The Station

The Station is on Higuera Street at the edge of downtown SLO and has been open a couple of years, but only recently instated a coffee menu.  It is located in what was the oldest gas station in San Luis, hence the name The Station.  It is seriously cute inside, with exposed brick walls, high ceilings, and converted garage doors, letting in the lovely weather and views of San Luis Mountain.  Sheila had an Americano, served in a handmade ceramic cup and saucer, with an animal cookie on the side.  It was precisely made and hit the spot with a full robust flavor.  The cost was $3.00.  Joan had an iced latte which she described as very creamy and frothy, not too sweet, and completely satisfying.  It was $4.50.  They serve Dart Coffee, a family owned company out of Santa Barbara. The barista was very congenial and knowledgeable, taking great pride in making us the best cup of coffee possible.  By the way, we asked Siri about the Italian word "barista," and she said it can be either male or female.  The Station has lots of indoor seating around tables and at a bar. We recommend that you check out their website, because they have different events, food trucks, and wine offerings, and evenings of art, that sound really fun.

 Think About It: It's not where you go to coffee, it's who you go to coffee with.  

Bliss Cafe

Bliss Cafe in the Network Mall on Higuera Street in downtown SLO has been open since 2011, but they only recently adopted a full coffee menu.  They open at 9 on Sundays and we were there just as they started service.  There is plenty of seating, both indoors and out, where you can sit by the creek and enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery.  They have a full menu of plant based choices, which look both intriguing and delicious.  We stuck to our coffee this morning, however, but after seeing the other offerings, we both decided we'd like to come back sometime to dine.  Meanwhile, Joan had a cappuccino with homemade almond milk and caramel syrup.  It was $4.85.  She described it as having a robust coffee flavor, more milk than coffee, which is what she requested, with a definite taste of caramel.  It was just sweet enough, not overpowering, with a sweet froth.  Sheila had the usual black coffee, this time Americano, which was $2.50 for a 12 ounce cup.  Very nice, smooth, and satisfying!  We all know that Sheila is a true coffee lover, in the most basic sense, while Joan is what you might call a faux coffee lover.  She doesn't like too much coffee in her coffee.  All in all, we enjoyed our experience at Bliss Cafe very much and are definitely going to go back.  The young woman who served us couldn't have been nicer or more attentive, making for an even more positive experience.

Think About It: