Camino Bakery — Restaurant in Winston-Salem

I've been looking for a place open late where I could do some reading or get some work done while enjoying a caffeinated beverage. Camino isn't it. The cramped seating has people packed in like sardines, and my wobbly table ensured my drink sloshed everywhere each time somebody squeezed in to sit. Laptop chargers crisscross the floor to the few available outlets. Everybody's voices are raised to be heard, the 90's indie rock is blasting, racks of glasses clank into the roaring dishwasher, and the staff looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. Crowds of people drift in and out and the atmosphere is more late-night diner than relaxed coffeeshop.

My Americano was okay, but five bucks for espresso and water is pretty steep. There was a single carafe presumably filled with some sort of creamer, but by the time I'd made room in my overflowing and dripping cup, the crowd around the counter was discouraging — you place your order, pick it up, and doctor your drink all in the same eight-foot stretch. The food on display was pretty meager in the evening — I was intrigued by a "soysage" biscuit, but decided to pass when I checked my watch and figured it might have been sitting out for the past fourteen hours.

I don't mean to be so negative, Camino seems like a great place to grab a drink on your way to work — they've got a great menu, the service is very quick, and the location is convenient if you work downtown. But I'd recommend grabbing your...

A great local coffee shop with good vibes, a simple but quality menu, and amazingly friendly staff. Camino has been a regular spot since my grad school days in 2018, and the late hours (on the weekends) are super appreciated when I need a chill spot to do some reading or writing. Just a few minor suggestions:

1. It might just be the coffee snob in me, but I find the drip coffee to be a little too acidic for my taste. Not sure if this is a nitpick with the roastery or the beans themselves, but I'm led to believe that the drip coffee is under-extracted during the brewing process.

2. The Wi-Fi can be dismally slow and/or just straight up not work at times. It's enough of a frustration that it dissuades me from going to Camino when I need to get serious work done.

3. The hard wood benches/stools can get rather uncomfortable after sitting for an hour or so. Cushions, maybe?

4. Not Camino-specific, but as someone with a peanut/tree nut allergy I find a lot of the menu inaccessible to me, which is a shame since I see a lot of gluten-free items on the menu. I'd love to see some dedicated nut-free items, or at the very least some separation between bakery items to avoid cross-contamination with certain pastries.

These are all minor nitpicks, and all in all I'd easily recommend Camino for anyone wanting to support a local business. Thanks for being an integral part of my grad school life in...

Edit: I appreciate the response especially since it wasn't one of those where the response is hateful and blames the customer. I've seen those from other (not this one!) Businesses and reviews (not mine) I will say I was surprised bc it wasn't busy at all during this. A few tables had people with drinks and I was the only one in line until a couple came in after I ordered. I've been in when it's busy before and the guy was still super friendly and fast. But, like I said it is good coffee if not the best in Winston.

Oof. I mean the coffee is definitely the best so maybe just go to the other location. I don't know why but the staff at this location are just rude. Oh I'm so sorry I had the nerve to ask for a drip coffee. I don't care about no smiling bc I hate when people tell me to smile. But is a, "you're welcome," "no problem," "thanks" "you too" is all that just too much? You ask for a tip to pour me a cup of black coffee and you seriously can't even speak to me. I mean she acted like how dare I have the nerve to walk into her precious coffee house (older. Short blonde hair) I can't believe I've recommended this place to people. I'll be sure to tell them to try the other location or even try the new coffee shop across the street.

Just disappointed. I mean like I said I don't care about smiles but to ignore me when I try to talk to you and tell you to have a great day and ask how you...