The Coffee Project at The Root Cellar

Love the new house blends!

The best coffee, and I can't stop eating the ginger cookies!

I have been going every week for 3 years.
No complaints about staff or store cleanliness & vibes. More about the quality of the deli and coffee project being sacrificed for better margin dollars.

I used to buy the salads from the deli for lunch everyday but over the last year they have phased out all in store made salads with premixed bagged to be assembled in store.
They used to carry a local peanut butter with mixed seed oils as binder, they stopped the contract with that company (i assume) and made their own branded version. Kind of reminiscent of how Trader Joe’s in the US does that. They used to use to carry discovery coffee beans but made switched to their own branded materials. Just this week i noticed they have stopped using the nice jaga silk matcha for a cheaper substitute, it’s nasty imo.

Staff turnover is very high, so seems like people are doing the best with what theyve got (constantly training new coworkers?)
I don’t really see the attitudes of a staff in other reviews as 1 person issue but more of a management problem.
I watched the entire staff in the coffee project including supervisors have a 90% turnover in a matter of months.

Theres a balance between customer service + quality products. Both cost money…
As a customer you can perceive cheapness coming from the top.
I hope that in changes in ownership and brand/company expansion that this review can remind you to not to let the basics slip.

Hope this is constructive! I still shop here all the time!

I may have shopped there fr a total of 5 times - 3:5 have not been great. Produce was poor quality. I took action the last time. I called the store & could not get through. Showed up.. looked fr a Manager & that was a challenge but eventually met the Asst. Mgr & got a refund. Bought a watermelon fr $19.50 yesterday when I took an elderly grocery shopping! It was not a good watermelon, called mailbox full. Called again today.. “your call can’t get through.” Doesn’t make sense to have to drive from West side of town to get to Cook St..

Karen makes an excellent latté

Coffee was great but the barista was extremely rude and unwelcoming. Ignoring customers at the counter while talking to a coworker and then when she did help us she was abrasive and seemed like she’d rather be anywhere else. Her customer service skills were quite off putting but the coffee was still decent.

The coffee here changed my life??? And the grocery store is incredible. WHAT IS THIS PLACE!? (heaven)

I visited today with a friend and ordered a dirty London fog. One of the employees asked if I wanted powder or a tea bag, which confused me since my friend wasn’t asked the same when she ordered her regular London fog (and I’ve never heard of a London fog with powder?). I chose a tea bag, and she started giggling and speaking to her coworker in Spanish, of which I only caught the end, saying ‘she wants a tea, I don’t know.’ While it didn’t seem intentionally rude, it felt off-putting that they were laughing and discussing my order in a language they assumed I don’t understand . When I asked about the powder, she joked that her coworker just likes telling people how to order. They seem like really nice ladies, but the interaction was odd. That said, the drink was delicious!

Best breakfast sandwich I've had in a long time!

The coffee shop is a great addition while shopping and on the way to work for a pastry/coffee. I have spent months thinking if it is worth mentioning but because I have mentioned it to staff 3x and still no change I am sharing with you. I come at 7;30 and at this time you would expect fresh food and each time the lemon loaf is dry, no butter for banana bread to help and the final time I ordered the mini muffins and they were truly inedible hard, dry and I was irritated because I had no other food and can’t get more. The pastry’s and donuts are not available at 730 so there is no food that is edible. Please toss food at end of day do not charge full price for inedible items. I ask each time is it fresh and the staff say yes, just tell me no, it’s 3days old and I can decide.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 3

Good coffee and pastries. Space can be tight during busy hours, and limited staff (2-3) means waiting in line for a while.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 4

Service: 3

Good coffee and pastries. Space can be tight during busy hours, and limited staff (2-3) means waiting in line for a while.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 4

Service: 3

It's cool, it's hip, all kinds of great food and drink options.And live music!What the fudge?Yep, They got that too.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

The london fog was delish! oven was broken but didn’t matter the breakfast sandwich was still lovely cold, the ladies behind the counter were so kind! would’ve tipped if I could!

Lavender latte was so yummy!! staff are super kind, wish there was a tip option as they deserve it!!!