Cold and bored over Thanksgiving break, my friends and I desperately needed something to do. I heard about all the great coffee shops in town, and as a coffee lover, I decided to take my friends out to get some of my favorite drink.

I do not really go out for coffee that much. I usually drink black coffee from my Keurig and use white chocolate creamer.  However, I wanted to try something new during the break.

To make this review fair and to satisfy my sweet tooth, I ordered a small black coffee from each shop, into each of which I added four packets of sugar and half and half creamer. I also made sure to find a slightly crowded shop with friendly service where I could easily sit and talk to my friends while smelling the rich aromas and enjoying the coffee.

My first coffee stop was at Lexington Coffee Roasters, which is near Hulls Drive In. There are many things about that place that I will never understand. Only one person was in front of me in the line, and somehow, the service was still painfully slow. I was hoping that maybe the coffee would be amazing if it took so long to prepare, but boy, was I wrong. The coffee was $2.17 of bland scent and watery taste, despite all the sugar I added. Maybe I should have added more sugar; however, I did not want to risk a cavity. Overall, I do not think I will be getting my roast from the Roasters anytime soon.

I walked downtown into Pronto the next day, hoping that I would get some better brew. The service was fast and friendly, but the crowd was huge. I understand that Pronto cannot control how busy they are, but as someone who is not great in social situations, the large crowd made it hard for me to hear myself think or talk to my friends.The coffee itself was decently priced at $2.08 and it smelled like heaven.  As good as the brew smelled, I probably should have added less sugar because my cup tasted cloyingly sweet. Pronto was not the worst coffee shop I visited, but it was not the best, either.

I had low expectations by the time I reached Lexington Coffee Shop downtown near Washington and Lee University, but my expectations were delightfully shattered. Lexington Coffee Shop’s coffee was the most expensive, at $2.46, but luckily, the price was worth it. The shop was crowded but thanks to all of the available space, I could actually talk to my friends. The coffee had a rich smell and the perfect blend of the half sweet and half bitter taste. Lexington Coffee Shop was the light at the end of my dark coffee tunnel.