Haute Coffee

Published July 10, 2022

Vacation Adventures

I love to explore the northeast, but I usually think of taking vacations up north in the dead of winter. This year, my boyfriend and I decided to plan a summer trip to enjoy the north while the weather was still warm and sunny.

Our original goal was to vacation in Concord, Massachusetts, but all the accommodations were booked by the time we began our research. We flipped our plans and decided to visit Concord for the day, and spend the rest of our vacation in Boston, MA.

Visiting Concord, Massachusetts

Tuesday morning as the sun brightened the highway, we started the car ride from New Jersey to Concord. We stopped once for Dunkin Donuts and gas, before driving straight through to Concord. Neither of us had been to Concord before. I was drawn to the area for its literary history and I was excited to explore the town’s historical sites.

We arrived in Concord around 9am, traveling through tree-lined residential neighborhoods. We parallel parked on Main Street where it intersects Sudbury Road and walked up past the shops to go to Haute Coffee.

 

Haute Coffee | Interior Design

Through Main Street and right onto Walden Street is an alleyway that leads back to Haute Coffee. (Note, it’s pronounced “Oat” coffee, not “Hawt” coffee. We learned this in real life while speaking with the locals).

Haute Coffee could easily be missed, as it looks like a residential home. It is a light pink building with two black doors and a bay window, decorated with a coffee cup. Black lights arched across the entryway of the building.

A counter greeted us when we stepped into the building. Four customers leaned against the front bay window. Several young workers moved around behind the counter.

Various pastries displayed behind a glass pane caught my attention. To the right, a long hallway led to the restrooms. An archway past the customers led to a dining room. We were unsure if we entered through the wrong door of the building and if this counter was for to-go orders only. We knew we wanted to sit down and take our time eating to recharge from the drive.

We crossed the room and peeked into the dining room. The room was filled with two-top tables of various people working on laptops. Some had coffee cups nearby, but most sat in silence and worked. It didn’t appear that there was a waitress or someone serving tables.

We went back in front of the counter and asked where we should order if we wanted to sit down and eat. One young man behind the counter pointed to the chalkboard menu written on the wall. An arrow directed us to a single menu in the basket to read their food offerings.

The menu was a single-sided laminated page, so it didn’t take long for us to choose breakfast. We placed our order at the counter and paid. The dining room was too quiet to eat and talk, so we went outside to the small sitting area in front of the building.

A cream metal table for two sat in front of the bay window. We claimed this table alongside an identical table, where a middle-aged couple drank iced coffee and sat with their manicured golden retriever. Behind them, an elderly couple sat at the circular picnic table under the shade of an umbrella.

Our coffees were made quickly, so we sipped them outside while we waited for our food. A pretty chalkboard sign leaned against the building and displayed their hours. I was happy to read that their syrups were homemade too!

I googled what “Counter Culture Coffee” meant on their sign. I learned that this is a coffee roasting company founded in Durham, North Carolina that, “[Has] a relentless pursuit of coffee perfection through a dedication to real environmental, social, and fiscal sustainability and a commitment to creating cutting-edge coffee people.” It was interesting to learn more about the source and mission of the coffee we were drinking.

Breakfast at Haute Coffee in Concord, MA

Haute Latte | $5.35

We both ordered the Haute latte — as it had cinnamon and honey flavors.

My latte was on the left; you can see I have much more cinnamon than my boyfriend’s drink. He was able to taste more of the honey flavor than I was. The cinnamon on my latte was tasty (in quality), though I would’ve wanted less in my drink overall.

I was glad that our latte’s came in big mugs, which made them worth the price. If I went back, I may try this latte iced so I could enjoy more of the honey flavor. Haute Coffee also offers a Maple Spice Latte which looks great.

Mega Eggy | $9.95

This was our first meal of the day, so we both ordered the mega eggy breakfast sandwich.

I was impressed with this sandwich. It arrived on a giant brioche roll (my favorite), which was squishy and soft. Two egg cups sat on crispy bacon and a spread of pesto. The eggs were cooked to a hard-boiled texture. Two big slices of fresh tomato and half an avocado topped the sandwich.

I loved the textures and portions. It was more than enough for breakfast. This sandwich had all of my favorite flavors — pesto, bacon, and the freshness from the avocado and tomato. This was definitely worth the price and I would order it again.

My Recommendations

I would give our visit Haute Coffee a 6/10 for the following:

• Decor and Design

  • I loved the calligraphy and vintage style of Haute Coffee’s menus and signage. They had some pretty floor tiles, vintage outdoor furniture, and nice touches like the outdoor lights. The dining room was simple and reminded me of a minimalist farmhouse. I enjoyed Haute Coffee’s logo and outdoor sign as well.

• Service

  • I wasn’t that impressed with the service at Haute Coffee. I feel for the number of people working behind the counter that someone could have greeted us and directed us to their process for placing an order and self-service. It was often unclear where we should order, if the people around us had ordered, if we should pick up our own food, and where in the dining room we needed to return our plates to. Keeping on brand, Haute Coffee could add steps to their chalkboard in a pretty font that directs newcomers to their operations for a more streamlined ordering experience.

• Food

  • The mega eggy sandwich is what impressed me the most about Haute Coffee (and inspired me to write this blog post). I thought the Haute Latte was decent, and that I would try another coffee from Haute Coffee the next time I visit Concord.

Exploring the Rest of Concord, MA

Are you interested in reading more about our day trip to Concord? Click here to read about the places we explored during our visit to Concord.

If you’ve been to Haute Coffee in Concord, Massachusetts, leave a comment below and tell me about your favorite drink or dish!