Shaun R.
Yelp
I don't venture into Linden very often, but after hearing about this new coffee shop, I'd been eager to check it out for a few weeks. A sunny Saturday morning was the perfect opportunity to do so, and so my girlfriend and I checked it out a little before 10:00. First of all, it's a lovely little space. I do agree with some other reviewers that it might be a bit *too* little, as there are only seven or eight tables, but the decor is admittedly delightful. The menu options are somewhat limited, though the "Sweet Latte" on the board can actually be caramel, mocha, vanilla or other flavors. There is also a small assortment of baked goods, sourced locally. We both opted to have sweet lattes -- each caramel -- and we split a cinnamon roll. The drinks came out fairly quickly, though one at a time...which is not a big deal. It *is* a little unfortunate that there were only two people working, however, as the place started to get very busy by around 10:15 -- six or seven people in line, and all tables full. This is ultimately a very good thing, of course, as it means that word is getting out about the coffee shop.
The lattes themselves were good, and one of the benefits of a shop roasting their own beans is that the espresso has an immediacy to it that pre-packaged beans usually lack. This coffee is strong, with a bit of an edge -- similar to Luck Bros., to my palate. The cinnamon roll was also quite yummy...very sweet, but it was glazed rather than iced or coated with cream cheese (which we didn't mind). We ultimately decided that the overall Florin experience was good -- nice atmosphere, kind staff, good coffee drinks, good pastry -- though it might not be a place that we would go out of our way to return to. It would be a place to come back to when we're in the area though, so take that as you will. More than anything, we're just happy to see that Linden has a lovely new coffee shop to serve a clientele that doesn't otherwise seem to have a spot like this. Hopefully it becomes something of a neighborhood nexus and contributes to community building.