Taffy’s Main Street Coffee could be described as less of a small-town coffee shop and more of a cultural center right in the heart of downtown Eaton, Ohio. With an eclectic and full low-lit interior accented with many a rack of beers and wines, the coffee shop sports a large stage overlooking the whole situation is often filled with karaoke singers or local bands on one night or another. As you grab something off the extensive drink menu, or one of the many microbrews or wine, you definitely get the feeling that this is the kind of place where you come to relax.
The drink menu is a mile long; there are iced lattes, espresso drinks, cappuccino, mochas, and plain old coffee. Most popular, I’m told, is the caramel macchiato. It’s great, with a very rich and sweet flavor. The store does not brew its own coffee, but they certainly know how to dress the stuff up; it’s really great. There are a number of other drinks too, such as espresso “chillers” which come in a number of flavors, as well as fruit smoothies for the non-coffee drinker.
The food selection is decidedly smaller. They have the option for a Bagini sandwich which can be custom built with chicken salad, ham salad, prosciutto roast beef or turkey and then topped with vegetables, cheese or dressing depending on how you like them, and served alongside chips. There’s a few bakery items such as cookies and cakes, too. True to the coffee shop setting the baked goodies complement the coffee but I would consider the food menu more of a snack bar. There’s enough going on with the drinks and the atmosphere, I would suggest getting dinner somewhere else.
Also important are the extensive menu of beers and wines. They don’t make any of these themselves, so I can’t really review them, but I have to say it’s an impressive list for a bar in Eaton, and contains many of my favorite beers including some from right around the Cincinnati and Dayton area. What’s better, there are monthly beer and wine tastings.
You don’t really know what to expect when you step in the door, but what you’ll find is the epitome of a dive bar; a place where Eaton’s music lovers and night owls alike can congregate in the spirit of good drinks and good music. If this is your kind of scene, you won’t want to miss Taffy’s for the world. It’s a real gem hiding in the rather unassuming guise of a small-town coffee shop. Give it a try.
Recommendations
- I don’t recommend coming here expecting dinner; the menu is pretty small and basically if you don’t want a bagini you’re out of luck.
- If you’re feeling coffee, try the caramel macchiato, which is a popular option and is very sweet.
- If you’re feeling a drink, the craft beer and wine selection is huge.
Another Food Critic 