Sometimes parking in these college towns can be a bit of a headache, but I was pleasantly surprised that this was not an issue. There is plenty of free parking in the back.
Walking in, it was so spacious! The feel was modern and industrial, with a red brick wall on one side and exposed metal bars and ducts on the ceiling. It was basically a large loft.
However, I did not get the cozy, fuzzy feeling like I had so hoped I would. Despite this, it is the perfect spot for a college student with plenty of places to work, charge devices and collaborate.
The coolest thing is the coffee “grid” that was hung up behind the bar, which lists every coffee and its notes based on different available brewing methods.
The case in front held tempting pastries and food items from various local businesses. They almost sucked me in, but I resisted.
I’m not a coffee connoisseur, so I asked the barista what she recommended, and she pointed me in the direction of their seasonal drinks. I ended up choosing the Strawberry Cheesecake Latte ($6) because, well, I love strawberries and I love cheesecake, and it just sounded delicious with white chocolate, strawberry purée and hazelnut. She let me know that I could get it dairy free if I wanted to, but Pfft, give me the good stuff.
My drink was picture worthy.
A milky tan with a mountain of whipped cream on top with a swirl of strawberry syrup to round it off. I took a sip and, as I expected, it was just like any other latte I had. I was tasting more sugar and milk than actual coffee. There was nothing that made it distinct. If You handed me this drink and didn’t tell me where it was from, I wouldn’t be able to tell you where from trying it. It might as well have been Starbucks. I’m not mad about this, like I said, it’s what I expected.
There were a few things that I did appreciate about this place. I really liked the plenty of seating available. You could sit at the bar and watch the baristas at work, or you could sit at the many tables or the few comfy couches that were strewn about. I also liked that they had a little free library where you could take a book if you leave a book. Not to mention the many games they had available that you could freely play with a group of friends. They also support local artists and have their work displayed on the walls. You are able to purchase them if you are interested.
Overall, BREW is a worthy coffee spot, especially for the college crowd. It is great that the students have a nice, relaxing place to go study or hang out with friends.
Personally, I prefer a smaller and more intimate coffee setting, but this place is perfect for who they are gearing towards. I would not mind coming back but like I said in the beginning of this post, there’s no shortage of coffee havens in Toledo, so there are a good deal of new coffee spots to discover! I hope you come along with me!
