Katie Fitzgerald ’26 and Ava Fischer ’26 drive all around Williamsburg to find the true contender for the best iced vanilla latte for a broke college student.

I am, to possibly no one’s surprise, an enthusiast of “silly little drinks.” Most, if not all, of my dining dollars go to coffee, tea, or smoothies, and whether or not my bank account is impacted by this is up for debate. However, I am not alone in my love for silly little drinks — my close friend Ava, who transferred here last fall, is a barista at a local coffee shop back home called Grit, which has recently expanded to the Williamsburg area. With yet another coffee shop opening in Midtown this February, the two of us asked ourselves: which local place brews the best coffee? We all have our opinions on the Williamsburg classics, such as Aromas, Bake Shop, and Column 15, but upon ordering the same item from each place, how do they hold up compared to each other? 

We first established the drink: an iced vanilla latte with oat milk (because Ava and I have sensitive stomachs). It’s a classic item you can get from pretty much any coffee spot, but many places put their own spin on the item using different syrups and blends. Of course, there’s more to a place than just its drinks, so we considered atmosphere, location, and price as well; because, let’s be honest, sometimes we like to linger while we sip. 

With these criteria in mind, we put together our list: Aromas, Bake Shop, Column 15, and Spoke Art and Provisions. For the purposes of this piece, we decided to stay local because one can get Dunkin’ or Starbucks anywhere in the US. Yet, only in Williamsburg can you get a Bake Shop Breakfast or a Williamsburg White. However, there remained one exception: Illy Caffè. While it is a chain, it’s in so few locations that Ava and I felt comfortable reviewing it in this piece. So, on the morning of March 3, we embarked on our journey and drove onto John Tyler Highway.

SPOKE & ART PROVISIONS CO.

The Noah Kahan music we listened to on the way to Spoke started our day well because the building itself was adorably quaint and the barista working that morning was incredibly sweet. We were some of the only people there, but the quietness was a nice change of pace and a breath of fresh air compared to Williamsburg’s many bustling coffee shops. The local art adorning the walls and the array of products (including their own water!) added to the atmosphere. Spoke serves all coffee in a singular size, explaining the set price of $6 , and our latte was fantastic. The oat milk was creamy and, while the brew was strong, Ava noted that the beans themselves were roasted well. The included syrup was of the 1883 brand, which she noted is “pretty fancy.” Despite the distance, we think it’s a great location if you want to go on a coffee date or spend some time away from campus. “I feel like you could spend a couple hours here,” mentioned Ava. 

Ratings

Atmosphere: 5/5

Price:  3/5 
Taste:  4/5 

Location: 2/5

AROMAS

Our second stop for the day was Aromas and the one at which we got breakfast as well, splitting an omelet, coffee, and muffin. While the omelet and muffin were pretty good (with us getting a pretty good cheese pull from the omelet), the latte was underwhelming. At $6 for a small, the espresso beans themselves were incredibly burnt and the vanilla syrup felt nonexistent. Ava suggested that it could have been a result of proportions, but regardless, it was a bit too burnt for either of our tastes. Even amidst the rush hour and our inability to hear each other at a normal speaking volume, we both loved how close it was. For our upperclassmen who are familiar with “Swemromas” and the short-lived “Sadromas,” if nostalgia is creeping up on you, it might be worth visiting the original location for a nice brunch. However, we’d both suggest avoiding the lattes, especially in the small size.

Ratings
Atmosphere:  3/5
Price:  1/5

Taste: 2/5 (Food: 3.5/5)

Location: 5/5

COLUMN 15

Following the introduction of Column 15 to Swem Library, the two of us were curious to see how it differed from the on-campus location — and if it was any better. Upon first entering, the science theme really stood out, a stark difference from the other places we’d been to thus far. The space felt full, not to mention all the students studying there. We also ran into Emma Saunders ’24, a former Flat Hat Magazine staffer and “huge fan” of Column 15, who highly advises you to check it out, and we can’t help but agree. Column 15’s off-campus location offers plant-based milk alternatives at no extra price and packs a punch when it comes to teas and coffee. However, even with the fun ball shape, the ice really diluted our latte, making it taste more like coffee than the espresso we hoped for. With the cute atmosphere (albeit, an incredibly dark room), we would suggest you take a stop by, but try their iced chai instead.

Ratings

Atmosphere:  3/5

Price:  4/5
Location:  3/5
Taste:  2/5

ILLY CAFFÈ

Rounding out day one, Ava and I visited Illy Caffe in Merchant’s Square. The vibe and layout of the location were nice, situated mere minutes away from the Wren Building. The interior was well-spaced out, and we could actually hear each other when we talked. The latte was pricier than Column 15, but nowhere near Aromas’ $6 small. It came unstirred, but even upon mixing it up, it had a burnt texture that Ava immediately noticed. While it did have a creamy and smooth texture, the burnt aftertaste crept in after every sip, drastically impacting our opinions of the latte. The more of it we drank though, the more it mellowed out, so if you can get over the aftertaste, you might enjoy the lattes they serve here. But with its proximity to campus, it’s definitely a good spot to visit if you want a nice change of pace from the on-campus coffee. 

Ratings
Atmosphere: 4/5

Price: 3.5/5

Taste: 2.5/5

Location: 5/5

THE BAKE SHOP

Last but not least on our abbreviated trip exploring Williamsburg’s coffee offerings, we hit the ever-popular Bake Shop. Located minutes away from campus, this spot is a pretty popular place among students for spending dining dollars. Besides our latte, we both ordered other items, but in my opinion, the latte stood out the most. After getting our items, we noticed all the chairs outside were wet, leading to one of our biggest realizations: if you want to sit and have your little “Bake Shop breakfast” on a rainy day, you probably need to take it somewhere else. The latte itself, however, was pretty good, albeit an extra dollar for the vanilla syrup was a little surprising for both of us, especially considering it was slightly hard to taste. However, the beans weren’t burnt and were grounded well, blended well and had a nice milky, buttery flavor. While some may say Bake Shop is “falling off,” we strongly disagree; but maybe just use your dining dollars here rather than your savings. 

Ratings

Atmosphere:  2/5

Price:  2/5

Location: 5/5

Taste: 3.5/5

So, where does this leave us? After thorough consideration (and a bit of disappointment that we couldn’t hit a few more places), our favorite, so far, was definitely Spoke. Despite the trek we had to take to get there, the place was so quaint and lovely, and it had some really killer coffee. The employees were incredibly kind as well. It’s a great study spot and, for those of you with cars, might be a nice change of pace to visit. However, if you’re stuck on campus, Bake Shop might be your best bet for a nice iced latte. Ava mentioned to me how in most lattes, the majority of what you pay for is the beans; and if we’re spilling the beans, we felt like Spoke was the best taste and quantity for what you pay for. In dead last, controversially, is Aromas, however, we’d both like to note that our typical Aromas orders are other caffeinated drinks, and usually not their lattes. No tea (or shade) to them, they definitely have our respect. We hope this opens you up to the world of coffee in Williamsburg, and stay tuned for the next issue in which Katie and Ava try five different varieties of the Panera Charged Lemonade!