Kahwa Coffee

So my parents have been, accidentally/weirdly/tragically/DRAMATICALLY (it’s a long and ongoing story…which, speaking for myself, has been EXHAUSTING!) renting an apartment on the same block as Kawha Coffee in downtown Sarasota (apparently there are more Kawha locations, but I’m not from here and this review ONLY pertains to the Kawha on 2d Street in Sarasota). Full Disclosure: My parents are strong Starbucks patrons. There is not a single beverage that I want from a Starbucks anywhere. So there’s that. My Go To coffee beverage is a hot Mocha Latte. I want my coffee strong, with enough espresso and with some chocolate for flavor. But I do NOT want it sweet and a Mocha shouldn’t be sweet, if it’s made correctly. Not only is a Mocha DELICIOUS, it is the perfect “test beverage” for a coffee shop. Most places fail at making a good Mocha Latte. Long story short: I’m planning to get a Cafe Mocha at Kawha once we’re done buying all the scented tchotchkes Pecky Interiors has in stock. Mom and I walk over. Dad is at a table outside on the sidewalk drinking his beverage. Mom: “Do they have a tonic water? A 7-UP? A Sprite??” Dad: “No. This is a coffee shop!” Me: “I’ll get you a drink!” I go inside. It was late afternoon, close to 5pm. Which might explain why the chairs were all up on the tables. So I was unsure whether they were open. They were. Also, it’s pretty dark inside. Which isn’t for me, but might very well be for you if you live in a “tropical” type state. I’m looking at the cold beverage menu trying to pick something that Mom might like. She only ever drinks decaf anything. So that kind of narrows the choices… I see the “Flybiscus Tea.” Sounds perfect! I order a small. (The choices are 16oz or 20oz). And I grab a bottle of Perrier as a back up. My barrista is a young guy, we’re chatting. (I failed to get his name.) But he’s been here since 7am (sounds about right for The Industry…I’ve spent MANY years in it) and while he’s pretty SUPER perky, he’s also clearly kinda fried. LOL I order a Mocha. He tells me they’re out of chocolate. All they have is white chocolate. Let’s all get on the same page about the fact that white chocolate is NOT chocolate. I order a matcha latte, 16 oz and ask for an extra shot of espresso. My barrista tells me there isn't actually any espresso in a matcha latte. Who knew?? That seems wrong! I add TWO shots of espresso. He starts with the cold drink, The Flybiscus and says to me, “I”m upgrading you to 20oz because I can’t use half a Red Bull this late in the day.” I look up from my phone. He’s like crushing a can of Red Bull to get every last drop into the Flybiscus Tea. Me: “Uhhhhh, what goes into a Flybiscus Tea??” APPARENTLY it’s Hibiscus Tea and a WHOLE LOT of Red Bull. I realize I have made an error. Now, friends. My mother is an older Lady (I cannot reveal her actual age here, but I don’t want to die). I consider just lying to her about what’s in a Flybiscus Tea. But again. I don’t want my mother to kill me. Mom has mellowed a bit the past few years. But the word I think best describes her personality is RELENTLESS. (That’s where I get it from.) She does NOT need a Red Bull. I casually glance back at the menu board. As if I was always going to order 3 drinks. I ask what’s in a Pink Fizz. As I said, my Barrista is kinda fried, he knows there’s Coconut Milk in it. No coffee. I order that. (It’s actually Raspberry syrup, Coconut Milk, Club Soda, Berry “inclusions”). Mom really liked it. Turns out I LOVE a Matcha Latte with 2 shots of espresso! So much so that we went back the next day and I got another for the walk over to our next shopping destination (Sarasota has All The Things in easy walking distance right downtown! Too bad it’s in a fascist state…). EXCELLENT beverages! EXCELLENT service! Dad poured out that Flybiscus Tea on the shrubs out front. So probably they don’t have any living shrubs out front now. Only fail is I didn’t get a pic of Mom holding the Flybiscus Tea!!

Kahwa is probably my favorite coffee place I have visited in Sarasota! It’s a bit hidden because it’s not in the heart of Sarasota but it’s as cute as a button! With a cute industrial/ modern vibe it also has top notch coffee. They also have the best hours of operation besides chain coffee restaurants which I really appreciate. My go to order is a simple iced latte with oat milk and that first sip is what defines a great coffee! I can’t wait to visit here again soon!

Our usual tea and coffee walk about landed us at this spot 👍 We were ecstatic to find a place downtown that opens at 7 am on a Sunday morning. They have an assortment of daily baked scones, a choice of sweet and savory. I had the sweet which was just pure deliciousness. The staff was incredibly nice. The pandemic had left many stressors on the hospitality industry but I am glad to see their service reflects the company's goal, "Create an environment with personalized customer service and a community meeting place where all walks of life can come to socialize" Well done Kahwa👏 ✔️