Sun Bear
Downtown St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Steep Index 8.6/10 · Steep Pick
A no-frills roaster in the Grand Central District with a berry-forward Ethiopian cortado, a peach and black tea cold brew, and a barista who will talk beans as long as you like.
The Steep Index
Coffee leads by a distance, with an Ethiopian single-origin cortado full of berries and a 16 hour cold brew carrying peach and black tea. Solo is close behind because the barista answered every question, and value is the soft axis only because nothing about price came up.
- Coffee / Drink Quality: 9.3/10
- Atmosphere: 8.5/10
- Solo-Friendliness: 8.7/10
- Value: 8.2/10
- Staying Power: 8.3/10
- Overall: 8.6/10
Perfect for: espresso pilgrimage
The Space
Sun Bear is a no-frills room built around the roasting, with an LP player putting the music on vinyl.
The Coffee
I had the cortado on an Ethiopian single origin, light roasted in house, and it was delicious, with clear notes of berries. I also tried the cold brew, steeped for 16 hours, with the right amount of acidity and strong notes of peach and black tea. The everything bagel was a good match for the cortado.
The cortado tasted of berries, and the cold brew of peach and black tea.
The Vibe
Olivia, the barista on my visit, was friendly and answered every coffee question I had, and I spent a good while talking and learning about the roasting. They run cuppings too, which I will catch on a return trip.
The Verdict
A light-roast roaster that makes the drink the whole point and has people behind the counter who enjoy explaining it. Order the cortado, ask for a taste of the cold brew, and plan to stay and talk.
Practical information
- Address: 1942 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712, United States
- Price: $
- Type: roastery cafe
@sunbearspecialtycoffeeroasters
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