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Break Espresso
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
25 reviews for Break Espresso
Review Highlights
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"...a cup of really good tea-- Night on Glacier Lake with a bit..." In 2 reviews -
"...THAT I found the latte and baked goods to be very good and..." In 3 reviews -
"...solid coffee shop with tasty pastries, muffins, and quiches." In 3 reviews
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25 reviews in English
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Review from Ash T.
Charleston, WV
1/2/2012
The Break gets serious points for atmosphere -- the heavy wooden tables and chairs coupled with the large wrought iron doors and high ceilings and wood flooring make it aesthetically pleasing. They offer a wide range of coffees and teas, though I must admit that I've only tried the latter. I've enjoyed what I tried, particularly the huckleberry tea.
From what I can glean, this is more of a place to hang out, grab a caffeinated beverage, and enjoy some free wifi. For that, it shines and there are always lots of people in there working, studying, talking to friends, etc. I can't comment on the food -- for me, it's just not a place to eat. -
Review from James H.
Riverton, UT
11/20/2011
The perfect college cafe hangout - you feel like you are in an episode of Friends or something similar.
To be honest, I don't drink coffee so I probably shouldn't be rating this place. However the iced green tea was good, the cafe bar had a pretty decent selection and the breakfast bagel I ordered was quite tasty.
Truthfully, go for the atmosphere and make the effort to find a food order that will keep you coming back. Great place to kick back and read, study, or hang with a friend. -
Review from Jennifer W.
Portland, OR
7/30/2011 8 Check-ins Here
Great vegan treats-- dig that raspberry bar decadence they keep by the cash register. Love the wooden tables, big windows, and lamps on the tables. Great place to sit out a sudden electrical storm.
Yes, there's something comforting about the break-- and kind of sexy. A lover once texted me that he wanted to steal the whipped cream from the bar and sneak into the bathroom for a quickie. Go and see for yourself if that's apropos. Or get your mind out of the gutter (mine is staying there, however), and get a cup of really good tea-- Night on Glacier Lake with a bit of steamed milk. -
Review from Sarah S.
Seattle, WA
9/23/2011
The break is usually full of students taking advantage of the huge tables to study at, but don't be fooled the customers fail to communicate to outsiders that the Break serves the worst espresso in Missoula. I myself do not know exactly where the problem lies but I can tell you I have had maybe 2 out of every 10 drinks taste good, good meaning not burnt but no where near the actual definition of good meaning tasty and competitively priced.
I would re-direct andyone headed to the Break 2 blocks south to Butterfly Herbs. Best espresso around! -
Review from Lauren G.
Los Angeles, CA
6/26/2011 1 photo
I'm a nerd. I went to Missoula wanting to do Missoula-y things. So this place was quite an unexpected treat. Even though I didn't see a single bear on my week-long trip, on my last morning in Missoula I got to eat a bearclaw! And the tea selection included such local delights as Night on Glacier Lake and Evening in Missoula. I was warm and happy.
The atmosphere was really nice too. Very woody and warm and inviting. I tried walking in there at least once or twice thinking it was a neighboring bar.
Anyway, thanks, Missoula, for a great trip :) -
Review from Lacey C.
1/5/2011
Now, I'm serious--why do I keep coming back?
Maybe it's the luxurious setting--old brick, hard wood floors, wrought iron doors, heavy old tables and chairs, along with a cute open-window kitchen, and chalkboard menus.
But, and this is no hyperbole--the place is always full and not necessarily a good way. Creepers abound, the line is always long and one day I had to shank a granny just to share a table. The coffee isn't that great, their tea selection is awful--and there is usually only one struggling barista.
Still, The Break feels like -the- place to have your coffee downtown and I hardly ever recommend people anywhere else (see Good Food Store review). I don't even understand 'why?' myself.
Try their epic pumpkin bars or a slice of their strawberry-rhubarb pie while side-stepping their always awful chai. -
Review from Michael T.
Livermore, CA
4/23/2011
Like others here, I don't understand how they can have one person responsible for taking your order, dealing with questions, making your coffee getting your pastry, and ringing you up. I got caught in this snail's pace line with 5 others (all using some form of complicated debit/credit card). OTHER THAN THAT I found the latte and baked goods to be very good and reasonable on the wallet. The tables are big, wood and comfy. This, combined with the brick walls and plentiful wall plugs were nice.
I used my laptop to watch a portion of the A's/Tigers game streaming via my Slingbox and had no problems at all with the wifi.
The "previously read" daily newspapers laying about were nice too. -
Review from sarah h.
Carmel Valley, CA
9/19/2011
This was our favorite coffee shop out of the two dozen we patronized (in 25 northern US states) on our recent cross country road trip. Everything is excellent here: the coffee, the espresso drinks, the baked goods, the service, the atmosphere.
To be specific: The staff were super friendly to everyone, not just the regulars, even though they were crazy busy. Our drinks were ready in a jiffy. My son's coffee was strong and flavorful; my triple latte was potent and tasty. The interior décor was warm and inviting, the atmosphere equally so. The cinnamon raisin bagels were fresh from the oven, with so much cinnamon and raisin that they tasted like a dessert.
This coffee shop made me think about moving to Missoula. That's how good it is. -
Review from Daniel H.
9/27/2009 1 photo
Chai tea latte: average
Friendliness: barista was great, cash register girl had an attitude
Atmosphere: awesome
Loved the wooden interior--floors, tables, etc. Backwards line if you're used to Starbucks.
Overall, a cool little place to hang out in Missoula. -
Review from Emily P.
Dillon, CO
8/25/2011
Classic college-town coffee shop. No employees knew if their beans are decaffeinated through chemicals or water, they told me I could go read the label (which I did & then a line formed by the time I walked back to the register, gee, thanks), Ended up getting a bland chai. This coffee shop gets my three stars for being a big comfy place to work for a while.
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Review from DS M.
Missoula, MT
1/17/2011
A solid coffee shop with tasty pastries, muffins, and quiches. Even when it's a crowded day there is always enough seating and it's all pretty comfortable--especially if you're looking for a good place to work for a couple hours. The baristas are friendly, chatty, and good at what they do.
Overall, I only have two minor complaints about Break Espresso. One, the internet can be pretty spotty--but that's not exactly their fault. And at least they have internet. Two, the hot water they use for the tea usually isn't hot enough to brew the bag well. That should be an easy fix **nudge, nudge**.
Lastly, I'm not all that wowed by the espresso. It's not bad; it fits the bill. But I sort of expected it to be a specialty since it's part of the name. But maybe I'm just an espresso snot. Yes, snot--not even good enough to be a snob. -
Review from Gabriel S.
Missoula, MT
5/9/2011
I've worked downtown for years and have put up with the burnt espresso and slow service (waited 10 min for a mocha yesterday) because of convenience. Today was my last visit there ever. $2.25 for two shots of espresso. Loose Caboose charges less than half that. Like the break? You can have it. I'm switching to regular coffee again, something you can get across the street at Wordens at 100 times the quality and at a cheaper price.
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Review from L C.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2010
Service was slow. One person takes your order and makes it on the spot. One person solely for ringing you up and maybe getting you a pastry or something. The person making the drinks was extremely slow, absent-minded, and forgetful on people's drinks before mine, on mine, and after mine. However, she was nice. Nothing fancy or spectacular about the mocha I had. The environment in itself is decent, especially for the college kids who want to study with large groups. I swear there must have been 25 tables which could fit groups of 4-5 people easily. It was a nice place to sit and sip something hot in the freezing cold weather!
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Review from Mo P.
Brooklyn, NY
1/24/2009
Good strong coffee and plenty of tables in a sea of Mountain Hardware- wearing Missoulians. Good spot to people watch, if you need to study the the stereotypical Missoulian. The baked goods looked fabulous also, but I only got my java fix. Next time...
Listed in: Coffee, mi amor!, Once Upon a Time...
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Review from alliekate k.
Houston, TX
9/5/2011
Cute place. Super friendly people. Great coffee. No kitchen, but lots of pastries and biscuits.
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Review from Nico A.
Missoula, MT
1/25/2010
I feel like you need to have a laptop when you are at 'The Break' because it is a haven for a people who are working on something. I could have sworn it was an internet cafe of some kind. I'm not a very big coffee drinker so I normally have hot chocolate and a slice of pie (highly recommended!). It's right in the heart of downtown so it's a good place to relax for a bit if you are out frolicking downtown.
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Review from Jana U.
Seattle, WA
9/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
I was visiting Missoula and was in the mood for coffee and pie. The Break has a wonderful selection of delicious pies and some seriously strong coffee! Great place.
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Review from Monica R.
Break Espresso has the best coffee bar ambiance in Missoula, it feels like it's in a more urban environment with the expose brick walls. Great service and good coffee, what more do you need?
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Review from Adriana K.
Seattle, WA
1/4/2010
Trying to get 5 hangry (hungry + angry = hangry) people to decide where to go for breakfast can be trialsome. This was a good gamble. Coffee itself was average - I did enjoy the picture board the barista referenced when she asked me how I wanted my cappuccino. The pies looked awesome, and they didn't skimp on portions - we tried the caramel pecan cinnamon roll (too much caramel, I thought - but it is hard to balance the sugar content in cinnamon rolls, I will give them that), and I had the veggie quiche, which, after 2 tries in the microwave, I achieved desired temperature - in some ways, I think the microwave is tacky, and the service should maybe be included in the tip you provide, but its nice to have the freedom. Also, only honey, no cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, or chocolate powder that I have come to expect at coffee shop condiment bars (maybe this is the snooty Seattelite in me coming out). The place is huge - no fear of looking for tables, and they were more than happy to serve us even though they were soon closing.
I definitely recommend the quiche. -
Review from Sabrina H.
San Jose, CA
5/25/2009
Good coffee and hot sandwich that taste much better than the Starbucks.
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Review from JT W.
San Jose, CA
7/27/2010
Great Ice Mocha, savory quiche, and incredible berry pie. Free wi-fi connection, which was strong. Great set up. Wayyyyyy more table space than your average coffee house and wayyyyyyyyy more power outlets.
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Review from Anna S.
Somerville, MA
7/19/2008
Great homemade chai, excellent pies and muffins. Some vegan treats, a plus. Great place to study.
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Review from Jenna P.
Portland, OR
5/1/2010
The Break is great for a study atmosphere as it has a bunch of tables of various sizes and outlets line the walls. It's a little on the dim side for lighting. The drip coffee is decent but nothing to brag about.
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Review from Linda W.
Sacramento, CA
12/2/2009
Yummy pastries! Great space. Very pleasant & competent staff. Only 4 stars because I prefer really strong coffee. Otherwise, all great. And I would go back for the pastries & maybe opt for an expresso.
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Review from annie h.
Missoula, MT
12/6/2010
we go every weekend and the coffee drinks are as reliable as it gets. the carmel rolls & most sweets are great. this is the best coffee shop in town and ive been to them all. particlarly avoid liquid planet and the good food store. they are both fantastic places, but not for coffee
