It’s no secret that coffee is a drink beloved by many people, especially students and staff at Citrus College.
Many big brand coffee chains like Starbucks and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf often overshadow smaller shops that may arguably serve better coffee.
In pursuit to test this hypothesis, and bring light to smaller mom-and-pop-style-coffee shops, an avid coffee-lover Clarion reporter, myself, went out in quest to review these shops.
To give an equal chance to each shop, the closest thing to an iced cafe latte and the most popular food choice was ordered at each shop. This order was changed if the barista or cashier suggested a certain coffee or food choice when ordering.
Each coffee shop was given a rank from 1 to 5 stars based on the order time, vibe, coffee and food.
Cafe Bungalow: 992 E. Alosta Ave., Azusa
Located just half-a-mile away from campus, Cafe Bungalow is a small Asian-based cafe that is slightly hidden behind the In-n-Out on Alosta Avenue.
For this cafe, the order consisted of a cafe latte and bacon ranch tater tots. The total came out to $16.91 with the latte costing $5.95 and tater tots $6.75 with an 18% tip.
Order Time: 4.7
The coffee and tater tots came out quickly, considering there was only one employee working. The time it took for the coffee to come out was just above four minutes, with the tater tots clocking in at a time of just below three minutes after the coffee. Everything came out at a regular cafe pace and I was pleasantly surprised at the pace, especially since there was only one worker.
Vibe: 4
The restaurant had a cozy vibe, not a lot of tables but nicely kept and very much a student-targeted cafe. On the contrary, one of the things I do wish for is more noticable service and personality. I did note that there weren’t a lot of people, only five people at about 1 p.m. on a Wednesday. If you are looking for a place to focus on work and enjoy some good food and coffee, which I was, this is a good spot.
Coffee: 4.5
The cafe latte at Cafe Bungalow is not an average cafe latte, as the first thing I noticed was that it was much sweeter than normal cafe lattes. However, if sweetness is a dealbreaker, do not worry as sweetness can be easily taken out of the coffee by just asking. Another thing I also noticed about the coffee was the size of the drink when it came out, as it looked to be around, if not more than, 22 ounces. This is a notable difference compared to a Starbucks grande, which is only 16 ounces. The reason for not a full 5 star rating being the normal sweetness the coffee is made at, despite the size and timeliness of the order.
Food: 3.5
The tater tots from Cafe Bungalow had both their ups and downs when it came to the product.
On the upside, the tater tots tasted amazing. The tots are hot, crispy and golden, drizzled with a special sauce and topped with crispy pieces of bacon. But on the downside, at $6.75 I expected a bigger portion size. When they came out I was surprised to see that the size of the meal was no more than a small box would get as a takeout. While the tots were delicious and well made, they just weren’t worth the price.
In the end, Cafe Bungalow receives a 4.175 out of 5 stars. With its speedy order time, along with a student-targeted environment, the only thing that may be a turn off is the expensive price for the small portions.
Azucanela Churros & Coffee: 401 E. Foothill Blvd., Azusa
Found 0.8 miles away from Citrus and placed one block west to the Azusa Pacific University soccer fields, Azucanela Churros & Coffee could be confused as a small house due to its location and exterior.
For this cafe, the order consisted of a cafe de olla mixed with horchata, and churro bites with condensed milk for dipping. The total came out to $14.15 with the coffee costing $6, churro bites $6, and a 18% tip. Azucanela also offers a student discount when checking out, unlike the other two cafes.
Order Time: 3.5
Surprisingly, Azucanela Churros & Coffee had the longest order time out of all three cafes.
The time it took for the coffee to come out was six minutes, with the churro bites taking two more minutes. The reason for surprise is that out of all the cafes I reviewed, this one felt the fastest for food coming out.
Vibe: 5
The thing that separates Azucanela Churros & Coffee from the other cafes reviewed is the vibe and personability experienced from the owner and workers. Once walking in, an encounter is sure to happen with the cashier who introduced herself as Paola. Paola wasted no time in starting up a conversation. Once I told her I was a student, she also gave me a student discount on my order. While preparing my coffee, the owner, Steven, also came over to talk and was a really down-to-earth person. In addition to the staff, the inside decor has a homestyle theme to it as well with a fireplace, coffee tables and orange coloration on the walls, it feels like dining with a family..
Coffee: 4.7
The cafe de olla mixed with horchata, called the Cafechata, is the most popular coffee that Azucanela sells. Be there any doubt about this coffee or any other, Azucanela will conveniently offer a sample to make a choice. With the mix of half cafe de olla and half horchata, this covers both the sweetness and typical coffee taste without being overly strong. The Cafechata is available in both a small and larger size and can be served hot or cold, however I suggest the smaller because it’s still a decent size.
Food: 4.7
The churro bites from Azucanela Churros & Coffee are traditional golden brown and crispy churros sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. They are most notably reminiscent of those found at Disneyland or street vendors. The bites also have the option for add-ons, some of which consist of Nutella, strawberries and ice cream.
In the end Azucanela Churros & Coffee received a 4.475 out of 5 stars. With a friendly staff, a focus on perfect simplicity and good coffee, this scores them the highest on three of the categories. The only negative there is to say about Azucanela is the order time.
Sweet Boba Co: 865 W. Route 66, Glendora
Located only one-tenth of a mile away from Citrus, making it the closest to Citrus, is Sweet Boba Co. Similar to Cafe Bungalow, Sweet Boba Co is an Asian-style cafe whose focus is more on a variety of drinks rather than just coffee itself. Nonetheless, Sweet Boba Co still managed to make a good coffee.
Unfortunately, this cafe did not have a regular cafe latte, so a vanilla latte was ordered along with lemon pepper-seasoned chicken bites. The total came out to $15.10 with the latte costing $5.75 and the chicken bites $7.95.
Order Time: 4.5
Once again, similar to Cafe Bungalow, Sweet Boba Co clocked in with a wait time at about four-and-a-half minutes for the drink and around eight minutes for the chicken. This was a pleasant surprise considering that there was only one worker at the time, and another customer waiting before me for their food.
Vibe: 4
At the time of visiting Sweet Boba Co the vibe was difficult to gauge. Only one other person was sitting waiting for their order. Considering other factors, the inside had a nice, modern decor with a marble bartop and LED signs hanging from the walls. An area with sofas were also available. In addition to the decor, the cashier was always checking on me and asked if there was anything she could have helped with. Sweet Boba Co offers good customer service with an eye-pleasing modern decor and not too busy space.
Coffee: 4
The vanilla latte at Sweet Boba Co was well made. The vanilla was not too overpowering in the coffee but still had a sweetness that would appear to sweet-tooth seekers. The only downside that I saw with Sweet Boba Co is that all of their drinks are naturally made to be sweet, being a possible turnoff for some people. However, the sweetness could be changed if asked. Sweet Boba Co offers and specializes in many more drinks than just coffee, however since the rating is strictly based on coffee and not everything else.
Food: 4.7
At first glance, $7.95 may seem like a large amount especially for a snack, but once seeing the chicken bites for the first time, it became clear that it is not a snack, but instead a full meal. Not only were the portion sizes for the chicken bites exceptional, the actual chicken was good too. Like mini chicken nuggets, the bites that come with a choice of dipping sauce are a great choice, with the additional seasoning adding a little kick and flavor. The chicken bites provide a great choice when considering getting more than just a snack.
Sweet Boba Co receives an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. While maybe not the best option for coffee, Sweet Boba Co offers a wide variety of drinks and snacks, all for a good portion for price ratio.
While big brand coffee shops may be tempting, remember that smaller coffee shops offer a good place to study with even better products and customer service.
