The Copper Goat Coffee can be found in a cozy, tucked away corner on Main Street in Downtown Riverside next to a bakery and sandwich shop. The modern interior showcased a spacious front of the house with wood flooring, natural lighting and a blue theme. The swirled chandeliers and sparse furniture gave the area a put-together, modern look that fit the vibrant nature of the bustling downtown. Families could be seen grabbing a quick cup of coffee, chatting with friends or even enjoying a game of chess. With such a modern and bright space, expectations were high and our stomachs were ready for what the Copper Goat Coffee had to offer.
Caffe Mocha
Price: $5.95
Rating: 2/5
The bitterness of the coffee was initially what stood out to me. Normally, in a mocha, the chocolate syrup overwhelms the taste of the coffee, but the chocolate was nowhere to be found. The coffee was strong yet somehow watery, giving the impression that the coffee that had been used to make it had been sitting out for a couple of hours. While still hitting some of the key criteria of a mocha, namely a strong coffee flavor, this drink definitely missed the mark when it came to making what one would consider to be even a decent version of the coffee and chocolate concoction.
Honey Lavender Latte
Price: $6.25
Rating: 2/5
The milky, diluted Honey Lavender Latte immediately revealed its inclination towards the honey aspect of its flavor profile. The lavender was almost nonexistent, though the coffee was once again a distinct aspect of the drink. Even though the coffee itself was of high quality, the rest of the drink fell apart at the seams.
Coconut Ciambella
Price: $3.75
Rating: 3/5
The donut-like Italian cake had a tough yet bread-like springy texture that made for an interesting eating experience. The lightly sweetened cream filling was a welcome surprise to the texture of the dessert and the freshness of the cake was discernible. I do wish that the coconut flavor was stronger as you could only catch the nuttiness of a traditional coconut dessert almost as an aftertaste.
Lemon Tart
Price: $4.50
Rating: 4/5
The doughy melt-in-your-mouth texture of the lemon curd combined with the soft cakey texture of the crust made this an excellent lemon tart. The curd had the perfect amount of sweetness to balance the acidity of the lemon and the texture of the crust provided a solid base for the whole dessert. The only reason it lost a point was because it was not particularly unique, but nonetheless hit all necessary criteria for it to be considered a solid dessert.
All in all, the Copper Goat Coffee suffices as a quick coffee and sugar fix but not much more. While the pleasant ambiance does lend a friendly, bright space to chat with a friend or get some homework done, I can’t say I recommend the drinks that we tried. Good, inexpensive coffee is hard to find these days and while I can say that the Copper Goat Coffee doesn’t break the bank, it might not be worth the money in the first place.
