I am from Seattle.
There you go: immediate coffee connoisseur status.
So it only makes sense that I would be one of the first people through the doors to inspect the new two-story Starbucks on Sunset Drive, across from the Shops at Sunset Place.
After three years in making, Starbucks’ latest location is doubtless its best in Miami.
Here’s why.
Location
The location is always key when selecting a good coffee shop. The new Starbucks lies on Sunset Drive-a street busy enough to keep you interested in people-watching, if that’s your thing. But it doesn’t have cars ripping past you at 60 miles per hour.
“That’s the main drawback of the South Dixie Starbucks,” said Janet Kennard, an avid Starbucks customer. “Cars on U.S. 1 are flying past you, and they’re only like 10 feet away. It so loud.”
The South Dixie Starbucks is located across U.S. 1 from the main University of Miami entrance.
Also, located close to the Shops at Sunset Place, customers can enjoy the mall while sipping a vanilla latte or any other drink.
Atmosphere
I think it’s a basic principle of life: why have one of something, when you could have two instead? Well the new Starbucks proves this credo true once again, tacking on an extra floor to their newest location.
The bottom floor can accommodate 29 patrons inside and contains the coffee bar and the restrooms. As I walked in, the sunlight illuminated a nearly translucent mural that covers the large window behind the register, filling the room with an abundance of natural light.
The main floor also boasts, what I am dubbing, the best outdoor caf