“This place used to be a real flop house.”

“Dad, I don’t know what that means.”

“The type of hotels young guys stay at. You fill a mayonnaise jar halfway with water to catch the cockroaches, and you leave your milk outside the windowsill to keep it cool.”

“Ew, what.”

“Well, you could probably also put some cheese out too. Sliced cheese.”

In Buffalo, I’ve learned it’s best to bring my father along to coffee shops. His opinions are by far the strangest, though often valid. And they come unsolicited.

            Though the Hotel Lafayette is now a nice establishment (4 stars on Trip Advisor), locals (read: my father) may remember it in its not quite glory days. Nowadays, the main foyer of the hotel is also home to Pubic Espresso + Coffee—perhaps Buffalo’s most popular roaster. Public’s coffee is served in several of Buffalo’s cafés including several of the cafés I’ve reviewed.

            Its social media presence and website make the coffee shop appear far larger and more independent than it is. I’d created a preconceived notion of a hip little coffee room off the side of the hotel. When I arrived, I found the set up unexpected, confusing, and rather disappointing. Stepping into the dark, dingy lobby, voices bounced off the open space and furniture was awkwardly placed about the area for guests. There is no natural lighting; the dark room is lit by muted, yellow lights. Aluminum stools and chairs add to the art deco vibe, yet they feel disconcertingly light when sat upon. I was scared I would topple backwards, though I admittedly have strange fears. Meanwhile, the bar has a beautiful marble top with wood trimmings and an espresso machine that’s sleek and unobtrusive.

            Rather than being a cool “throwback” type setting, as though I were in an episode of “Poirot,” I instead felt like a dirty Jack Nicholson, ordering my drink at the hotel bar in “The Shining.”

            Though I doubt I would ever choose to sit and work in this area, the spot still has enough seating for it to be worthwhile for meeting up with a friend or colleague. Furthermore, their pastries are phenomenal, delivered from Butter Block pastry. The homemade pop tarts are delightful, and that’s coming from a toaster strudel kind of girl.                 

            These guys take their coffee seriously. I’ve never seen a barista weigh their espresso as meticulously, whisk their matcha with as much solemnity, or describe their beans with more gravitas. Coffee is their business, and their business is coffee. They do NOT mix business and pleasure. Their menu reflects this, with multiple pour over options, a long list of teas, and some of the best matcha I’ve ever tasted. Ordering a pour over of their Sidama coffee (whenever I’m flustered and don’t have time to think about my order I choose an Ethiopian bean), I was very pleased with how smooth and delicious it was.

            They also offer coffee classes with their head roaster, which I find so endearing. He has been working each time I’ve visited, and looks like a hot dad, the one you’d be worried to be married to because he is chill and attractive, a silver fox wearing his baseball cap with a boyish coolness.

            Would I sit and work here? Very unlikely, unless I’m in a self-pitying funk where I let myself slip into a depression and opt for sad, dark spaces to sit alone. Would I stop in here just for coffee? Most definitely.

Stats

Price of a 12oz coffee: $3

Adult beverages: No.

Vibe: Dark and art deco in a not great way.

Music: Soft, smooth background music.

Work/Study Spot?: No.

Wifi: Yes.

Food: Butter block pastries.

Coffee Sourcing: They roast their own beans. 

Milk Options: Soy or cashew.

Website

Hours: Mon-Fri (7:30AM-4PM)

             Sat-Sun (8AM-4PM)

Location:

The Hotel Lafayette

391 Washington St.

Buffalo, NY 14203

** Second location in Larkin Square with a food truck.