Picture this: you’re out and about on a beautiful, sunny, crowded Saturday in downtown Davis. Walking through the bustling crowds, produce stands, and artisan booths typical of the weekly farmer’s market, you suddenly get the urge- for coffee. You think you can ignore it; after all, must we drop an extra $5 on a latte every week? Let’s be honest, the consequences of needless expenditures are piling up, and you could survive without the comfort of a sweet latte.
But the sun keeps beating down on you (did you apply enough sunscreen? Oh, well that’s tomorrow’s problem.) Your feet hurt, your mouth is dry- you can taste the sweet mixture of milk and espresso already.
It is decided. You make a beeline to one of the closest coffee places, and find yourself soon standing outside of the one, the only Cloud Forest Cafe. A small cozy cafe plopped near the corner of D street and 3rd, Cloud Forest Cafe is certainly one of the most aesthetically pleasing caffeine dealers in Davis; The outside area is inviting, with beautiful string lights, a few booths and tables, and an adorable sun shade with a logo and drawing of coffee beans and a mug. It almost gives the vibes of a small Irish bed and breakfast- don’t ask me to elaborate.
But Cass, how good is it really?
Alright, alright, let’s get into the good stuff:
Location: 4.6/5
Near Central Park, the hub of downtown, with bi-weekly farmers markets and occasional vintage fairs. Close to campus as well!
Aesthetic/vibe: 8/10
The outside area is adorable, with the lights and limited, but great seating options. The inside area is tiny, with no spaces to sit or really wait for your coffee (a product of COVID cautiousness as far as I’m aware); they remedy this by giving you a buzzer after you order, alerting you when your drink is ready. Though small, the inside is incredibly well decorated, with cute signs that could make for photo ops if that’s your thing.
Coffee options: 6.8/10
This is essential, and far-too-often overlooked by coffee connoisseurs established and amateur. For the amount of times you will find me in a coffee shop, know that I can’t be stuck in a cycle of vanilla, caramel, and hazelnut. I’ll need pumpkin in October, peppermint in December, maybe some gingersnap and lavender here and there… the list goes on.
Cloud Forest Cafe was unfortunately not impressive in this regard. The only real caffeinated specialties were specialty mochas (Nutella, black and white magic, caramel, and Zebra- wait what?) If you aren’t just a coffee freak, maybe try some of their specialty teas and lemonades?
Actual coffee: 13/20
My order today: medium iced caramel latte
Pros: Hit all the marks for everything a latte should be
Cons: not cold enough for an iced!! it was just okay; did not blow me away by any means, but was satisfactory enough.
Prices: 6.8/10
Medium iced caramel latte: $5.85
This would be a fair price, but the cups were small! Less value :(
Cups: 2.9/5
pros: cups had a sticker with logo, paper straws were an option
cons: too small :( too small :( too small :(
FINAL SCORE: 42.1/60 = 70.2%
I’m aware my opinion on this shop is actually rather unpopular; good reviews abound for Cloud Forest Cafe on almost every review site.
But hey, it’s all subjective.