I’m a college student, and of course, as a college student, it is my civic duty to drink as much caffeine as physically and biologically possible.
I may have an addiction, but it’s a socially acceptable one. Plus, I haven’t had too many heart palpitations yet. When I need a hit of caffeine, I usually drink Monster Energy, much to my mother’s dismay.
However, whenever I go to CVS, I always pass a new cafe on Park Avenue. Every time I do, I feel my curiosity grow. It’s a Vietnamese coffee shop that’s in a sage house with a patio, a white door, and a red sign that says in bright yellow lettering: “NOW OPEN.”
The coffee shop is called Kaffe.Inn, and it literally just opened on August 30th of this year.
So, my love of new sweet treats guided me into the door. I opened it up, and I heard calming indie music. Oh my gosh, it was Mitski’s “My Love All Mine All Mine.” I explored a little, taking copious amounts of pictures of all the cute nooks, crannies, knick-knacks, and paintings.
A barista who was cleaning the table reassured me that I could take my time deciding what to get. That affirmation truly helped because, as anyone who has seen me order before can confirm, I cannot decide what to order for the life of me.
The atmosphere was friendly and calm. The color scheme of mint green, deep brown, and occasional pops of color courtesy of the flowers and decor lent itself to a quaint feeling.
To me, it felt like I was visiting an old friend’s home, especially since the shop used a house as the cafe instead of a standard brick and concrete storefront.
There weren’t many people, which is to be expected for a new restaurant. There was plenty of open seating, and I noticed some patrons were on their laptops, presumably doing some sort of work and not playing Papa’s Pizzeria.
The owners placed my favorite decor in the middle of the main room. They placed silver coffee kettles right alongside bright green plants. Vietnamese statues of elephants spread across the room on different tables and shelves. And their counter’s base reflected the shop with a mirror while covered in primary-colored polka dots.
I ordered a mango milk drink. I personally love sweet drinks and mango. So, the combo of mango and sweet cold foam was perfect for me. I enjoyed the sweetness even more because it wasn’t artificial mango, so it tasted genuinely fruity. The foam balanced out the tang of the mango.
It’s a very pretty drink, too. It sported bright orange, pale yellow, and white that swirled around the cup accented by the dark green cafe’s logo.
If you aren’t a fan of fruity drinks, they have other options, such as a classic oat milk latte that my fellow sweet treat enjoyer expertly described as “pretty good.”
The other options on the menu are blended drinks, coffee, most of which is Vietnamese drip, and hot tea. Of course, they have pastries and cakes, too.
The prices of the drinks are, on average, $5.50, slightly expensive for coffee; however, it makes sense since it is such a new shop with a relatively small customer base.
I encourage my fellow college students not to spend too much money here despite the immaculate vibes and tasty treats.
I think my favorite part of the visit is seeing the possibilities for growth. As I keep frequenting this shop, as I know I will, I look forward to seeing the collection of trinkets, plants, and books grow. And I’m excited to see how other people react to taking their first sips or bites of their treats.
The store will certainly grow into itself.
Kaffe.Inn is located at 456 Park Avenue, Worcester, Massachusetts.
