Peet's Coffee and Tea

In Irvine, the home to, dare I say, 30 or more Starbucks stores, a slight scatter of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf stores, and a sprinkle of other franchises, like McDonald's and Panera Bread, that are known for their coffee, one coffee store is often pitifully overlooked.

That's more than an understatement for the particular Peet's Coffee and Tea close to home. Hidden in Orchard Hills amongst other small and patient stores, Peet's is hardly ever crowded, the antithesis to Starbucks which, more often than not, is crawling with customers. Thus, its small number of loyal customers frequent the store on slow-paced occasions, making small talk with the employees, who are always kind and cordial, ready to help any customer who is not a coffee connoisseur decode its seemingly complicated menu.

Aside from the calm and soothing ambiance, what really sets Peet's apart from any other coffee joint I've visited is its selection of drinks and the meticulousness with which they are made. "Freddos," a dentist-friendly equivalent of Starbucks's notoriously sweet (but admittedly addicting) Frappuccinos, are not only slightly less expensive than the aforementioned drinks but preserve the key ingredient in its wholesome entirety. For example, the Matcha Green Tea Freddo does not leave an aftertaste of cheap Matcha powder but rather soothes your mouth with the essence of jasmine and, well, green tea. Despite having names that would scare any orthodontist or health-conscious adult away, Peet's Mocha Freddo, as well as its Dark Chocolate Mocha Freddo, has an equilibrium of chocolatey goodness and a strong hint of expresso that is neither sickeningly sweet nor impossibly bland.

Its assortment of seasonal coffee drinks and fruit teas is also a highlight. Furthermore, Peet's offers a range of pastries broad enough to eat to your heart's content... that is, before you have a heart attack from the calories, of course.

All in all, if you're looking for a coffee staple and want an alternative to Starbucks, whose lucrative business has diverted its attention to quality, make a visit to Peet's Coffee and Tea!

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PS: This layout is TOO CUTE <3