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Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Graduate HospitalMon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Yeah, this place is pretty alright. I mean, it's no Gleaners, but what is?
The owner is quite friendly, and they always have pleasant and inoffensive indie pop rock playing, which makes me feel all twee inside. Free wifi, and it seems like a chill spot to kick it for as long as necessary.
I do find it to be a bit spendy, but since I'm certainly not going to walk the extra 3 blocks to crappy ass (and equally spendy) LaVa, I guess they can get away with it. One thing that does kind of blow is that they closer super early. For me, anyway. If they stayed open til like..8...that, sir, would be bangin.
Cute coffee shop, pretty good coffee and only ok on the staff side. It's really hit or miss on whether I can get a smile from anyone when I walk in. It's usually as if the staff behind the counter is operating how I live pre-coffee - not so pleasant.
The decor is cute and modern and I can imagine spending an entire day reading comfortably in here. It's small, but the character more than makes up for that. The location is perfect if you live in the Grad Hospital neighborhood and I couldn't be happier there is another caffeine option in this area. With better coffee to boot!
Fyi, they do make sandwiches and breakfast items (and a mean Grilled Cheese with ridiculously good looking add-on options). However, if you are looking for REAL bacon - you are not going to find it here.
If I lived closer, I'd be here every day. I think they're one of the only places to use beans from Chestnut Hill Coffee, which I think makes a much better cup of coffee or espresso than the La Colombe stuff you'll find everywhere else. If you spend any time talking to Jon, it's easy to see that he knows his stuff and takes pride in his product. And that's not just limited to the drinks; the sandwiches (hummus & vegetables, nutella, pb & banana, build your own grilled cheese) are fantastic and the pastries rock.
For a city that seems like it's becoming increasingly dominated by Starbucks, Dunkin, Saxby's, etc., this place has a great coffee shop atmosphere. The music rocks but isn't on so loud that you can't think, the wifi is free, the stuff hanging on the walls is from local artists.
Very good local joint to get your fix on. I never ate the sandwiches, I usually stick to the coffees and/or breakfast pastry/muffin/bagel realm. Jon is great, the staff is great. It is a nice place to go and hang in the neighborhood or to stop in on your walking commute to CC. Beauty Shop also helps out in all the neighborhood benefits/fetivals/etc. It is a small corner storefront but they have a few tables and outside tables as well in the warmer months. I think the prices are a tad steep but they don't do the volume that a larger or more centrally located shop does. I'm fine paying the extra change to have a nice corner spot to hit a few blocks away.
Great neighborhood cafe. Love grabbing coffee there on a Saturday and say hi to the neighbors, or grabbing a sandwich for lunch. The owner is awesome. The rest of the staff is really nice, too. Feel right at home. It's a cozy cafe. I'll pop in there in the mornings to grab a drink on my way out (or if just too lazy to make coffee that day.) If you're in the area and need your coffee fix, check it out!
This place is definitely overpriced for the neighborhood. (I live on the next block over). I had a BLT that was O.K., but I can say positively not many of my neighbors could afford. This is deep in a neighborhood, not on South Street or even Christian (which is a main thoroughfare of yipsterdom as well as a two way street), it's not cool to be so expensive for the surroundings.
I went about 45 minutes before close, and the guy working (the owner?) was at a table on his Mac Book (of course!) and seemed almost annoyed I was there.
Also, Beauty Shop? I saw one old hairdryer chair in there, it's not how the other reviews made it seem, as if you'd be sitting in an old beauty shop.
The whole thing just left a bad taste in my mouth. I'd rather go to something on South Street. Not because I'm afraid of off the beaten path, but if you're off the beaten path, you need to be priced accordingly.
I have to update my review, as I've just consumed, in entirety, the best sandwich I've had all my born days.
An off-the-menu creation by owner/culinary genius Jon, this vegetarian extravaganza topped with alfalfa sprouts on a perfectly toasted wheat everything bagel has left me sated in every possible way. And I mean that.
And if that ain't your thing, go for either (or both) the city's best almond croissant -- but if I'm craving it and I go in there on a Sunday afternoon to get one and you're in there eating the last one I WILL CUT YOU -- and their menu of create-your-own grilled cheeses with any combination of the fixes.
i finally got there again pretty recently, and i'm addicted to 1) the people there, including the… Read more »
FANTASTIC.
John is terrific - best service I've received at any café (or restaurant) in the city. He is also the most knowledgeable barista I've encountered in Philadelphia (the only one who seems acquainted with a latte macchiato). He also experiments with imaginative creations - like a Sriracha latte - mostly just for fun.
Very limited hours, and limited seating ... but I always get a seat. I also like that hours are limited, because you almost always are served by John, whom I adore. He runs the whole ship, which makes it akin to going to a friend's house for a cappuccino and lunch.
Great café food - all vegetarian, too. Also, wi-fi.
I used to live right across this place when it first opened. Kudos to these guys for still being around and for revitalizing a rundown space.
Pressed sandwiches aren't great but the coffee, service, and atmosphere are wonderful. Go here and sit in the window. While it's a bit tight in there, it's good chance to meet your neighbors.
I stumbled upon this cafe going to a meeting the other day and had to park far! I needed to write this review. My first comment is on the service: when I ordered a medium coffee, I noticed it is the same size as Good Karma's, Colombe's, and other cafes' smalls. So I said, no, I mean a medium. The guy at the counter actually told me he believes Americans shouldn't have such big eating sizes, so his medium is an "actual medium" not an American medium! I said I think portion size is about food, not coffee, and how can you generalize that to your customers? Do you know all your customers eat and drink big sizes? Also, the "MEDIUM" which is every other cafe's SMALL, still costs as much as everyone elses medium! That"s just rude for paying customers
But usually I'm all about the coffee, so I paid and tried it anyway. I found the coffee tasting like it had been sitting around, even though it was brewed right then. I'm sorry, but it tastes like McDonald's Premium Brew.
I also had a sandwich. Not bad but nothing to write home about. I can't believe others truly love the coffee and sandwiches. They must be friends. For the extra few blocks walk, I suggest for way better food and coffee Ants Pants, Good Karma, Tastebuds, Cafe Lutecia, or La Va.
***3.5 stars***
While working on a group project on one of the churches down the street, my group and I decided to escape the windy coldness and dropped by this little cafe.
It is comfortable and the staff here are really nice and welcoming. I even talked to the manager briefly about the neighborhood and the business.
I got a medium chai tea latte, and though the prices are good to your wallet, the portions aren't necessarily proportional to what you're paying. -It tells you something if the server can't tell the difference between a small and a medium. But it's a young (only been around for a year and a half), local business, so I understand.
Shame that it's a product of gentrification, though. According to the manager, customers include the oh so diverse "mix of young families, grads, and undergrads," while the black church goers down the street, who have been around for generations, never set a foot in there. (Just a little interesting tidbit- who says you can't mix academics with Yelp?) =)
John is the best store owner ever. I'm not quite sure he's from Philly and I'd actually be surprised if he is. But he LOVES Philly. He loves the neighborhood and he LOVES his coffee shop. Good for a coffee, or a light lunch. He brings in specialty desserts which are yummy as well.
Good place for doing homework. Good tunes, but it's also pretty quite in there. My fav coffee place in Philly.
Such a beautiful little coffee house. Kristin and I made the trek over after the Dim Sum outing and I'm definitely glad we did. I instantly got a kick out of decor touches like the vintage hair salon chair and old school radio. The art display they had for the month was worth checking out too. and they had a great selection of children's books for little and bigger kids (Curious George stole a bucket of bananas, and rescued a boy's red balloon while visiting the zoo. Is there anything that monkey won't get into?).
But enough about monkeys! You're all wanting to know about the coffee and it was some pretty awesome stuff. I needed it iced to the max, so I jumped on a Jack Frost Mocha the moment that I read it. It had all kinds of cinnamon and peppermint blended in. So it was the perfect taste of winter. I also grabbed a regular iced coffee for the road and it really hit the spot.
Great decor and artwork, awesome unpretentious staff, and excellent coffee. I think I'm sold!
I love my neighborhood for so many reasons, and the Beauty Shop Cafe is definitely one of them. I don't buy coffee at cafes that often because it is a quick way for me to deplete my funds (a coffee a day adds up), but when I do, I hit up Beauty Shop. As everyone else has said, the owner and staff are very friendly, and the coffee and snickerdoodles are delicious. Added bonus: I can bring my dog in and placate her with the treats they keep in a little glass jar. The dog is just as happy to be there as I am!
In a neighborhood high on character and great people, but lacking in amenities like Beauty Shop, this cafe is truly a gem.
Oh, it pains me so to give Beauty Shop a mere 3 stars.
First- it does have a lot going for it: it has great potential as a neighborhood spot, it takes a LOT of courage to open a coffee shop in that area, and lastly, on the beauty-chic decor- I gotta give the full 5 stars. ... BUT there are a few things I consider crucial in a cafe that are, well, lacking...
(*) The espressos are rather weak and terrible. They don't do the job. If I may, I think the espresso machine's temperature is set too low for the beans they're serving.
(*) Service is so very friendly, it's painfully slow to be the person BEHIND the one talking to the barista (only happened to me 3 times, the other times I was the one being chatted up-- perhaps more pleasant but just as awkward to face the people behind you in shame as you exit, 20 min later, coffee in hand).
(*) No AC in summer.
But, I will revisit this review, because I project bigger and better things for this little beauty (shop cafe).
They carry yummy and fresh Chestnut Hill coffee. If you like dark roast, the French Roast is perfect. The price for a pound of glossy beans is reasonable - about $10. It can be hard to get a a seat here on the weekends. If you sit in the old salon chair, watch your head on the old hair dryer. I hit my head on it about 5 times. It doesn't hurt but it does make a loud clang. Their sandwiches and pastries are decent too. The owner is very chatty and friendly.
I like Beauty Shop Cafe a lot. The owner and staff are friendly and the coffee is very good. As other reviewers have said the patrons do interact with one another which makes this place a gem. Definitely a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
best coffee shop in the neighborhood. not only do they have nice drinks (caffeinated and non) but they are always friendly and good-natured. this place is also one of the most integrated places around- serving people of all races, ages and types.
Finally, a small, quaint, casual coffee joint with a comfortable feel, good coffee, and friendly owner + staff. Much more chill than LaVa, Beauty Shop is the place to come when you actually want to interact with other people instead of staring at your laptop for hours on end. Bring a book, newspaper, or show up with just a few bucks in your wallet and enjoy the coffee and the atmosphere. Sunny + bright, but good A/C, so comfortable in the summer heat. Well made, strong coffee (even iced), and an assortment of pastries and samiches including the Elvis w/ PB, banana, and honey (not really and Elvis without the bacon though is it?), and a great hummus/ vegetarian as well.
What a great coffee shop and a friendly owner, John, who put together quite a feat within a more unrecognized area of South Philly. Usually no one walks around the wonders of what may lie on the west side of S. Broad and yes typically there are some shady areas lurking about but there are also some beautiful places too. Most of this area is going through a fantastic change for the better. Even Christian St. is nothing what it was ten years ago. With Beauty Shop Cafe it gives people the opportunity to have a place to relax, have a morning cup, chat with friends and neighbors, and lastly a great staple to help the community get to know eachother. There is also free wifi, which sometimes people come in and abuse. Please buy a coffee or one of the tasty scones, that actually taste like REAL SCONES! I'm told the bagels here are great too but unfortunately they sell fast during the morning rush. PS. Get more bagels! They are a must. Finally please pop your head in and get to know the cool owner and staff of this really cool cafe complete with an actual beauty hair-drying chair to seal the deal.
fix your internet. don't advertise it if you don't got it.
good spot, never crowded and fair prices. would recommend to friends when im in the neighborhood.… Read more »
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Category: Coffee & Tea
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Philadelphia, PA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
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