2525 Gulf To Bay Blvd
Clearwater, Florida
My Experience
Written By Mike Crimmins
Besides Starbucks, coffee shops are few and far between in Clearwater, Florida. But, in between Clearwater Beach and Tampa. there’s a coffee shop that’s more like what you’d find in Seattle or Chicago. The Bay Coast Coffee Market is worth a visit whether you’re a tourist or a local. It’s become my favorite local coffee shop.
The first time that I was there, I tried their mocha – my barometer for coffee shop tasting. The mocha was softer, more rich tasting and didn’t bury the espresso. The espresso itself had a definite nutty flavor that tasted perfect with the mocha. The price was significantly cheaper than Starbucks too.
During my most recent visit, I ordered their white chocolate mocha frappuccino. It had a more mature taste than the Starbucks version. There was less sugar, but it still hit the spot after spending an afternoon at the beach.
Every time, the service has been exceptionally friendly, with the exception of one disgruntled Red Sox fan who sarcastically wouldn’t accept my New York Yankees debit card. It’s a nice change to have staff wait on me who are genuinely happy to see me even though it was busy.
In addition to delicious coffee drinks, Bay Coast Coffee Market has a breakfast menu, desserts and when I was there, the counters were lined mouth watering thin crust pizzas, the makings for sandwiches, salads and more.
There’s plenty of seating to eat there or just relax while you enjoy your drink. It’s a perfect place to study, work with your laptop or just hangout talking to friends.
If you’re looking for something to bring home, they sell whole bean coffees, which they roast right there in the store. They also sell just about every coffee accessory that I could imagine. I felt like I was in haven looking at their coffee cups, French Presses and my dream come true, the $1700 Espresso Machine.
Bay Coast Coffee Market is open every day from 7 am to 11 pm.
My Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
The Breakdown
Environment – 4 Stars
Customer Service – 5 Stars
Products – 4 Stars
Skill – 3 Stars
Wifi – 4 Stars
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Mike, great review. I also live in an area (unless you want to drive 25 miles) where the choice is limited to Starbucks or to Gloria Jean’s. It is great to know that there are places where people take pride in their products and truly enjoy serving people in what is to be truly a service industry.
Jason, these coffee shop reviews were a great idea and are an awesome addition to the website. These seem to be an extension about one of the things most commentators seem to enjoy most about CoffeeCupNews.org: the down to earth, genuine, average Joe reviews of coffees, coffee shops, and all things coffee related.
@Neil – thanks Neil I really appreciate that.
I second that!
Neil – I looked up coffee shops on my GPS this weekend and had to wade through Starbucks after Starbucks location, but I think I found some more coffee shops to try. However, most of them are in the 15-25 mile range.
Thanks guys for the comments. If you guys haven’t already figured it out, I love writing about coffee, almost as much as I like writing about it. It’s always great to share my coffee experiences with other people.