Eating and Drinking O'Henry's Coffee

Full disclosure: O'Henry's is my favorite coffee shop in Birmingham. But would an official review live up to what I had built up O'Henry's to be in my own mind?

I came in after doing a long run with the Birmingham Track Club. I knew I had some calories to spare so I went with a sweet espresso and milk drink—the caramel macchiato.

I noticed on the menu that O'Henry's uses Ghirardelli flavoring for their drinks which might explain why I enjoy them so much. At O'Henry's I noticed that they started with the vanilla instead of drizzling the caramel around the side of the cup. I always though the Caramel came first, but this may be their way of getting more caramel flavor through pumping in later instead of only drizzling it at first. Either way, it worked for me.

I skipped the whip, this drink was going to be sweet enough, and also I am not 12 years old any more.  The first sip of coffee is filled almost entirely with a smooth think puff of caramel and vanilla flavored foam. Eventually you get more and more coffee mixed into the foam until you are completely immersed in creamy espresso goodness.

O'Henry's has a reach full flavor that is without the burnt taste that is a signature of other national brands. The coffee comes through, and lingers a bit after the sip without bitterness. Reminds me of Community Coffee in that way, but I like the aftertaste at O'Henrys more.

For pastry I went with the Morning Glory Muffin. This is a fabulous bran muffin filled with carrots nuts and other delicious textures inside. It is served warm and the top is a little crispy. I found myself peeling off the top of the muffin and eating it first, which reminded me of a Seinfeld episode.

The atmosphere of O'Henry's is brassy, wooden, and classic. It is a comfy nook-ish coffee shop where you can easily find yourself getting comfortable with a favorite book or an old friend. The wall is lined with roasted whole beans marked with a sign that says they roast beans 5 times a week—a promise of freshness. I also loved seeing this old coffee grinder in the front of the store. It fits in nicely with the rest of the shops up and down Oxmoor Road in Homewood.

I highly recommend O'Henry's to anyone looking for a more traditional coffee house experience with flavored coffees and delicious fresh pastries.

Food: 5/5
Coffee: 5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5

Total: 5/5