Park Circle is an up & coming area of Charleston, just minutes of driving from anywhere you need to go. It’s the location where the old Navy base can be found and has turned into a beautiful combination of industrial, commercial and residential center. It’s still in the works, but I have been pleasantly surprised at how nice it has become. So, if you’re ever in Charleston you’ll have to head that way.
You see, a friend of mine from college, Laura, messaged me a couple of weeks ago and told me that she and friend (Julie) started a coffeehouse in Park Circle! It just so happened that we were planning on heading to Charleston that weekend to visit family anyway, the perfect time to stop in for some pick-me-ups.
It’s called The Orange Spot Coffeehouse. It’s a residential location, turned into a coffee shop. Laura and Julie have done an absolutely beautiful job decorating. There are little nooks for you to sit in all around the shop, a perfect little menu and tons of natural light.
Since we were there to give The Orange Spot a run for it’s money, Laura set up a whole tasting menu for us to get a good variety of what they’re all about.
- Columbian coffee with Chocolate Walnut Blondie
- Cha Yen with Sweet Potato Bread
- Rooibos Tea with Blueberry Lemon Scone
- Whole Milk Latte with Strawberry Oat Bar
Before I continue, I must tell you about the inspiration for the coffee shop’s name. One of the owner’s traveled to Thailand and during her time enjoyed the traditional Thai black tea, which is the color orange (see below). She referred to it as her orange spot. Julie’s one request was to name the coffee shop after her beloved drink.
All of the pastries at The Orange Spot are made daily at Wild Flour Pastry and they also offer vegan and gluten free options from Grawnola, all made in Charleston.
First up in our taste test is the Columbian french pressed coffee paired with a chocolate walnut blondie. Perfect rich and smooth coffee tastes delicious when paired with the sweet and textured blondie. Plus, anything chocolate and coffee together wins me over!
Next up was the Cha Yen and the sweet potato bread.
Okay, I can’t even describe the deliciousness of the Cha Yen. It was unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before and I can’t get enough of it! It’s just a good thing I don’t live in Charleston, because I would be at The Orange Spot every chance I could get, to get my daily fix of the Cha Yen.
The Cha Yen is amazing: sweet, spicy and creamy all at the same time. And when paired with the sweet potato bread that is made with sunflower seeds and candied ginger, holy moly. Awesome-sauce.
For the tea drinkers out there, we now have the herbal African red tea by Two Leaves and Bud that is light and great with the blueberry lemon scone. The scone, by the way that has a creamy and soft lemony and blueberry filled center. Mmm!
And finally, we have the traditional whole milk latte (with beautiful latte art, thanks to Julie) paired with a strawberry oat bar. The oat bar has a salted oat crust that matched with the chewy and sweet strawberry jam consistency with ease!
Overall, our experience at The Orange Spot Coffeehouse was amazing! If you ever get a chance to visit, you must stop in and stay a while. And before we get to the giveaway (woot!), I wanted to let you know that they also offer two lunch options: (1) a peanut butter banana/granola/honey sandwich and (2) a black beans/rice/hummus/pico de gallo wrap. I didn’t get to try the lunch, but if it’s even half as good as the drinks and pastries we tried, it’ll be amazing!
Giveaway
For those of you who live or are planning on traveling to Charleston, you’ll be entered to win a $25 gift card and a t-shirt. However, for those who aren’t lucky enough to be able to travel to Charleston, we’ll send you two pounds of coffee.
The tea with scone. I love scones!
I’d definitely like to try the coffee and blondie!
LATTE WITH OAT BAR! I’ve heard great things about this spot
The Cha Yen and the sweet potato bread looks great!
All of them! But mostly the Coffee with blondie 🙂
I’d love to try the coffee with blondie combo.
Cha Yen with sweet potato bread! Sounds delish!
Sweet Potato Bread + Cha Yen, Pretty Please!!
Oh my gosh – I would love to own a little place like this!
Coffee with blondie. That works for me.
All of them sound delicious, but I’m a sucker for blondies and coffee.
Mm I would definitely love to try the coffee with the blondie! I wish we had an awesome little coffee shop like this in Buffalo – I’d never leave!
Can’t go wrong with coffee and a blonde!
Ooohh, tea with scone!
Cha yen and sweet potato bread!!! Yummy!!!
Cha Yen with sweet potato bread!
hmm i love bread and i love sweet potatoes
I’ve been to the Orange Spot and wholeheartedly agree that it’s awesome! Delicious drinks, kind people, cozy atmosphere… awesome all around. 🙂 I would like to try the Coffee and Blondie pairing!
Cha yen with sweet potato bread..yum
Definitely the tea with scone!
Cha-yen with sweet potato bread!
I live in Charleston and have not heard of this place but it sounds fabulous!! I would probably lean towards the tea and scone!
A latte with an oat bar sounds awfully nice!
When my husband and I visited Charleston in Jan. we were driving around trying to find a nice coffee shop to pop in to. Since we didn’t know the town well we didn’t find anything. Wish this was there then but glad to know about it now! Next time!
All of them! I will start with the latte with oat bar 🙂
I would get a latte with an oat bar! My friend raves on this place all the time, and I live in West Ashley so I need to get out there the next time I’m around North Charleston!
That granola lunch item sounds delish 🙂
Sweet Potato Bread sounds so yummy and sconces. I never been to Charleston , another trip on the list I feel.
I love the Orange Spot! I go after yoga on Thursday mornings for the Cha Yen. It is the best!
Coffee with blondie is my #1 choice!
Tea and scone!!!
Cha Yen with sweet potato bread
Lattes are my favorite drink to try at local coffee shops. Oat bar looks delicious too.
Honestly, any of it sounds fantastic, but I’d try the latte with oat bar first.
I would love to try the coffee with blondie!!! It sounds so delicious!!!
Coffee with blondie! Sounds like the perfect breakfast.
Coffee with blondie or tea with scone. Both sound good.
The tea! It’s at times like this that I wish I like coffee. Sigh.
It’s a tough decision, but at least for today, I would choose the tea with the lemon blueberry scone….killer! Laura is one of my best friends in the whole world and I couldn’t be more happy for her and Julie’s early success with the Orange Spot. Here’s to many more years of people finding their spot at the Orange Spot! What a beautiful asset to the Park Circle community.
Def latte and oat bar. Cute place!
Coffee with Blondie sounds divine!
Coffee with blondie!
I would try the sweet potato bread and have a big ‘ol cup of coffee
I love scones, so I’d try the tea with scones. But the latte with the oat bar would be my second pick!
The cha yen sounds amazing!
Can’t wait to try this place!
I’d like to try Coffee with a blondie
I’d love to try a latte with an oat bar!
Tea with scone sounds like a wonderful pairing.
Tea with scone, so English!
Can’t wait to try this place the next time I travel to the area from Florence, SC
I’ve been dying for another cup of Cha Yen! A side of sweet potato bread sounds amazing!
I would love to try any of the teas! Those scones look great too! And I live in Charleston!