Our second coffee stop as Floridians was to Achilles Art Cafe in Metrowest, located a short distance off Kirkman Rd:
We had been meaning to check out this spot earlier, but the coffee shop’s hours are a little tricky to maneuver. They are open from 10am-10pm Monday-Thursday, 10am-12am Friday, and closed Saturday and Sunday.
Another thing about this coffee shop: they do not advertise their name for some reason. The storefront is labeled “Coffee Shop,” but the actual name is Achilles Art Cafe, and they have plenty more to offer than just coffee.
Achilles is located in the Wilshire Plaza, a small shopping plaza just off the intersection of Wilshire Blvd and Metrowest Blvd.
Once you enter through the alluring shrubbery, you will see a few mosaic tables and chairs, which make for a quaint outdoor seating area.
Were you wondering why the shop is called Achilles Art Cafe? Well, here’s why. The walls are covered, literally floor to ceiling, with canvas paintings, posters, and photographs. As a result, Achilles is colorfully eclectic on the inside.
Not only does Achilles serve coffee and teas, but they have a selection of wine and beer as well. If you were to rotated 180 degrees from where this picture was taken, you would see a huge nearly wall-to-wall wine rack tightly fitted between artsy upholstered couched and a long, wooden table. So if you don’t want to grab a coffee after work, you can grab a drink and relax with friends.
But Kevin and I are coffee people, so that’s what we will be focusing on here. I ordered a regular ol’ drip coffee.
And they have a cold brew, which is one of Kevin’s weaknesses. When Kevin visited, he ordered their cold brew, which is bottled locally. Unfortunately, he wasn’t a fan (there has not yet been a bottled cold brew he’s gone crazy for) and said the brew was too acidic.
Baked goods are my weakness, so naturally I needed to try at least one…
…but which one? Achilles Art Cafe offers an assortment of baklava, brownies, muffins, and other freshly-baked goods. Let me tell you, these were some of the best-looking coffee-shop baked goods I have seen in a while.
Remember those couches I was talking about? I was fighting the urge to sprawl out and take a nap, but I figured the others customers would feel uncomfortable. For the sake of my peers, I sat upright and quietly waited for my coffee while observing the beautiful artwork posted around the cafe.
Alas, my coffee hath arrived! It was artfully balanced on a lavender coaster and poured into a textured giraffe-printed mug. Everything about Achilles incorporated color and pattern, and I absolutely loved the aesthetics. As for the coffee itself, it was low in acidity and enjoyable. Based on my previous experiences with coffee in Orlando, I was afraid it was either going to be too harsh or too watery, but this cup was pleasantly mild.
For my mid-day dessert, I opted for a salted caramel brownie topped with pecans and caramel drizzle, served with whipped cream. I harnessed every ounce of my self-control to save a third of this gooey square of sugary utopia for Kevin.
Achilles also offers a very affordable menu of sandwiches and appetizers. I plan to pay another visit one day for lunch, and I will be sure to update this post and let you know what I thought. In the meantime, does anyone have input about their food menu?
In case you didn’t think Achilles Art Cafe was hipster enough, they double (or triple) as a small-scale hookah lounge in the rear of the shop.
Overall thoughts: Coffee was good, nothing gourmet, but Kevin was disappointed with their bottled cold brew. I am a huge fan of the artsy-fartsy, eclectic ambiance and will be sure to bring visiting friends here for another salted caramel brownie and convsersation. From my perspective, Achilles’ hours are not conducive to the working adult and I take points away from my review for them not being open Saturday or Sunday. I do not think being a “coffee shop” should be their focus as they also advertise as a hookah bar and serve wine and beer. In conclusion, Achilles Art Cafe is a funky little cafe and I will definitely be paying another visit to try out their food menu.
Lexie’s Rating: 6.75/10
Kevin’s Rating: 6/10
Hey, I'm Lexie! I'm Kevin's partner-in-crime during our roller coaster trips. I have currently ridden 247 different coasters and have visited 58 amusement parks. I can't wait to keep adding to my count and sharing our experiences with you.