Atmosphere:

As I slowly work my way through my 30’s, I toe the line of being a boring suburban fat dad and an edgy successful millennial. I’m probably more of the former than the latter these days. Little Owl provides an easy association with the artistic class as opposed to my droopy eyed co-workers which I constantly worry that I’m slowly becoming myself. All those sorts people deserve the company-provided single cup servings of Alterra. This guy I sit next to in the office verbally praises the taste, and that stuff is complete dog shit, so I now question his judgement in just about every business decision he makes. When I need to venture out and get a decent cup of coffee I go here.

Anyways, it’s a pretty good scene for downtown. Look at that picture above, there is a guy reading a book and the other bro further away is wearing Kelly green pants! How progressive. Inside decor is a high end marble, as far as I can tell. It’s the marble with the black inlay, which seems expensive? There are only a few places to sit inside which has a very attractive raw cottonwood table and various bar seating available. Standard clientele is normal corporate persons and a few edgier people who clearly dressed up to sit at a kind of fancy coffee shop and watch everyone else. I appreciate their effort. I saw an early 20 something, hell she could have been late teens, writing poems in a notebook last week.  Her poems were crap by the way, stuff about the moonlight. Garbage.

Service:

Never have to wait more than 4-5 minutes and that is when the line is 6-7 people deep, which is rare. Probably due to the small space and the standard downtown population propensity for Starbucks or Monster Energy drinks, Little Owl never seems overwhelmingly busy. The staff is very efficient and I’ve never had a reason to question their hustle. Pictured above is one of the three guys that are always working (you can also see the fancy maybe expensive marble). I think they may recognize me now, but we absolutely don’t know each others names. It’s better this way and it adds to the overall hipster vibe of the place. That dude pictured above has a nose ring and one of the other guys has hand tattoos. I’ve got a beard, that’s my only fashion-forward accessory.  Actually, the only non-business transaction I’ve ever had with my coffee server bros was when one of them found out that I was level 15 in Pokemon Go. He was very impressed and asked me for hints to the game. So that was something.

When I first started going to this shop I developed a suspicion that the adorable little place was a chain of some sort or a front for the next Landry’s INC concept. That would have ruined everything. A little search across the world wide web led me to discover that Little Owl is owned by a person. Her name is Seanna Forey and she went to Arizona State. I found out some additional information off linkedin, I tried to connect with her with an introduction of “hey, I dig your coffee.” She hasn’t yet accepted my connection.

Stuff you put in your mouth:

Ranges from above average to excellent. I’m usually getting a cortado, which is 1/4 the steamed milk of a latte and same amount of espresso, so I really get a taste of the beans.  They outsource their beans from some roaster in town. Didn’t bother to investigate who that was. I’m always getting the drinks to go but once in a while I’ll stay in the shop and they pour my fancy little coffee in a cut glass cup, that’s nice.

The cold brew is excellent and really the best summer caffeine drink you can get anywhere. They actually do take the time to let the beans steep and the result is a cold coffee without the bitterness you’d get from putting a pot you brewed in the fridge

Conclusion:

It’s a great little place and I’ll surely be back since my other options are Starbucks or Ink. However, they don’t have pumpkin spiced lattes, actually they might for all I know. I’ve never had the courage to try and order one. I’m pretty sure if  I tried my coffee bros would think less of me.

I rate this place 5 iced mocha 1/2 fat non-sugar vanilla bravos whipped frapuccinnos without cinnamon out of 6.