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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Bakeries
1523 E Passyunk AveMon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Even though Black n Brew is literally a 3 minute walk from my house I have been meaning to go there for over 3 months. Me and a girlfriend went in this morning and grabbed a cup of coffee and a bagel and sat and chatted for a good two hours (it was pretty empty).
The bagel was wonderful and they brew La Colombe coffee which is so yummy. We were allowed free refills (!) and we felt comfortable to sit and relax which is what a good coffee shop allows you to do.
what happened!!?!?! i used to come to this place a lot about a year ago. a charming, seemingly all-girl run cafe, with great drinks and decently priced average/ consistent breakfast and lunch food. Last week, I went in and waited about 20 minutes to get a coffee... A COFFEE! Now I have worked in several coffee shops and I know that sometimes there is a line and only a few people working, but this just seemed really inefficient.
two weeks before this, my boyfriend and I went in to get some breakfast and sit at the bar. the service was super friendly (that's one thing that's consistent), but then our food came out...
I wouldn't feed that stuff to my dog. the breakfast burrito had almost no eggs in it and was virtually all sourcream and some cheddar cheese and salsa. that's it no beans, no guac. disgusting. my boyfriend's meal was equally grotesque- a signature omelet, with a HUGE chunk of goat cheese stuck right in the middle. the eggs were fakely yellow, and the tomatoes were slimy and brownish in color.
and now, prices have been raised yet again. its sad to see that a place with a lot of potential just isn't worth eating at or waiting in line for 15-20 minutes to grab a coffee on the way to work.
Reading through these reviews I'm absolutely astonished that people are enjoying the food at this cafe. I have experienced only inconsistency with the meals and service I've gotten. It seriously betrays the cafe's onetime ideal of fresh and healthy meals.
The drink specials can be good, but it seems that they're always out of the ingredients to make them. The omlettes are thick and waxy, bright yellow and never the same way twice. Sandwiches on their rye bread are small and barely worth eating. A couple times my order has been mixed up with another patron's. The staff is generally good natured, but often times, my meals are interrupted by loud yelling or an employee getting chewed out by a manager or something which makes the service lag and the server unenthused.
So you may be asking, "Why do you keep going back?" Good question. My answer, "I'm not"
I would not recommend this place. The food is unhealthy SYSCO slop, the eggs are fake, the coffee is whatever, the food prices (which were already high) were recently jacked up, the bathroom is usually emanating some kind of nasty smell (which makes sitting anywhere near it pretty unpleasant), and the managers are completely surly and lazy.
Unfortunately I despise B2 as well so I guess I'm just better off conserving my moolah in these tough economic times and running across the street to Acme and doing it my own way. Or just talking a walk to Gleaner's.
Coffee is black
Ready to brew
Sugar or not
Wassa mocha wit you?
Ok... that was a pretty "bad" (play on that redundant poem you might have heard of?) but on the bright side this coffee shop isn't. What I enjoy most about this place is it's subtle charm in not trying too hard to be anything but a place for people who enjoy relaxing to a cup of coffee. Not coming here to impress anyone or feel it's going to upscale their social status any. There's nothing trendy about it and that's the way it should be. Even the baristas' behind the counter are a mixed breed of colors, ideas, and well humans. They are friendly and observant not just b/c it's a job and they are getting paid but they enjoy what they do. Unlike some places where people mumble...
"What?"
"Ummm.... repeat that. I don't speak lame'se"
"Look, I'm busy refilling the syrups"
"Wait! I have to finish listening to this Magnetic Fields track"
"I can't serve you... That shirt clashes with your face"
Ok you get the point I guess....
COUGHLASTCOUGHDROPGAGCOUGH!
When certain cafes stop believing they are somehow the center of the known universe and people come their to bask in it's hollowness; I still have faith in some places that just serve people b/c we are people.
This place is welcoming and cozy. There is always something cheery in the air. The artwork isn't always something you've probably seen in Brooklyn. The cakes and foods are always something new every time I at least stop in, which makes each visit enticing. There's something for everyone and every person. Last at each table is a different kind of person ranging from all backgrounds...
They may have a clever wordplay with the phrase "black and blue" but you won't be leaving this place feeling that way. Now that's irony.
People thought this was:
This is great! Love the music! Love the food! Coffee is not as great, but it is still good.
I didn't particularly enjoy my overrated sludge in a cup either time I went here. Their hours suck and they honestly feel like a "I swear, we're not a chain" type of chain. (Which, for the record, I'm pretty certain they are not.)
I've never eaten there, but given that my coffee tasted burnt and the service was nothing to really rave about, I doubt I'll ever eat there. Unless someone else is paying for me. It's a shame, because - much like Cantina - there are far better places along Passyunk, but due to the pretty logo and the slick advertising, Black & Brew is better known and more heavily visited. (Must I really plug Rim Cafe at 9th & Federal AGAIN?) The only good thing I can say about it is that it isn't Starbucks, but in a city where coffee shops have popped up all over the damn place, there's no excuse for the "but at least it isn't Starbucks!"
People thought this was:
I generally like Black & Brew a lot. Amidst the sea of pretense that you typically encounter in Philadelphia coffee shops, it's refreshing to come across a cafe that is relaxed, has a really nice and open atmosphere, and doesn't have a staff who looks like they just came back from the most recent show at Kung Fu Necktie.
It really is the entire package. Black & Brew has really good coffee, and their prices aren't ridiculous (unlike a certain B2, cough cough). While I typically stick with plain black, they offer creative fancy latte drinks and a variety of smoothies which you can amp up with all sorts of healthy things if you so choose. They also have really good food, which ranges from simple to decadent. The prices are fair, and while the portions aren't super huge, it's enough to fill you up and make you feel like you're getting your money's worth. Honestly, my favorite thing to get there is a simple bagel with hummus and a tomato slice because whatever they do to their hummus is awesome. The hint of cinnamon - and it really is just a hint - is something I would've never thought to put in hummus but it's sooooooso good. Also - they have a list of weekly rotating specials so things are always exciting in terms of food.
Black & Brew is also really community oriented. They offer classes on all sorts of topics, and I believe the one coming up next is with a nutrition counselor or something about helping people break a sugar addiction. Along with that, local artist and Philadelphia celeb Isaiah Zagar's famous murals line the outside walls (but really, where isn't he these days?), while neighborhood artists get the chance to line the inside with their up-and-coming great works.
I'm taking off a star for two reasons, though. The first is the hours. They aren't open past 7pm during the week, and 4pm on the weekends. I'm the type of person who can't study in my apartment because I associate my apartment with laziness and doing nothing, not school work, so it's kind of a bummer when one of my favorite cafes isn't open late enough for me to get a caffeine fix prior to a study session. I'm not suggesting staying open to midnight, but 9 or 10pm would be greatly appreciated (this is a nod to 90% of cafes, to be honest). Secondly, I was in their yesterday studying for a test in the early afternoon and they kept blaring music that would make more sense being played in a club, not a cafe (Rhianna? Katy Perry? T-Pain? Come on now). I know I said that I like how this place is lacking in pretense, but perhaps that's a double-edged sword because I would've killed for something more mellow and folky. Oh well, I still love this place bunches :]
People thought this was:
We stopped in for breakfast this morning - and we were only one of two tables that had people in for breakfast. The coffee was good and I would definitely go back for more coffee - the food was OK. Not great, not bad, just OK and I would probably go back one more time to see if the experience is any better or not.
It's quite small inside, but friendly enough.
I love the area - the neighborhood is great - as my hair dresser FRINGE is right down the street!
People thought this was:
This coffee Shop has a great atmosphere and excellent service. The food was fantastic and the owner was friendly and accommodating.
I came to Black and Brew with my sister and her boyfriend and we enjoyed joking around with the owner as we were ordering and everything was great. The coffee tasted great and the breakfast sandwich -Bacon egg and cheese - (which they serve all day) was fantastic. It was served on a delicious bread which was toasted perfectly and the portion was just enough to fill me up without stuffing me.
People thought this was:
I love the food here and it seems like they have something for everyone.
(BLTs! french toast! omelets! smoothies! toys! wifi! outdoor seating! a really tall bar that makes you feel gigantic!).
However, I recently had a less than fun experience when I stopped by after work hoping for a coffee and bagel treat.
What kind of bagels do you have?
Oh, no bagels? You always run out by this time? I guess I'll try to get off work earlier...(Maybe you should make or order more?)
Anyway... No bagel. OK. How about a sandwich? A salad? A something?
Oh, right, the kitchen is closed. Even though the store is open for another 1.5 hours.
I guess I should have known that too.
Well, just an iced coffee then.
Oh, no debit for less than $5?
Well, if you were serving food, I would be spending more money...
I'll just get coffee elsewhere today.
People thought this was:
The baristas are fantastically nice. The food is great with dynamite regularly rotating specials. The atmosphere is chill with decent music playing at all times and the clientele are a diverse bunch of weirdos, hipsters, SoPhilly punks and homeboys. I wish I didn't live so far away from it now.
While I can't comment on their coffee (yeah, yeah, I know...it's a coffee shop) but I can tell you that their tomato and mozzarella paninni is yummers. I'm a sucker for a warm sandwich, and this one did not disappoint. Plus, they serve it with pasta salad and a pickle. It's a taste explosion and I like it. The perfect lunch, especially if you're getting your hair did at Fringe. If the sammies are this good I can only imagine how tasty their caffeine must be.
People thought this was:
The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because they close at 5, or 4 on weekends. It would be nice if they were open later.
People thought this was:
I live down the street from black n brew and I have never been disappointing.
The wait staff is…
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Good coffee, really good food, and my dog is allowed to come in and jealously watch as I eat breakfast. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of 5 is because there is a woman who works there who seems less than happy to be serving people. I don't know if she's the cook or what but she can't seem to muster up a smile and when I thank her for bringing me whatever it is she brings me, she doesn't say "you're welcome." She just skulks away. She seems put out by even small requests (for instance, a request for "more ice, please?" was met with a cold stare - and then she got me more ice). I don't know if she's unhappy or just too cool to smile, but she sometimes brings me down, so I say "Cheer up, Sister!" cuz you're turning a 5 star coffee shop into a 4.
People thought this was:
I've only been here once, and that was to get an iced chai latte. It was decent -- I mean, I have yet to find a place with REALLY tasty chai. I was more impressed with how friendly the barista (owner?) was. She and I chatted about Reading (where I grew up), and when some guy came in asking for water for his dog she was nice enough to give him a cup. I'd gotten so used to all the angry Philadelphians 'round here that I'd forgotten how pleasant people can be.
People thought this was:
I stop by here every week before I go to teach my class at the Sweat down the street. The place has never been crowded (of course who wants coffee at 5:30 in the afternoon?) and the service is prompt and professional. The prices are very reasonable and the atmosphere is very laid back. Most importantly, they aren't blaring weird music so loudly that you can't hear yourself think. I'm hoping to check them out when they're busier but I like what I've experienced so far. There's even a little toybox for the younger set. And lots of tempting treats that they can beg the 'rents for. :-)
People thought this was:
This place is always packed on the weekends, but well worth the wait. They have rotating specials that I usually end up getting. The breakfast burrito is also delicious. They serve La Colombe Coffee and that's the best coffee in Philadelphia.
My only complaint is that once I ordered a Nutella Mocha and they used Davinci Hazelnut syrup and not very impressive chocolate. If you're gonna name something after Nutella it damn well better taste like nutella. I understand mixing in Nutella into a drink might be weird, but at least use a very high quality chocolate (preferably milk chocolate, since that's what Nutella is made of).
That being said, the coffee and food is awesome!!
Black n brew is one of my favorite coffee and breakfast spots. I used to stop on a weekly basis but my schedule doesn't allow for it anymore.
The two owners are super nice women who are very appreciative for the business.
They use metropolitan bakery bread(my favorite in the city) and la columbe coffee(some of my favorite coffee in the city). Honestly, that would be enough for me. Throw in free wi-fi, free refills on your coffee, and awesome food(try the black n brew cakes. They are almost like a Swedish pancake served with a yummy butterscotch sauce).
Oh they are also very kid and doggie friendly.
People thought this was:
Generally I am not a morning person, especially when I have plenty to sleep off over the weekend. But I was in dire need of a haircut and the only time Jeremiah could fit me in over the weekend was 11 am today, and there are some things you just have to jump on. So after another fierce looking haircut courtesy of The Alley I was in the need for something strong and caffeinated. And after zombie marching down Passyunk East I came across here, read the name of the place, and felt like they were reading my mind.
This might just be one of the busiest coffeehouses I've been in. But after taking the first sip of my cafe au lait I felt that it was well deserved. so many drinks varieties to choose from too. I'm also giving the service big props and not just because I found out that my friend Carly works there.
I only came in for caffeine on the go. But I am definitely showing up to eat there sometime. They have the usual sandwiches and baked goods that you would expect from a coffee house. but you can also sit down to things like an asparagus and cheese omelet!
People thought this was:
I usually roll into this place with veiled eyelids and sweats. My needs for black coffee and an occasional bagel are totally satisfied here, and their breakfast burrito is actually pretty freaking good (I thought I lost all faith in breakfast burritos long ago). It's their guac that does it!
I can't sit in the place and hang out though because it's usually pretty crowded, and with the addition of a toy box, it's less cafe and more romper room and squealing babies are so not my bag. Ever.
People thought this was:
I stopped in one day, very hungover, very much needing a coffee to tide me over til I could get to the cantina and have a couple bloody marys. The 1/2 a block is a killer, i know! Anyway, it was busy, but the staff was friendly (if a bit slow? My somewhat fuzzy memory seems to think it took a reeeeaaally long time to get my mocha) but luckily, being hungover, i was not at all impatient. Although I do have to go back and try again before really forming an opinion, I'm not terribly impressed. My espresso was burnt pretty badly. Oh well.
People thought this was:
This is a great addition to the neighborhood. The vibe at the place is awesome; it feels really cozy and the staff is great. The coffee is good.
But as Jon L said, this is as much of a dining establishment as it is a coffeeshop. They have a full kitchen in the back and do an excellent breakfast. The menu is simple, but they have weekly specials to keep things interesting. If you're sick of waiting 45 minutes to get into brunch at some of the well known places, check this place out.
People thought this was:
My boyfriend & I have been cleaninging and painting our new apartment around the corner, and we've gone to Black n Brew 3x for breakfast in the past couple weekends. I haven't had anything off the lunch menu yet, so I can't comment on that. They seem to have a steady stream of customers on the weekend mornings but we didn't run into any long waits for a table. It's a cute place, if somewhat small. They are kid (there's a toybox) and dog (there are biscuits) friendly, which I like - especially the latter.
As for the breakfast food - I'm not a fan of their hash browns, but otherwise their food has been pretty decent. I highly recommend the breakfast burrito; the breakfast BLT is a close second. The pancakes are fine enough, and the standard breakfast is exactly what the name implies - standard. The coffee, tea, and smoothies have all been excellent. I'm particularly picky about coffee - and theirs is pretty perfect according to my standards - dark, strong, full-bodied, and perfectly brewed. Our overall experience has been pleasant and we'll certainly be back often.
People thought this was:
So glad they opened. South Philly needed a place like this. It's cute, clean, and comfortable. The coffee is good and the breakfast portions are pretty impressive considering the small price tag that comes with it.
Sitting outside is a plus since it's located off a side street so you don't see all the traffic that comes by. The only uh-oh about this place is their summer hours are funky. Maybe I'm selfish but I like to sit outside, with a drink, a magazine and a pack of cigs...closing at 4 on weekends cuts into my outside coffee drinking and smoking time, BUT I understand it's summer hours for a reason.
People thought this was:
This place made me like breakfast burritos. They're awesome.
The coffee is eh, I can't tell if it's really strong or just really burnt.
Added plus: they don't mind if you bring your dog(s) inside while waiting for your takeout.
People thought this was:
My boyfriend and I eat breakfast here on the weekends a lot. It's fairly basic food and coffee, but it's a great addition to the neighborhood. I usually keep it simple and order the egg and cheese sandwich with turkey bacon.
The place is small and gets crowded on the weekends, so plan on sitting very close to the other customers. There is also outside seating.
Black n Brew is definitely the best breakfast place on Passyunk Avenue. See you there!
People thought this was:
I am VERY happy I stumbled into this place. From the outside it's a bit impenetrable, it doesn't t look like there's a whole lot going on inside...but once you get in there, it's a great little cafe with wi-fi, loads of breakfast and coffee options and sandwiches and paninis too. I dug the little tables with photos between the plexiglass-- it gave it a clean, artistic feel--not schlocky like some other coffee shops. They had a lot of photos displayed, but it didn't look like a show of one artist's work, which I would like to see in the space.
I got the breakfast burrito sans dairy, which was perfect. Fresh ingredients, tasty guac and freshly scrambled eggs (not microwaved like some coffee shops tend to do). They also had interesting specials like pea and onion scrambled eggs and country tomato soup. I think I'm going to try everything at some point. The staff were friendly and very helpful when the wi-fi was initially not working.
People thought this was:
Well I pass this place most every day and it's so nice to see a place with outdoor seating especially this time of year. I've actually never tried the food and maybe that makes me a bad reviewer but their coffee is scrumptious. I know it doesn't take a genius to make iced coffee but every time and I do mean every time I have gotten iced coffee here it was more than perfect. Not too much ice, sweetened perfectly, and room for a bit of cream.
People thought this was:
Normally when I go to cafes, I order a large plain coffee and enjoy the free wifi. The Black & Brew is no exception. Although, I almost feel bad taking the cheap way out here, as it's really as much a dining establishment as a cafe. Lunch is busier than breakfast, and the dining room fills up relatively quickly---and then there's me using up an entire table for my laptop and plain coffee. Very friendly staff, though. They never give me the impression that I need to hurry along---not yet, at least.
Also, they frequently have live music on weekends. (Normally, they close at 7 p.m., but they're open late on nights when folks perform.)
If I remember correctly, they have a little corner of the shop laced with toys. Hurray! My five year old will be occupied for at least 15 minutes.
People thought this was:
This is one of my favorite places to go if I need a good cup-a-joe and a sandwich in a relaxing environment. The Black n' Brew serves up breakfast and lunch items at very affordable prices and if you're feeling like you're over the hipster vibe at Morning Glory or Sabrina's, the Black n' Brew is a perfect place to go on a lazy Sunday morning.
People thought this was:
decent place to grab a cup of coffee. I very much enjoy the fact that is only a block from my house and that the drinks are presented in a timely fashion, but the food is so-so at best, being supplied by my all time, most hated, anti-christ, first born stealing "food" giant supplier, i can not support the fact that a breakfast sandwich is over 3 dollars. sysco is the end all say all of lazy, disgusting, hormone fueled, genetically altered "food" stuffs. buuuuuuut the coffee is bangin.
People thought this was:
I miss you black and brew! i used to come here EVERYDAY before i opened my own business - now no time. :( The coffee and staff are fabulous! i don't even have to order, they know what i want when i walk in - just how a neighborhood place should be. they even have treats for my dog! fun, friendly and good eats. :) my favorite is sitting outside in the summer with an iced hazelnut latte, a breakfast sandwich (everything bagel, sausage, egg & cheddar!) and my dog. ah - i can't wait! :)
People thought this was:
came here on a stressful morning after a bridal fitting (not mine)...and it was perfect! a laid back cafe with generous coffee servings and the best brunch around. order the butterscotch pancakes or toasted banana bread - they're unbelievable. plus, the cafe is doggie friendly.
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Philadelphia, PA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Italian Market
Category: Coffee & Tea
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Bakeries
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