Kevin and I have been official Florida residents for two months, and yet we hadn’t posted a review of any local coffee shops. First up is Smart Coffee HD, located on the beautiful Park Ave in Winter Park, FL.
Smart Coffee HD advertises their local and organic ingredients.
So let’s go in, shall we?
Inside, Smart Coffee HD is not your typical casual coffee joint. Yes, there is a bar for ordering a quick to-go coffee, but there is also a full restaurant menu available. We did not order any food during our visit, but I have to admit that a few customers’ sandwiches did look fresh and delicious. The restaurant is clean and modern-looking, and a few customers still felt completely comfortable grabbing a seat to complete some work (free wi-fi!) sans food.
There is a hand-written coffee menu next to the register. Nothing fancy; here you have your typical choices of coffee, latte, cappuccino, etc.
When we were ordering our coffees, the barista was not the most personable employee. I overheard her complaining to the cook about how much she worked and that she was unable to make a doctor’s appointment due to her work schedule. When she was not helping a customer, she sat at the bar top and played around on her phone. Anyway, I opted for a medium (I mean “Braniac”) drip coffee, and Kevin ordered a Braniac iced coffee. I wondered why the price for the drip coffee was significantly cheaper than the rest of the options…
Smart Coffee HD has a small variety of pastries and desserts. We had already eaten, so we just stuck with ordering coffees.
Going along with the “local” theme of the restaurant/coffee shop, Smart Coffee HD offers packages cookies and teas available for purchase.
Espresso machine and tea canisters.
Alas, we get our coffees! They were served very quickly, and we learned why. Kevin’s iced coffee was not freshly brewed. It was dispensed from a plastic pitcher, and it was definitely not a cold brew. Kevin asked for a drop of cream, but the barista seemed to add almost half a cup of cream. He said it tasted as if it was yesterday’s left-over coffee, and the added cream made it taste even more watery and flavor-less.
As for my drip coffee, it tasted harsh with a burnt after taste. I soon learned why: Smart Coffee HD’s “drip” coffee meant that the hot drink dripped out of one of these metal dispensers. It was a disappointment for sure, but I suppose this answers my previous question of why the “drip” coffee was less expensive than other options.
If you are interested, Smart Coffee HD offers their own coffee blends for purchase. I don’t know anything about their roasting process, but depending on how you brew it, taking the coffee home will probably taste better than what we tried at the coffee shop.
Daily Specials! They sure do sound delicious, but we most likely won’t be going back anytime soon.
A picture of the entire menu. To me, some prices seem a little steep for sandwiches and salads, but you are paying for local and organic ingredients.
Bottom line: Visit Park Ave, but explore elsewhere for a caffeine fix. I fully support eating local foods and shopping at local businesses, but this is not the location for a great cup o’ joe. Again, I cannot vouch for the food at Smart Coffee HD, and I welcome any suggestions from our readers regarding the restaurant menu. I have to admit that Kevin and I had a much better experience across the street at Rocket Fizz (candy and soda pop shop). However, if you would like more information about Smart Coffee HD, you can visit their website here. If any of our wonderful readers have other recommendations for Orlando-area coffee shops, please comment or email us!
Lexie’s Rating: 4/10
Kevin’s Rating: 3/10
Hey, I'm Lexie! I'm Kevin's partner-in-crime during our roller coaster trips. I have currently ridden 232 different coasters and have visited 54 amusement parks. I can't wait to keep adding to my count and sharing our experiences with you.