Atmosphere
In Middletown, coffee is considered a necessity for a lot of people that have to get up and go in the mornings. But depending on which way you are going, there are only two or three good options for coffee shops in the Hidden Valley/Middletown area. Today, I'm only focusing on two well known coffee shops, Grinders and Mugshots.
Grinders is a small coffee shop right here in midtown. It is a locally owned walk-in establishment that deals in mixed coffee and tea drinks. It finds its home in an old renovated gas station that has very convenient and readily accessible parking, making it easy to get your coffee and go.
Mugshots, although it's still a grab and go, is quite different then grinders. It is located in a small shack out front of a shell gas station, kind of ironic isn’t it. It has a drive-thru and a window that you can order from while in your car, creating a quick process out of ordering coffee.
Experience
Now, for how these two establishments really differ from each other. Grinders is run by mainly one person that runs the coffee machines behind the counter. You order your coffee from a menu of 20 options, where you then wait for your coffee to be delivered to you. That's if you got a mixed drink, if you pay for a normal coffee you can grab a cup, fill up on their prepped coffee for those who enjoy plain black coffee.
Mugshot’s foundation makes it a different experience compared to its walk-in competitor. It is run by a group of around 2-3 people that work the entire shop. This paired with ordering from your car makes getting your coffee for the morning super easy.
There is a simple menu with 28 items that can range from hot to cold. Although the service here is quite fast, there is one constant that messes with the flow every now and then. From personal and reviews online, it seems the quality in service declines from time to time, this is to be expected during the rush hours. This might take a little from the charm, but it doesn’t make a dent if you just want a quick coffee to go.
Overall Review
Mugshots and Grinders are both really good coffee shops and have amazing drinks and service, but if i were to give them a review, it would be unfair on top of the other because of how important they are to almost everyone's morning. But sadly, the entire point of this article is to give them a review.
Grinders is a great place with good drinks and a nice atmosphere, a warm little room filled with the smell of coffee. The service is good and fast, the drinks are tasty and customizable, and the parking even faster and easier. Overall I would rate it a wonderful 8/10, the only reason I don't give it a 10/10 is because of how small the actual store is, but compared to everything else it is still a place you should definitely visit.
Mugshots Espresso is wonderful when driving to work or school, and the atmosphere is nice, but a bit difficult to experience when driving in a car. The drinks are really good and can get to you pretty quickly, if you don’t experience hiccups with service. The location on the highway makes it very easy to get your drink while on your morning commute. Overall, I rate mugshots a 7/10, I rate it lower than grinders because of the occasional service declines that happen during the rush hours.
I love coffee and the entire aesthetic that is coffee shops, and these two are perfect candidates for the coffee shop hall of fame, and my money.
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