Cozy Vibes & Quality Brews: Penny’s Coffee Shop Review

This café is aesthetic galore.

Penny’s Coffee Shop is a charming and relaxing café offering fantastic coffee and delicious food.

After years of ignoring the trend of espresso, I am now an espresso drinker. While I was always a coffee drinker, I could never understand people’s obsession with espresso drinks. Yes, the frothed leaves and hearts in mugs were cute, but I still always thought:

What’s the big hype? It can’t be that much better than a regular cup of joe.

However, in February of this year, I started working as a barista, and my newfound love for espresso began. I began to learn about coffee, and the more I learned, the more I discovered that espresso is quite fascinating. From the flavor notes infused into coffee beans to the captivating differences between light and dark roasts and the unique brewing methods like drip coffee, cold brew, and— espresso. I’ve discovered that making espresso is just as complex as making wine. This realization has helped me appreciate the intricacies of espresso. Just as there are wine connoisseurs, it turns out there are also coffee snobs.

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With my newfound love for espresso, a friend of mine (a fellow espresso lover) invited me to Penny’s Coffee Shop, a café located on 916 Main St. in Buffalo, New York. Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised to see that an open and inviting café now occupied a space that had seemed vacant for quite some time. As my friend and I approached the café, we could see the giant Penny’s Coffee Shop sign, written in brown and orange lettering on the glass windows.

Once inside, we noticed café goers sitting at tables, either working on their laptops or enjoying a nice cup of coffee. I could also see that the café was very spacious.  From the wooden paneling on the walls, exposed brick, and plant wallpaper, this café has a magical feel with its warm earth tones and tinkly bulb lights. At the counter, overhead were handwritten menus on chalkboards. Some of the food items included: wraps, paninis, lox and bagel, avocado toast, and salads. Listed were also espresso drinks of all kinds, and of course, their signature Turkish coffee.

When our food and drinks were ready, my friend and I crossed over to the second half of the roomy café. We chose a table for two alongside a far-end wall. The second half of the café was quite possibly what has made Penny’s my favorite café in Buffalo thus far. From glowing natural sunlight cascading through the room, to the cozy couch under a large window, and two giant wooden swings decorated with throw pillows, and a plant wall behind it reading “But first, coffee”.

This café is aesthetic galore.

To drink, I had the Wildflower Latte, which had honey and lavender syrup. Upon my first sip, I zoned out into a mellow serenity of espresso heaven. The espresso in the drink was dark and strong, balanced with foamed oat milk and sweet blends of lavender and honey. This drink was mixed to perfection!

My friend had the Bonfire Latte, which had chocolate and toasted marshmallow syrup. We also tried the Baklava Latte, which contained honey and pistachio syrup. All the drinks were delicious, featuring fun combinations of flavors. After tasting our drinks, we ate our food. I had the turkey wrap, which was hearty and tasty, and my friend had a chicken salad, which she also enjoyed.

Overall, while eating with my friend, I knew that Penny’s would be a café I would frequent. From the beautiful ambiance to the delicious drinks and food, Penny’s is a well-balanced café that all espresso lovers and those in the area should visit.

To learn more about Penny’s Coffee Shop, please visit their website at: Home | Penny's Coffee Shop.