtown area, it feels like it has been around for at least half a decade, steeped in its own culture and welcoming to every single person to step through the door.

The space, while not the biggest, foments conversation among customers. It is clear that community is at the heart of what these folks do. The decor is uniquely 'Ripple'. Set against a purple-hued backdrop, there are hand-painted faces all around, diffusing any notion of this being a stuffy place. Quite the contrary. While the owners don't take themselves too seriously, the product they put out has all the care in the world.

I almost always get an iced Americano wherever I go. There is nothing to hide behind with this apart from bean and machine. Ripple's is always nutty and complex, with a richness rarely found but in a few places.

Then the food. Reasonably priced, with real ingredients, the sandwiches give a morning satisfaction unlike anything else.

If Ripple and Rose is not on your Taylor TX must-visit agenda, you should probably go ahead and put it...