Monarch Espresso
714 22nd Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL
Crema's Take
“Monarch Espresso Bar is an espresso-focused spot where lattes taste genuinely balanced thanks to house-made syrups that add character without cloying sweetness, and their seasonal creations like king cake lattes with ube show real creativity beyond standard coffee shop fare. The place buzzes with the energy of students and locals who've claimed it as their study headquarters, backed up by a genuinely efficient team and consistently excellent shots that make every drink land well. It's the kind of neighborhood coffee shop where you can tell the team cares about what goes in your cup, whether that's a perfectly pulled cappuccino or a carefully whisked matcha.”
What to expect
Google Reviews
Excellent espresso. Lattes aren't coyingly sweet. The specialty coffees and matchas have house made syrups. They do not have cold foam, but we honestly didn't miss it. We were just passing through on our way to Nashville and found this gem! The baristas were so patient, helpful and kind. There was plenty of seating. The area the shop is in was nice ans quaint. There was parking right outside the front door and nearby. All around great experience!
This is clearly a popular spot and for good reason! Their coffee is superb! My cappuccino was delicious and my friend’s king cake latte with ube was fantastic too. It’s a great spot to study!
Very lively place. A spot college kids come in for homework. Place is very efficient when serving. Loved the seasonal drink options. Had a king cake latte, was pretty good. Only thing that was surprising was the price for the size. The 0.5 camera makes the drink looks bigger than it is. The drink made for a nice aesthetic. Found seating the long table on the inside.
Monarch was a comfortable little coffee shop. The staff was friendly and speedy. I had the darkest chocolate mocha. It was quite tasty. My wife had the salted caramel latte which she said was yummy. I also had a paleo bar which was surprising because I thought it was gingerbread. Regardless, it was very good. My wife had a ham and cheese scone which she said was very good. I’m not a fan of concrete floor, brick wall rehabbed old building type of interior so I gave atmosphere 3 stars. It was clean with plenty of seating and there was plenty of free parking.
I stopped in on a Saturday while I was in town visiting. It was very busy with students studying. I thought my Matcha was good, but I waited quite a bit for it to be made. I don't remember ever coming here as a student, but this was a nice stop before wandering around town.
Crema Reviews
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