Giant Coffee

I think I just found a new favorite coffee shop in town!

Giant Coffee feels less like a busy cafe and more like a peaceful retreat that serves exceptional espresso. The pace inside slows down the second you walk in as the soft ambient music plays in the background. The layout stays uncluttered and visually calm clearly built on purpose rather than left to chance. Everything about the room breathes slowly and that slowness is contagious somehow.

The location only adds to it. Giant sits within walking distance of the Burton Barr Library. The Roosevelt Row art district is only five blocks away. Murals and art surround the whole area so the serenity inside the shop spills right out into the neighborhood around it. Getting here is easy too. You can find a mix of free and paid street parking out front plus a free dedicated gated lot behind the building with direct backdoor access.

The brand here is freshness. Beans are roasted in house every week in small batches and you can order them as drip, pour over on the V60 slow bar made to order or straight espresso.

Most people know Colombian coffee since it is everywhere but Nicaraguan coffee offers a distinct twist. Nicaraguan beans carry more body and mouthfeel with a chocolate forward profile and lower acidity than a standard Colombian cup. Giant pulls espresso from the Buddy Blend (a medium roast built mostly from Nicaraguan beans) and the drink proved the point. You get a velvety texture along with milk chocolate and cocoa up front. The whole milk in the cappuccino or latte format pushes those natural notes even further

Quick tip before you order. Hot espresso drinks come in two sizes, small and medium, and both get the same double shot. Go small unless you really want your latte riding heavy on milk. The small is the calibrated cup here.

The signature drink is the Honey Vanilla Latte and from what I gather it has built itself a small passionate fan club around town. I have not tried it myself yet so consider this your invitation to order it before I do and tell me how it goes.

The syrups here are split two ways. Lavender and brown sugar are made in house by Giant Coffee. The rest come from Holy Kakow, a brand that leans on real food extracts instead of artificial flavoring and with organic ingredients running through the lineup. Matcha gets the same care, first harvest Japanese ceremonial grade whisked with bamboo.

Food rounds it out nicely. Desserts come from an acclaimed local bakery and there are breakfast burritos and cage free hard boiled eggs if you need something more than a pastry to get your morning going.

Giant Coffee earns its calm reputation honestly. Slow down, breathe a little and let the Nicaraguan surprise you the way it surprised me.