Back to Where it All Started | Origin Coffee Bar
We were so impressed with the service and atmosphere at this fresh new take on a downtown Savannah coffee shop
Our Home, Savannah
For this one we didn’t branch that far — Savannah is our go-to spot for Mom’s birthday so we made our annual treck! Usually we hit one of the regulars but it just happened to be closed and we had been eyeing a new one for a while. Origin Coffee Bar immediately commanded our attention as a fresh take on a typical Savannah coffee shop so a review was necessary!
Easy Find + A Great Atmosphere
You have heard some pretty ridiculous stories of us getting lost in the middle of a coffee hunt but this one was probably our most seamless yet! Origin is located conveniently just as you enter the downtown area near the Enmarket Arena, perfectly located even if you only have time to stop by. They have streamlined their service there but there is also plenty of seating so I would say we finally found a shop you can truly use as a to go speed-stop AND/OR a hang out.
They have tons of comfy seating with high ceilings and a bright atmosphere which is one nearly unheard of in a historical downtown area. Despite their modern take, however, it still felt like they kept the history because of the bakeries they feature and the way they present themselves as a modern take on this vintage colonial city. In short, our first impression was great. It only gets better from there.
The People
Normally this is where we would put our about the drinks but for this one it feels necessary to include something significant about the amazing people! There weren’t too many people working when we went since we went just after Christmas but everyone working was so thoughtful and diligent and they made sure everyone truly felt hosted.
As a frequent connisuer, I appreciated the way their espresso bar was set up. They had built in pourover funnels installed with timers so they never had to make another customer wait behind the lengthy pouring process. Great baristas make the atmosphere of a coffee shop amazing but from everything I’ve seen, I would say a good system behind the counter is second on the list. It creates so much more comraderie as the baristas aren’t constantly bumping into each other and getting frustrated with misplaced orders. Here they had both — their system was down and customer service was on point. My barista felt like my bestie!
Local Food
Ok at this point I am just stalling on the coffee but I also have to feature their food first. As locals we had a deeper appreciation for their baked goods, even though we decided to stick with a good old fried egg on some avacado toast instead.
Everything in their baked goods sections was from an esteemed bakery not far called Auspicious bakery — creators of some of our favorite baked goods on the planet. Imagine a cinnamon roll the shape of a laptop key and the size of a salad plate and you’ve got the picture. They are baked fresh every morning and both sent out to deliver and served in their own storefront — so we knew these had been delivered just hours before. Needless to say, we both had to grab some baked goods from the case to take home.
The food itself was pricey as you would expect but SO worth it. The portions didn’t lack in the slightest — mom got a hunk of sourdough bread smothered in bananas and peanut butter and nuttella and my slab of avacado toast was to die for. If you go for nothing else, the people, atmosphere, and food are worth it — now we are making it to the coffee!
The COFFEE
Finally. The coffee was amazing. My taste is a little tainted because I got their seasonal soda drink — one I wouldn’t normally get but it was definitely full of flavor. So I can’t speak much to their lattes but Mom’s was gone in about 120 seconds and I can say with full confidence that their espresso is amazing. I sipped mine off the top of my soda with the straw and I could have it on a spoon every morning. Whether they roast it there or not I never asked but it is definitely high quality.
The presentation of their drinks also deserves a review of it’s own. Their social media will tell the story (Savannah being a hub for artists and photographers, their marketing is just elevated — but this one was legitimately even better than most) of drinks thought over and beautifully prepared. Mine was espresso and soda with a ribbon of bright red cranberry syrup and a sprig of rosemary to complete the breathtaking appearance.
Savannah’s always been a childhood fave to me but this one gets 5 stars as far as I’m concerned.
