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Caffe Forte - CLOSED
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: North Park3880 Grim Ave
(between North Park Way & University Ave)
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 283-4710
- Hours:
Mon-Thu. 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 6:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
39 reviews for Caffe Forte
Review Highlights
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Nice neighborhood coffee shop that has a very "feels like home' atmosphere.
They have a pretty good menu that taste like home cooking. The owner's work behind the counter are very down home.
My synopsis: A little bit of East county in Central San Diego.
Their new location is very warm, homey and inviting and parking was a breeze. I ordered a coffee and as it was being prepared, I noticed the sign on the cash register that said cash only (seriously???). I told her that I was sorry but I didn't have any cash and that I needed to cancel my order. She asked if I lived in the neighborhood and when I said yes she said I could pay for it the next time I came in. I was very impressed and returned two days later to pay for my coffee and ended up ordering a blueberry scone (it looked so delicious, I couldn't NOT get one. Unfortunately it didn't have a lot of flavor and I think it was a lack of sugar.
I was glad when they told me that they were going to start taking credit/debit cards soon.
Whoa... The food was seriously made with magic and love cause I have never had food this good. Breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner, snack... it doesn't matter what you order off the menu- I will guarantee you that it will be AWESOME. I have had various things off the menu, but so far my favorites are the EGGS BENEDICT (the hollandaise sauce is the BEST I've had in my whole life), SANDWICH ITALIANO, and the COCONUT FRENCH TOAST. My boyfriend loves the roast beef sandwich.
Their coffee is pretty good too. Somedays it seems stronger than others, but overall, it's made deliciously.
The service is very personable. You seriously feel like a kid being taken care of by mom and dad. The owners couldn't get more sweet and kind.
The atmosphere is relaxing. Awesome paintings on the wall all the time. There's a record player in one corner with a box of records that you can shift through and play. Tons of various magazines to keep you occupied. Lots of seating and just overall- cozy!
When I'm here, I seriously feel at home.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
They hate customers!
Weird, that's bad for business. Read Drew B's review, the exact same thing happened to me.
I get my coffee here every morning, they brew each cup fresh when you order it.
Only downside is salads & sandwiches are a bit pricey.
Caffe Forte, is now, sadly, closed, as of August 21, 2009. It was a fave of North Park residents and neighborhood. It survived for several years and was known for its strong, house roasted coffee, "Caffe Forte" as well as its many Boar's Head sandwiches. Its University Club with bacon was divine. Owner Greg and his assistants Linda and Cynthia had the best if sometimes kooky chemistry!! Their homemade cookies, scones and muffins were mouth watering, as well as their home made cole slaw with white raisins, fresh green salad with a touch of balsamic and pine nuts. Truly a great and very "real" cafe which will be sorely missed...thanks for the memories!!!
I was very tempted to give this place one star, mostly because my cup of coffee was disgusting and had coffee grounds floating in it. Yuck. I couldn't stand more than two TINY sips. I know I should have taken it back and requested something that I could actually drink, but I was dissuaded by the attitude of the people at the counter.
Another bad point is that there was only half-and-half and sugar available to add to the coffee. No soymilk, milk, Splenda, etc. Also, no credit cards accepted! I wanted to try some of the food since it looked and smelled yummy, but I didn't have enough cash.
However, there are comfy couches and chairs. This location is nice and spacious inside, which is a nice change from the cramped layout of their old location.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
Phenominal egg salad, fresh squeezed lemonade, cozy. Love everything but the fact that the above yumminess and a chicken club with pasta and another lemonade plus tip was $20. They are sandwiches for chrissakes...they shouldn't cost that much. We did get free refills with the lemonade....maybe I am a cheapskate. None the less I will be back time and time again for the mouth watering egg salad!
People thought this was:
- Funny (1)
Coffee here is one of the best. Baby brownies looked so delicious, so I had one; mmmm it satisfied my sweet craving for the night.
Nice and friendly staff.
People thought this was:
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I've been a regular here since they were at their University Avenue location, and the new Grim Avenue location is indeed a vast improvement, very comfortable and inviting.
Coffee is superb!!!! As they roast their beans on site!!! It is as fresh as it gets!!! and the *sandwiches!!!!* My favorite used to be the Roast Beef Melt until I discovered The Pilgrim!!!!! And there is just *no* better breakfast sandwich than the Sandwich Italiano!!!!! I, too regret the fact that they no longer accept credit cards, but I know it was done for a reason.......and Linda can indeed be a hoot!!!!! She is a real character!!!!
If you've read my reviews on other coffee places, you'll know I'm picky. Caffe Forte has just about everything I want.
Couches, Internet, quiet enough for homework, great coffee, and fantastic sandwiches.
However, they still do not take credit or debit. Just so strange to me in the year 2009. Really?
Also, the customer service is rather crappy. The owner is an ass most of the time, but I kinda like it because he has this kind of New York ass attitude. I understand, I'd be a bitter ass if I came from New York. Most of the other employees don't listen well and are pretty rude.
Otherwise, I love the new place they moved to on Grimm Ave, and I would still rather come here than the other coffee places that are either too loud or no internet or no couches.
This place is an excellent addition to the neighborhood amongst a bunch of mediocre crap that is passed off as food around here. Don't get me wrong, I love crap, but sometimes you crave a little more for a little less, well not much less.
It's too bad this place is on a side street and not on the main drag. More people would appreciate the relaxed feel and awesome sandwiches.
I've had the University Club twice now, this thing is massive and yummy. plus if you're lucky, you can hear the sweet sounds of the cook singing a little ditty every now and then (oh man). Oh yeah. it's cash only.
I go to this place at least once a month to show my Jewelry and I am always impressed with the service and quality of the food.
This past Thursday, I had my absolute favorite menu item, 'The University Club' sandwich without the bread. So they make it like a salad and its just YUMMY! The greens are so fresh, the meats and cheeses are top quality Boar's Head, the dressing is whisper light oil and vinegar. This salad is so good with the bits of pine nuts and stuff... I eat it so fast, its actually pretty embarrassing.
Another wonderful thing about this place is the wonderful service. They bring your items to you in such a gracious way, you can't help but feel treated. The prices are fair, the service is excellent and its always a treat. I hear their soups are always spectacular. I'll have to suck some down while I'm inhaling my salad next time..put a little break in the wind being kicked up with the salad going down ;-)...
This is probably my favorite mom and pop coffee shop in San Diego..so far...so good!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/23/2008
Great location, slightly off the busy street. Nice 'Living Room' feel without being **too** lived… Read more »
I came here for an event my church hosted at Cafe Forte and I have to say I loved this little place. It's a bit hidden, but worth finding. Linda, who I believe is one of the owners, is awesome. Very homey and comfortable place. My bf and I each had a Cafe Delicato (chocolate & raspberry) and shared a berry scone, delish. The menu looks good and we will definitely be going back for breakfast on a lazy Sunday.
Let me start by saying that I believe "Yelp" has become a forum for assholes to degrade and needlessly complain about the stupidest things...This website should be one of constructive criticism where criticism is due. Is not the point of this site to express the short comings of a particular business in hopes that they will read it and improve where improvement is needed so that they can better their profits? And also to pat on the back those businesses who achieve such greatness?
With that said, I did not want to "write a review" on Caffe Forte, I would have much rather emailed the owner himself but I was not able to find their website or email address.
This is an establishment that I have truly enjoyed coming to for months now. They have the best cup of coffee in North Park and amazing deviled eggs. I cannot often afford to buy their more filling plates (IE. sandwiches, breakfast plates, etc.) but I have made it a point to give them my coffee business for some time now as I normally enjoy the atmosphere and employees (and coffee!).
With that said, I was disappointed this morning by an exchange of words with whom I presume is Forte's owner. He is always kind and welcoming and his reaction today threw me off and made me nauseated with stress (which is just a personal physiological side effect of stress). I went in this morning, as I normally do, and bought a delicious coffee and a delicious (yes not cheap) bowl of fruit (I had some extra cash today yay!). I sat down to wait for my partner who arrived and bought his own cup of delicious coffee (and tipped well as we always do). We sat down with our coffee and my food and he pulled out his routine breakfast burrito to enjoy with his coffee and that's when it hit us...the owner threw some pretty heavy negative energy (I'm very aware of feeling and reading energies but that's a whole different story) at us and snapped at my partner for bringing in the burrito (which is not something that is even offered on their menu). My partner, also feeling the veracity of the owner's energy immediately got up and left.
That's when my nausea kicked in. I am well aware of the economic benefits of having your patrons buy your products, I am in fact one of those product buying patrons. Something that I wish the owner had been able to understand is that he is not the only one feeling the economic crunch here...I cannot always afford to buy coffee AND food, if the food were more affordable for me I would. But, the fact is that this is not an economic reality for myself or the majority of other people in our community. As a result, I do my best to buy what I can from the businesses that I want to see flourish and appreciate. Forte was one of those businesses.
I might have been able to get past this incident as just being the owner looking out for his business...but the truth is, when it comes to enforcing a "no outside food" policy on two patrons who had already bought several things from you that day, and have bought many things from for on a regular basis, and recommend the establishment to their community on a regular basis...well, then the "enforcement" to me is ridiculous and greedy.
I tried to sit down calmly beside the owner and express this disappointment to him but he immediately went on the defensive and continued to throw negative energy and words at me. I understand that customers buying things is your livelihood (would you condemn a customer buying your coffee and taking it to get a burrito? I think not. I also KNOW that the burrito establishment would not care that I brought in your coffee to eat my burrito...Why? Because I've done it countless times and whats more is that they don't sell coffee...and you don't sell burritos...are you getting my point?). That is precisely why I frequent your establishment and give you my money on a regular basis. But, to lose customers over a god forsaken burrito that was bought with the last few dollars save the dollars that were saved for your coffee and fruit, is just sad. You, owner sir, told me to "Yelp" you as if Yelp should be a forum for me to tear you down and bitch. I would have much rather emailed you in private but your email is not readily available to me, so, since it seems you frequent your Yelp site I must write to you on here.
All in all, I have lost a good coffee shop today. I am very saddened that such attitude and negativity was spewed at me.
So you want my review? Amazing coffee. Amazing food. If you can afford to both eat and drink there I recommend you do so. But, for those of us on a budget: Don't dare bring your two dollar burrito in to try and enjoy your equally priced coffee with it. There is a good possibility (or should I say probability?) that you will get a shit storm of negativity and rudeness.
Now I have to drink crappy Lestat's coffee. Bummer. At least I can enjoy my coffee AND burrito in peace.
People thought this was:
- Useful (6)
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- Cool (1)
had the university club sandwich and it was a pretty good one. i noticed the boars head cold cuts and was excited...i haven't seen boars head since i left new york. overall the sandwich tasted fresh and it came with a nice salad. i heard the ice coffee is good so i will stop in next time for one of those. interesting decor kinda looks like straight out of the thrift shop on the corner.
This place is good stuff! It has turned into our neighborhood "go to" when we are lazy at home and wanting a good sandwich. It is cozy with lots of seating and tables throughout.
My boyfriend loves the deviled eggs, and is a big fan of the roasted veggie sandwich. I have had their homemade crab and Italian. With every sandwich you get your choice of homemade house salad or pasta salad, or potalo chips The couple who always seems to be working there are so nice, and prices are great for all the food you get!
I cant wait to check it out for breakfast!
People thought this was:
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I love the new place! I went in there with my better half on Sunday. We kicked back while listening to the turntable of weird music and reading New Yorker magazines. Great coffee, the drip is very, very good. I haven't tried the food but plan to do so here real soon. They have breakfast all day!
I will probably hang out here from now on. The clientele seem very cool and seem like normal people. Some of the other coffee shops around this neighborhood seem to attract the extreme types...(nothing wrong with it but I like going where I sorta fit in...:-D!)
(Carpe Diem is very expensive for breakfast - Caffe Forte is more reasonable!)
NOTE: They are still ramping up so be patient!
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I hesitate to write this review because I enjoy it so much and don't want them to go changin' because of giant crowds.... but let me tell you this - I have not had a better cup of coffee poured for me in this town.
Greg is the man with the pull and what a perfect cup he pulls. The first time I tried his coffee from beans roasted in-house, I wondered why I had ever wasted my time and money for coffee from skanky press pots filled with bitter coffee brewed hours before.
The other thing I love about Cafe Forte is that the moment you walk in, you feel at home. The two women working here are friendly, hardworking people who remember their regulars and welcome newcomers warmly. How refreshing!
They serve breakfast, including some tasty vegan muffins, sandwiches, soup, and I think a hot entree special every day.
Welcome back, Greg -- Yeay!!
People thought this was:
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So ever since they moved the coffee just hasn't been the same. I have no idea why this would be the case, but it's true!
And they stopped taking credit cards, boo!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/14/2007
Not just the best coffee in San Diego, the best coffee I've ever had, period. And the Waffle Forte… Read more »
I love this little neighborhood coffee shop. Their coffe is superb, and I love their sandwiches. It's also a great place to relax, read, and socialize if you're so inclined. This type of place is what makes North Park so wonderful and so unique. I hope the owner keeps it going for a long time to come!
First time I walked in here, they were playing jockey full of bourbon, it was hot damn hot outside and I was struck by the halcyon atmosphere. That pretty much set the tone for each of my subsequent visits... they always have the AC set just right and they play the best and most varied music of any NP establishment.
I'm always looking for new breakfast joints and this is one of my faves but I really wish there was more eggy stuff on the menu. Can't hate on that tho since it's a coffee shop not a restaurant and their lattes are goooood (except there's one barista joke of a chick who wins my award for consistently worst coffee drinks, but you can look in the window... if she's there... head to caffe calabria). Man, they love their garlic and if you can stomach 3 cloves at once, the pesto is pretty killer. Also the garlic egg sammich thing. Proper bread, no HFCS.
I love coming here on my own to chill. But if you're feeling sociable, there's a bunch of regulars that always welcome you into their interesting conversation. The place is so small that the owner or the yoga guy might join in too.
If you forget your reading material, this place is chock full of really good literature - lots of those penguin modern classics with the turquoise spines. There's lots else to do too... chess, art gallery, and a couple of times I've been in here on sat/sun, they've had awesome acoustic bands.
This is my first yelp and that is because y'all need to go here to combat the evil starfucks that set up across the street last year. Get off my street fuckheads!!
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We usually brew coffee at home. The medium roast coffee from North Park Produce on El Cajon Blvd. So fo us to go out and buy coffee...it better be good. I love this place. I am not really into the calorie filled fru-fru coffee that is considered your calorie intake for lunch & dinner coffees. I usually just bet a house coffee or an Americano. This place rawks! The house coffee IS an Americano!!! We didn't try any of the food items, but they all looked GREAT! I also love the comfortable feel of the place!
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I came to Caffe Forte after I had left some laundry at the local fluff and fold laundromat. I've been making a conscious decision to hit up as many locally owned and operated coffee shops in San Diego since I'm a new resident to the city, and I love me some coffee in the morning. So almost every Saturday I treat myself by checking out a new coffee joint, and it just so happened today I decided to try out Caffee Forte.
So far I've been to Krakatoa, Filter, Cafe Calabria, Urban Grind, and Claire de Luna. I've had mostly positive experiences, although if I had to choose one based on coffee, I'd hedge my bets with Krakatoa. But that review will be for another day. At Caffe Forte, I noticed two things right away. First, dogs are allowed inside because I saw a small, handsome little pooch laid out on a carpet beside its owner. Not a great first impression--I don't hate animals, but I don't want to eat or drink inside with animals beside me or nearby. Take your freakin' dog and tie it up outside; it'll survive. Second, I saw a lack of space to set up my laptop as far as tables were concerned. A few two person tables were lined up side-by-side-by-side to create a dining room table effect, but it was occupied by a group of four, and I don't want to share my little space with others while I enjoy my morning java. A couple of smaller table were at the back, but they also had people at them. Some coffee tables and smaller side tables existed in various locations, surrounded by a smorgasbord of mismatched, but comfortable chairs and sofas, but no great spot to set up some work materials, so that strikes off a star. Since I teach, I need my space to spread out at a table while I deal with paperwork, sip my coffee, and try to enjoy my precious weekend time.
Anyways, Caffe Forte has a more open kitchen space as well. You can easily look behind the counter and see the microwave, toaster oven, spice racks, etc. I'm not sure I loved that since it made it feel like more of a diner than a coffee shop. That said, I did love seeing the loaves of delicious-looking bread since I'm a bread whore, as well as the pastries, which included a lemon bread, banana-nut bread, scones, etc. All looked fresh and homemade, not like they'd been pre-purchased in bulk somewhere and then thrown out on display. So big-ups in the bread/pastry department.
Anyways, I digress. What the F about the coffee you ask? It was good, not great. I'm not an advocate for overly strong coffee; I love the taste of a light-medium roast with just a hint of boldness, even if it's flavored (particularly hazelnut). Caffe Forte's coffee needed a little bit more oomph. It had a decent flavor, but it seemed a too mild even for my tastes. So far, I would choose Krakatoa and Filter over Caffe Forte in terms of a coffee's robustness. On a side note, I did enjoy the mug the coffee was served in-big, green, comforting.
A number of other pros:
1.) I appreciated the fact that so many people seem to be regulars, and the woman I believed to be the owner (Linda?) addressed them by name. That kind of personalized, friendly service is a sign for me that the business really cares about its customers, and it inspires loyalty.
2.) As a customer, you could play DJ because they had a number of records (yes, records) to choose from and play over the shop's sound system. That is the balls, my friend.
3.) Typical coffee shop art work on walls for sale, but on the back wall were a number of colored pictures obviously created by young children. I'm not talking about art works for sale created by some kind of child Basquiat. The art on the back wall is the kind of art you probably did when you were five and your parents put on the fridge. The fact they have a whole wall devoted to those kids is the shit.
4.) A small, but decent selection of books to choose from if you just want something to read. Literature = awesomeness.
All in all, a decent, comfortable coffee shop. I would go back; I'd just hope I could get a seat at my own table and not smell dog.
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Love Caffe Forte! Linda is hoot and Greg is a nice guy and always ready to take your order! Now that this place is even closer, I go there often. I love the scrambles and Justin's Special Sandwich is special..indeed! It has eggs, basil and provolone on it and it is yummy in my tummy!
I have only had the iced coffee here, since I have been dieting and the good coffee drinks are too many calories. It's good for plain ol' joe. They have a good variety of retro bottles drinks and some fresh baked goods. Those scones and breads sure look tasty! They serve up fresh bagels and have lots of sandwiches too.
If you want something good for breakfast or brunch...go tell Linda to cook ya up something real nice! You'll love the comfy seating, books, music, art and overall good vibes in this place. Caffe Forte rocks!
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I walked in and then I walked out. Place looked nice enough. Staff seemed friendly... but no credit cards!!! Who has time to go to the ATM?
Love this place. I am one of those people with a "handsome little pooch by my side". Imagine my disappointment when I discovered today that some asshole complained about the dogs..and now I read that that same person does not like the kid's artwork on the back wall. WOW! Those are my 2 favorite things about the place - the fact that dogs and kids are not just "allowed" but openly welcomed. The food is great, the service is wonderful, the atmosphere is comfortable and warm. Cafe Forte is a great addition to the neighborhood. I guess my little pug Dandy and I will have to sit outside by ourselves when we go there now. We won't get to enjoy the kid's artwork anymore. The other customers won't get to enjoy Dandy. That is pretty sad. We will continue to go to Cafe Forte, though. We love it there.
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Caffe Forte is comfortable. It's small and mellow and it's always got a few interesting pieces of art on the walls. Last time I went, there was this guy who was uber friendly sitting out front--I think he's one of the usuals.
I felt like I was walking into Wal-Mart. The guy got up, shook my hand, said hello and opened the door for me. He was so smiley, I couldn't help but smile myself.
I like the location of Caffe Forte, too. It's at the edge of the North Park world. If you keep walking east, you'll cross the 805 and, suddenly, you're in City Heights. What a different world City Heights is.
After reading all the hype on yelp, i gotta admit that i was less than impressed. The place is comfortable, for sure, and the owners and staff friendly and helpful. The coffee, though, i found to be pretty mediocre. The menu states 'each cup is individually brewed' or something to that effect. Yes, we call that an americano. Basically, all their coffee drinks are espresso-based. I wish i had noticed that before i ordered, since i really seemed to confuse them when asking for a cafe au lait for my wife. My first cup of coffee was weak and flavorless, the second was strong enough, but i thought the taste was no better than any americano i've received at the coffee cart at work.
People thought this was:
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Caffe Forte is my favorite of coffee shops, with freshly roasted beans, plenty of comfortable seating and comfortable regulars. The art is "urban" and "undiscovered" for the most part, but not the usual smears of primary colors found in most independent coffee shops, which is refreshing.
There is one barista who barely tolerates me. I think it is because I want to order things sometimes. If she isn't there, the service is generally pleasant.
If there is wifi, it isn't at all reliable, so that takes a star off.
My favorites: Cup of coffee: delicious. Granola bowl: delicious and generous.
The animal issue is improved, the food handling is NOT. I saw the owner drop a take out cup on the ground and then use it. The customer had to ask him to use a different cup. They only use hot cups (?) even for cold drinks, which means you have to choose between a straw and a lid. They use napkins to pick up pastries which stick to the napkins and their hands. Tongs were visible for awhile, but are gone again. I like the place, the people, the food (there's less music), the location and the friendliness, but I won't buy food here except soup (yummy).
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/25/2008
I love this place--wonderful food, coffee, ambiance, music. GREAT soups, salads, sandwiches. I… Read more »
This is quite the place. They play good music, I enjoyed some really good iced tea and had fun looking at all the vintage photography stuff they have on the walls. The best part about it is that its a little bit off the beaten path, far enough east on university that the usual North Park crowd dosen't get to it. I like that. Its a good place to go.
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I can't write a review right now, because I need to walk over there and get my fresh cup.
People thought this was:
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On 27 February, 2009 I walked in as usual and ordered the finest damn cup of coffee in North Park. I sat down with my special lady friend and started unwrapping my burrito. I was treated with hostility for bringing in outside food into Forte'. The owner is a great guy, he's genuinely nice and I respect the place he has created for our community. A lot of my friends love him and his delicious coffee and his Establishment. I love how you can smell his coffee roasting from blocks away. I feel he is entitled to run his business however he sees fit... nonetheless, I was appalled by his confrontational behavior. Out of respect for him, his business, and his standing in our community i left without saying a single word. I even left my own coffee mug behind. I will never set foot in there again. I feel betrayed, ostracized and shunned. I took my burrito there because i support all North Park businesses. The Forte' food is exquisite. However it is beyond my price range. I took my burrito in there because I didn't actually think it mattered. North Park is my home town. I have been here long before most of the businesses in the area. I love Forte's deviled eggs, but I am a simple creature. For breakfast give me Saguaro's or give me death. The irony of this whole thing is that I regularly would buy Forte' Coffey and then drink it at Saguaro's and even the Old Mill. Nobody cares!!! I can't say enough times that Mr. Forte' is entitled to his opinion, however narrow minded i feel it is. Being treated like a fucking leper by a man I still respect nearly brought me to tears. Dear Sir, I know you're reading this. you have created an amazing establishment. Our community loves you and your business. By behaving with such unprovoked hostility you are lowering yourself and losing business. I understand the validity of your policy but you went about it like a goddamn amateur. People will not stop bringing in beer to the movies, hard liquor to sporting events, or burritos to coffee houses. I pray that you evolve along with the rest of us during these difficult financial times lest you get left behind.
The coffee is always good. Nice and strong and well balanced. Also the camera collection is worth viewing.
Caffe Forte is pleasant for one thing: the taciturn service. The place is small and covered with usually very urban expressionistic artworks yelling, I'm ugly, but don't you know, ugly is the new beautiful.... Anyway, don't expect a great grind here or brew for that matter, this place is strictly there so that you may escape NP's circus of looney tunes and find some respite...
Just what one would look for in a cafe. Great clean seating, great coffee, nice people working there. They are roasting coffee right in front right now. Wow. I'd give it 5.5 stars if possible.
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This is my new favorite coffee shop. It seriously made my horrible week. They close at 7pm and open at 5:30am. (I wish they'd never close.) Well, what's so great about this place? Well there is a little gallery space attached to the coffee house that had an interesting few pieces of work. When you walk in and look left, you see a bunch of old cameras. You look right to find seating space and see a hidden secret stash of tables and chairs. The color of Cafe Forte is calming, homey and comfortable. In addition, everything is fresh from their oven. The best part is that they have both vegan and non-vegan pastry options! The muffin that I got yesterday was moist, tastey and felt like lots of work went into it. She told me that they make cakes for all seasons/celebrations so I know what I'll be buying when I'm in the dumps again. Lastly, the coffee. $1.35 large cup of coffee tasted great and lasted forever with my muffin. Yum.
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They HAVE wonderful food, So I brought a party of 4 others there for them to see for themselves, We were starving and ready for 5 BIG yummy lunches... but no one had cash, we asked and were told they only took cash, so we had to go elsewhere, The lady was a little rude about the way she said it..My guests and I left AMAZED that you would give up a $40.00 or more lunch bill simply because you don't have a debit /credit machine? A paper sign on the door says (trying to be cute) "were analog people in a digital world, NO CREDIT DEBIT cards"......analog people? over half the people in there are on the internet, how ANALOG is that? I seriously hope you think about changing your CASH only rule. It is not CUTE , its disrespectful to your DIGITAL customers and I personally think it makes you seem out of touch. This place is claustrophobic with no airflow, oh and you will get screamed at if you come in without buying anything and need to use the restroom. Not sure why it runs the way it does...BUT THEIR FOOD IS DAMN GOOD.. love the kids art tho..very nice! Thanks- Scott


