This week brought me, once again, to the great city of Ann Arbor. Lab Cafe is almost within sight of Comet Coffee so a coffee crawl would be a breeze. Much like Comet, it was incredibly difficult to find. The only sign that it exists is a small window cling on the door displaying the name. It is attached to a Korean BBQ/ noodle bar, which gives it a major leg up.
Lab Cafe is very dainty: you wouldn’t really expect it to be from of the name. A plethora of pale pinks, florals, and a myriad of mismatched chairs fit for a princess filled the space. The interior is a young girl’s fantasy, yet a Red Hat’s reality. The baristas are the kind for man buns and cat sweaters: just heinous enough to be considered cool in our society’s standards. There were students hard at work, business partners discussing business matters, couples on dates, and those in a Korean BBQ food coma filling the entire room. It seemed as though Lab was defying the conceptions of both their interior decorations and the type of people that pay them a visit. A very welcoming and inclusive environment overall.
What do you think I ordered? If you guessed a mocha, then “ding, ding, ding!” You’re the winner! (I should really branch out, right?) I will tell you this up front: I don’t really remember what it tasted like. All I remember is bringing it from the counter in its mismatched cup and saucer to my plush bench, taking one sip, and looking down to realize that it was completely gone! Now, I’m not saying this because it was small, but because it was so incredibly delicious. I do recall it reminding me of Nesquick chocolate milk, which I used to drink as a kid. I was in and out of the place so quickly, it was hard to understand how the other people inside were still drinking, even though they were there far before I was.
Lab Cafe proved to me that Ann Arbor does not play around with their coffee. Along with Comet, Lab is a must-visit for any caffeine lover!
Want to check out Lab Cafe for yourself? Visit them to get your coffee fix!
505 E Liberty St # 300, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 | (734) 827-2233 | www.labcafe.tumblr.com
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