Café culture has a wide variety around the world from themed cafés to the typical corner coffee shop that focus on quality. Each variety offers a different environment to meet the different wants of different types of patrons. Themed cafés are perfect for the fan or to support a cause. The typical Corner coffee shops are perfect for the average joe looking for a mug of something local and a place to spend time with friends at. As your average caffeine addicted American, I love discovering local coffee shops along with the standard branded Starbucks, which is hard to avoid since it is a block away from my place. Though when I crave for the quality and care of a local place, I tend to seek out Onyx Coffee Lab.

Now do not let the demure and homey look of their Fayetteville, AR location or the super contemporary look of their Bentonville, AR location be the criteria of your judgement of their coffee. Slide up to the counter and watch as each barista move at impressive speed to complete each whimsical concoction. Along with the variety of standard coffee beans, Onyx offers a few wonderfully unique combinations. I love trying the variety of flavors that match my mood. For example, I love the smores expresso shot that is truly unique. The expresso shot that is milky and sweet brings me back to my first time drinking expresso every day during break while studying in Spain with my classmates and teachers. I am also a huge chai lover and they make a wonderful spiced chai, where you can actually taste the spices and not just the milk base. Their pastries are delicate and beautiful. Well worth grabbing one to accompany your drink.

The dark woods that line the tables and chairs of the Fayetteville shop makes me crave for either comfy chairs or splash of bright colors to go with my coffee.  However, I do appreciate the quiet nature with the barista almost softly announcing the names for the orders. Unlike Starbucks, where you can hear the barista trying to announce the names of customers over the jostling patrons, coffee machinery, and music. In Onyx, meeting with friends can be held at a reasonable volume. But you may need to table share with other patrons in the Fayetteville locations due to the much smaller size. If you want a guarantee for a table and quiet environment then I would take the longer drive to the Bentonville location. Also, the Fayetteville location is dog friendly so Fido can sit at the tables outside with you. Just don’t bring him inside the shop.

With winter quickly approaching and looking to settle in for the long haul make a trip out to Onyx Coffee Lab to wrap yourself in your hot caffeinated needs or whatever your local corner coffee shop is. If you ever do visit Onyx Coffee Lab, let me know what your favorite drink is. If you can’t make it, then where is your favorite coffee spot? Who knows you may even catch me there the next time I am in search for a new coffee joint.