Stopped by a new cafe downtown and their espresso machine was filthy

I walked into Brew & Bark on 5th Street yesterday, excited to try their house blend. Took one look at the portafilter and saw old coffee crust stuck all around the basket. Then I noticed the steam wand had dried milk caked on it. Asked the barista when they last backflushed the machine and she gave me a blank stare. Am I being too picky or would you walk out too?

2 comments

2 Comments

sean_murray2mo ago

Ngl the blank stare is what kills me. Like you just asked if they do basic maintenance on their gear and they're looking at you like you're speaking another language. That's a hard pass for me.

nora102mo ago

Wait, did she ask if you wanted a side of old coffee grinds with that blank stare? Because that's the only way that cafe is serving up anything edible.