Walking on clouds at Cloud Walking Coffee

It seems as though coffee shops are popping up left and right here in South Bend. From Sway to Kodachrome to South Blend, South Benders are on the hunt for a perfect brew. While I'm not your average “I can't survive without my morning roast” type of person, I do enjoy the bitter taste every now and then. When I learned of South Bend's newest café, Cloud Walking Coffee, I knew I had to try it out.

I'll admit, I found it quite difficult to find the shop when I first made my journey downtown. As I looked for signs of coffee, all I saw was horrendous parking on the way past the farmer's market. When I finally found Cloud Walking Coffee, I was delighted to see bright colors, fun lights and — most importantly — a large display of pastries and desserts. I was met with friendly “hellos“ and good smells as I entered the store.

Naturally, I did what anyone must do when going to a coffee shop for the first time — I asked the barista what their favorite cup of joe was, and they inspired me to order the maple and vanilla latte. I also noticed a beautiful display of macarons to the right of the cashier stand, all locally sourced from the bakery Love & Macarons. I would have been remiss if I hadn't ordered a vanilla macaron. Making my way to the back of the shop, I was met with even more beautiful colors. There were paintings of cacao on the walls, pink sofas and — my absolute favorite — a large pink unicorn perched perfectly on the sofa. The unicorn, of course, was not real, but seeing it made my day nevertheless.

Finally, it was time for me to taste-test my latte. The coffee was very strong, and I could definitely feel the caffeine buzz after a few sips. The flavors were delightful, but I can't say that I would order the maple and vanilla latte again. Next time, I would like to try something with more intense and unique flavors. The macaron, on the other hand, was delicious and had been made with the perfect crunchiness to softness ratio — something very difficult for macaron bakers to achieve.

I also noticed people eating toast, and I had to investigate. As it turns out, Cloud Walking Coffee also has amazing options for all your toast needs. They begin with sourdough from the local bakery The Elder Bread and top it with unique flavor profiles. I had the carrot and asparagus toast, which was spread with a beautiful carrot puree and topped with pickled asparagus. This dish had impeccable flavor, and the sourdough itself was thick, soft and delectable.

Overall, my experience at Cloud Walking Coffee was fantastic; the atmosphere is great for a nice relaxing cup of java or a hard study grind. I also love the fact that everything is locally sourced or made in-house, making it the perfect local shop to support while getting your caffeine fix for the day. As my best friend had put it, Cloud Walking Coffee is a quaint little shop with a bold personality.