Compass Coffee

Compass was my first planned coffee stop for the day.  The location I visited was just a few bus stops from the Dolcezza.  It is a single-story brick building packed to the gills with coffee products, seating, and what appears to be the compass coffee roasting operation.

I ordered a small drip coffee, which was made with their cardinal blend, and a saag-paneer filled pastry, similar to a bao.  The pastry dough was sweet, and the sag-paneer was spicy and bizarre, but in the best way.  The coffee was smoky and sweet, a little acidic but not very fruity.  The coffee was served in a paper cup.

Roasting operation

I sat at a bar in front of their coffee roasters.  Like slipstream, light was provided mainly by numerous skylights and windows rather than with artificial lighting.  This, combined with the brick, gives the place a warm glow.  The place was pretty packed, with a long line when I arrived.  But there was plenty of space inside, and I think pretty much anyone who wanted a seat got one.

Sitting area

As you can see in the photo, they have pretty much every kind of cafe chair, ranging from various heights of 4-legged metal stools, to orange and white metal chairs.  The wood was mostly light colored pine and veneer, which was complemented by the white paint and tile.  The somewhat high ceiling and skylights give it an airy, clean, and open feeling.  this feeling conflicts somewhat with the general cramped mess and busyness of the floorplan.