Second Cup

Judging a coffee shop means paying attention to what the staff actually know. Can they describe their beans—where they're from, how they're roasted, why they chose this particular origin over another? Do they adjust grind size and extraction time based on humidity and temperature, or are they just following a routine? A good operator understands water hardness, machine calibration, and milk steaming technique as distinct skills, not just steps in a recipe. Second Cup reveals itself through whether the basics are handled with intention: are cups preheated, is the espresso poured with consistency, does the milk have proper microfoam or is it just hot and aerated? These details tell you whether someone's serious about what they do.