Tatte

Not your kids hot chocolate. Real dark chocolate with perfectly frothed whole milk. Not too sweet. Just perfect.

Cupping Method:Tatte in Arlington, MA

I am trying to do some longer form reviews of the espresso at larger chains by popular request.

Tatte's No. 4 espresso blend is one of those rare cases where a chain café really gets it right. Usually when I order espresso from a bigger operation, even the ones with beautiful spaces and expensive machines, I end up disappointed. The coffee often tastes flat or harsh, built more for speed and consistency than actual flavor. But Tatte has always felt different. They pay attention to the details, from their pastries to their design, and that care clearly carries over to their coffee.

This blend uses four single origin coffees from Central and South America. It got the name because it was the fourth sample in their final tasting, and it is easy to see why it stood out. Right away there is milk chocolate and a bit of caramel. As it opens up, a deeper chocolate note comes through along with blackberry. Then there is a pop of citrus brightness that tastes like lime, followed by a little tamarind on the finish. The result is layered and complex without being overwhelming. I was actually a bit surprised when I researched it to find there wasn't Ethiopian coffee in here because I feel like there is definitely a touch of bergamot.

The mouthfeel is on the lighter side and the crema fades a little quickly, but the overall balance is good. Some people might find the acidity a bit much, but I think it works. It gives the espresso a sense of movement and lift that is often missing in blends made for high volume cafés.

No. 4 is designed for espresso but would probably do well as a pour over or in a drip machine too. It is not trying to be flashy or overly complex. It is just a well crafted coffee that tastes good. For a café group with multiple locations, that is no small achievement.

Tatte proves that you can care about quality even at scale, and No. 4 is the kind of espresso that makes you believe that effort is worth it.

Cupping Method:The basis for this review was two double espresso at the Summer St Boston Tatte location.

Suspect in terms of the quality of the beans and roast this is by far the best of the chains. Inside of Tatte I think they are probably brewing too hot to really get the character out. I do think it has a chocolate and blueberry sweetness. I don't get too much beyond that but it's smooth and very drinkable. I don't get too much acidity but enough fruitiness here to balance the cup out. Pretty solid cup for drip.

Cupping Method:Drop at Tatte at Waverly, Belmont, MA

I think Tatte uses a Gracenote roast. Gracenote is a roaster I've generally have very positive experiences with. Late in the day here at Tatte in Belmont, so I asked for a cup of decaf to go with my pastry. Looking around now I realize they don't keep brewed decaf, so they made me a decaf Americano. My verdict's a solid complimentary cup of coffee to a pastry. It's smooth and has a plum/prune fruitness. Perhaps there's some blueberry mixed in. It finishes with a sweet chocolate note. The complexity is low but it's balanced and satisfying.

Ive been to Tatte twice this week and the lattes havent been great.