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Root Hill Cafe

There is a new coffee place on the corner of 4th Ave. and Carroll st. called Root Hill Cafe. There's no sign identifying it (yet) but there is a painting of a coffee cup in the window.

I highly recommend the place--
--the coffee--We tried the latte and a cup of coffee and they were both fantastic. The crema on the latte was very rich and both cups had a strong yet flavorful taste.
--the small menu--from what I remember, they offer a small choice of salads and sandwiches--we got a chicken salad sandwich and a salad; the sandwich was served on chewy, thick WW bread that went really well w/the chicken. The salad was carrot w/toasted pumpkin seeds on red lettuce. The salad was quite nice, w/the pumpkin seeds adding a contrasting flavor.
--the servers--Everyone working there the 2 days I went were very friendly and informative.
--the ambience--Its a comfortable place w/lots of tables and chairs and loungy type areas . There were several people plugged into their computers. I sat there for about an hour, reading. It is def. designed by an architect--there are lots of beautiful touches including the furniture, the wonderful bathroom w/penny tile on the ceiling and walls and concrete floor w/marbles imbedded in it.

So check it out. Before it gets too crowded!

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  1. How do you see the crema through the milk? Lattes don't have crema, espresso does.

    2 Replies
    1. re: culprit

      Yeah, you're right. But semantics aside, I still liked the place.

      1. re: culprit

        This is largely untrue in this city, particularly at coffeehouses worth going to.

        The trend is moving away from the Americanized latte of the 80s and 90s and towards a 'flat white' model (without foam) being practiced in Britain, parts of Europe and Australia / New Zealand.

      2. My child goes to school around the corner (The Children's School), and I am a big fan of their baked goods and Clover Coffee. I don't know if Clover is the Best Coffee in the World, but it's a darn good cuppa joe. It's a worthy alternative to overpriced espresso-based drinks at, say, a large coffee chain.

        I do know that they aren't making a whole lot of money. So, if you want to support local businesses, or try the legendary Clover Coffee, head on over to Carroll & 4th Avenue.

        1 Reply
        1. re: BklnChicken

          Their muffins are from Blue Sky bakery on 5th and they are really the best muffins--Grumpy sells them too.

        2. I've been a few times and was surprised at how not-nice the owner woman is.

          1. Seems like they're still figuring out the workflow, but the capuccino I had was very good— I'd say best in South Brooklyn. Also tried regular drip, which was strong and had a pleasant roundness, but nothing great. Haven't had the Clover there, as I tend to save that rare treat for when I'm in the vincinty of a Cafe Grumpy (and their superlative beans).

            4 Replies
            1. re: zbs

              I had a latte and a Clover there, both excellent, but I don't know if it's the best in South Brooklyn, mostly because I'm not sure what area South Brooklyn covers.

              1. re: Peter Cuce


                But I wouldn't hesitate to expand this estimation to include Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Ft Greene, Brooklyn Heights, and Clinton Hill. But certainly there is better to be had in the north—Gimme, El Beit and Grumpy to start.

                1. re: zbs

                  Have you tried Southside Coffee yet?

                  1. re: Peter Cuce

                    I haven't yet. Intelligentsia, though, right? Promising.

            2. Went here for the first time today. I got an Americano which was the best I've had in a very long time. My husband got the Clover coffee -- wonderful. It felt a little surreal to pay more than $3 for a non-espresso based cup of coffee. But then I thought of the hundreds (thousands?) of lousy cups of coffee I've spend money on in a lifetime and figured that the near guarantee of a good coffee experience might be worth $3.

              We found the service and the whole feel of the place friendly and happy. Excited to find it.