Penstock Coffee Shop & Roastery

Best cafe in central nj? Unfortunately no longer serves food aside from a scone. If menu is brought back it would be a game changer as only other game in town is an overpriced Greek cafe down the street. Great coffee but expect to spend over 10 dollars for coffee with scone. Sadly, this is to be expected in NJ, the toxic Switzerland of America!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Scone

really great coffee + good pastries if you're able to get them before they sell out. always had a straightforward experience with staff. environment is fine, average seating and atmosphere

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cruffin with Lemon Filling, Pastry

I had an incredibly disappointing experience here. I ordered a $7 pour-over coffee and was told it would be ready in five minutes. After waiting nearly 40 minutes and watching other customers come and go, I finally went to the counter, only to find my coffee had been sitting there the entire time. No one announced my order, and the staff, including the person who took my order and saw me sitting directly across from the register, made no effort to inform me. The lack of attention to customers and basic courtesy is unacceptable, especially for a place charging premium prices. I won’t be returning.

Very bitter pour over. I noticed the coffee server/manager was using what looked like a plastic pour over coffee dripper. I thought that can’t be since this was an $8 cup of coffee. Also, the server was not paying attention to what he was doing. He stirred my coffee in the dripper while he took orders from 3 other customers. My coffee sat in the water for 5 minutes.

After I drank the bitter coffee, I told the manager the coffee was very bitter. I asked him if he was using a plastic pour over coffee maker and he said yes. I told him that coffee should not be made in a plastic funnel and he told me it was food grade plastic! Coffee should not sit in hot water for five minutes.

No serious coffee drinker would ever drink coffee made in a cheap plastic dripper. Cheaper coffee makers are often made of plastic because it's lightweight, waterproof, and affordable. However, plastics can contain potentially dangerous chemicals like BPA, PFAS and can emit micro plastics when heated with hot water.

I don’t want to drink plastic and pay $8 for it. These folks need a lesson on how to make a pour over. There are plenty of videos on YouTube that explain how to make a pour over. Avoid this place!

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Like the atmosphere and service. Coffee tastes burnt and bitter.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 2

Service: 5

Easily the best coffee in a 15 mile radius, with a cozy community atmosphere and delicious baked goods made in house! Even better, a number of their baked goods are vegan, meaning that anyone can enjoy. I've been here repeatedly and have only had positive experiences. If you need a place to lock in to study or work, I can't recommend Penstock enough!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Ambiance is okay.
macchiato was good.

But $27 for 3 croissants and two muffins little too rich.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 5

Love this place!

Penstock is phenomenal!!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Excellent coffee and atmosphere conducive to deep conversations and productive reading or homework time.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Coffees and Cookies, Scone, Batch Brew, Coffee Traveler, Single Origin Menu

Fabulous cappuccino and oat-milk latte.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Coffee is good, service is painfully slow.I regularly wait around 20 minutes to get my drink even when they aren’t busy

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 2

They can make an unsweetened matcha latte, and they were happy to put it in my travel mug since Im trying to reduce waste. There were also vegan muffins when I went - I tried the cherry almond muffin and it was delicious. There is also outdoor seating if the weather is nice.

Great coffee and atmosphere.

Amazingly, they offer single-origin espresso!

Food: 5

Recommended dishes: Single Origin Menu