Waking Life Espresso

Overpriced coffee, never seem to have soy milk, only almond milk.

No one likes ants in their coffee. Or burnt tasting coffee, either.

Most mediocre java place in my hometown, one trip a few months ago before all this press they are receiving that is irrelevant to my comment. I waited while the «Barista» finished dishes and a phone call before my order was even taken. It is easier to get just as good of roast at an IHOP.

never liked the coffee. bitter. weak. or the atmosphere. pretentious. something missing. always follow your gut.

I stopped by Waking Life after a quick internet search while on vacation outside Asheville. I had been in the mountains for a few days without any coffee and was really craving a good café´au lait. I got exactly what I wanted at Waking Life. Delicious. I loved their raw sugar, too. It tasted «extra». I’m not sure what exactly made it pop, but it was better than typical Turbinado. Also, did you know you can EAT their coffee stirrers? It’s the ultimate in recycling! Thank you, Waking Life, for a great cup of Joe, and also to the barista who recommended Beauty Parade to me. I went straight over and got a great haircut.

I just visited Asheville this past weekend and because one of my trusted foodie friends, highly recommended this place. I LOVE good coffee and am always in search of interesting and unique coffee and coffee shops, so I made it a point to stop here before getting on the road and driving home.
The décor is minimalistic but very neat and clean. If I had some work or studying to do, this would be a great little spot. The menu is interesting and since it was my first time visiting, the lady at the counter was very thorough about describing the way their iced coffee is made. I ended up getting the simple flash-​chilled coffee.
I am not overly impressed with iced coffees in general, as I find them to become quickly diluted and lose flavor. I found the coffee here, though flavorful, became diluted as well and I was not «wowed» by it.
It was only my first time, so when I head back to Asheville, I will definitely be willing to swing by and trying one of their other iced coffees, or maybe try a warm coffee drink.
If you are a fan of iced coffee drinks, based on other reviews, it would still be worth trying it out!

I’m an accidental coffee snob. I didn’t start drinking it until my late 30s. I was led to a coffeehouse by a letterbox… you can Google that in a minute… but I only truly love one coffee.
It is not found at Waking Life… but this is my favorite place in town to get coffee.
They listened to me describe what I was looking for, and matched me very well. Great service.
I love the layout of the joint. It’s embarrassing to admit I know very little about feng shui in this town… but I don’t feel judged when I am Waking Life.
And they just introduced a line of super nitro-​something ice cold coffee that is awesome.
You should go here… often.

Cute spot but I agree with Emily’s review… very minimalistic but that works well for people in there focusing on studying, blogging, etc.
The food offered… muffins…few other items were just okay, nothing to get your taste buds excited.
I struggled to get in and out door with stroller, would have been nice to have been offered help.
I prefer the openness of Odds down the street and the delicious food at West End.

I had the Flash Nitro. It’s their iced coffee infused with nitrogen. Very beer-​like.
The atmosphere is very laid back and the barista was really helpful.

Only in Asheville could a place like this manage to escape my notice for 5+ years. I’m glad I decided to walk in when I passed it the other day. I’ve been back since, and it was even better the second time. In a city where coffee and beer flow like water, you’d better come creative if you want to stand out, and Waking Life has come creative.
I don’t know if they consider themselves specialists in iced coffee, but that’s certainly how I see them. Multiple options for coffee, depending on HOW you want it iced. Chilled in a beer cooler and served on tap? Nitrogen-​chilled and served up with a creamy head like a Guinness? In some kind of crazy-​frappé-​slushie form? They got it. All of it. Even in bottles to take home.
There aren’t many places in my life that I’ve been handed an iced coffee in a pint glass, but there’s no other town I’d expect it more than here.

Great coffee shop in West Asheville. I went with the mocha latte, and it’s got a nice, strong coffee taste, so if you like that, I highly recommend Waking Life. I tend to love Ethiopian beans, which is what they use here.
It’s small and welcoming, with indoor and outdoor seating, and parking the back. Hipster staff was friendly, which is usually an oxymoron, so I was a bit surprised, but, this is the south. I also appreciate the early weekend hours (7 a.m. opening). I’d definitely return if I get to Asheville again.

I went and was expecting the 5 star experience others were talking about. The outside of the coffee shop looks kind of beat down but I ignored that. Entering I looked for a pastry but was let down by the fact every «pastry» was bagels (though they were doughnuts at first. Stools and tables looked old and about to collapse but I was still ignoring all of these facts and ordered a coffee which if I had to describe is: sour powdered coffee watered down with Dasani. I ordered a cold brew which was watered down old coffee. I guess everybody has their own tastes when it comes to coffee.
EDIT: The baristas know everything about coffee and it all comes down to personal preference in coffee. I felt the original 1 star was way too negative and knowing how others liked it and looking at jared’s reply to a 1 star review where he explained everything about coffee and how did it. 2.5 stars rounded up.

Why 5 stars? Because I may have found my go-​to coffee spot in Asheville.
— — —
The barista was a one-​man multi-​tasking machine! He seemed to be very comfortable pulling shots, having conversations, running the register, and selling me on buying a bag of beans.
My latte just tasted *that* much better. Great job, guy behind the counter!
This is a small spot, with minimal food (muffins and such) but I will definitely be back again. I hit them up on the way out of downtown, en route to the airport. If you’re planning the same, it’s not an inconvenient route.

Chill and dedicated to service at the same time.
Living wage certified and use products from renewable sources.
If you need one cup of coffee while in/​near Asheville this is the place.
Cheers.

If your serious about coffee this is the place for you! With super knowledgeable baristas and a good selection of shade grown beams roasted, ground and brewed to perfection this is the spot in Asheville for a quality cup of coffee.
I think this might be my favorite spot even though Odds is closer to me.
The seating is a little awkward but don’t let that deter you from making this place a go to destination for your morning brew or a quick cup of midday juice.
My only beef is that coffee comes in only one size. I need more than a mug when I need that pick me up. Usually 2 does the trick though. Definitely not a deal breaker for me though.
Don’t miss this place it’s a real winner in my book.

The staff here is incredible and passionate. It’s a small house that has been converted into a coffee shop, and it feels like home.
They flash chill coffee here and it may be the only place that does that in the US. I’m told it is better for extracting the flavor than the «cold brew» or Japanese cold coffee styles. I tried some and it was divine.
There’s a room for sitting that’s attached from the main room. Cuz, you know, it’s a coffee shop in a house.
Asheville is cool and I like it so far. Haven’t even gotten to a brewery yet… Stay tuned!

For all of the praise and attention that has been brought to Waking Life, I knew it would only be a matter of time until I had my first visit.
*Cue the busy weekend, pouring rain, and a long drive back to Atlanta*
Waking Life = Namesake.
I knew it was going to be good, but when I walked in and took one glance at the bar and saw not one, but two cold brew taps… I knew it was going to be a great way to start my coffee game on this morning. Now, the thing that is interesting about their cold brew is that it isn’t actually cold brew at all. Their process is a «flash-​chilling» method where they actually brew the coffee to release the proper notes and flavors of the beans and then flash cool it to a perfect temp for a cold/​iced coffee. Where cold brew tends to have some deep, fruity flavors, the flash chilled was much more rounded and gave off some sweeter notes. It was really interesting and rather divine. Also, the fact that they have a nitro tap for this is spectacular.
I can’t wait for a return visit here. It’s now a spot that I’ll go out of my way for a visit when I’m head back down the road.

Good
Coffee
And room for
Laptop working
Though has many chatters that can distract.

I’ve been to waking life a number of times, and while I like the concept, it’s just not my preferred scene. The small space can make things a bit cramped if the shop is busy. The menu is minimalistic, and for those of us that don’t have quiet as refined palate, it can seem a bit daunting. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the patrons are always pleasant. The vibe that waking life gives off is a bit more subdued and quiet than other places in town, which is perfect if you need to go somewhere to clear your head.

Legit pour-​over coffee house with a continuous deep house mix on the hi-​fi, tucked into the main drag of West Asheville? Like a moth to the flame– let the hipsters descend!
I’ve become a real coffee snob thanks to the pour-​over method and these guys have it down, though their batch-​brewed coffee comes as close to pour-​over as anything I’ve had before– thanks to the great attention paid to the grind, the roast, and the water used. If your coffee doesn’t have a bouquet of flavors in each sip, welcome to the revolution here, my friend. And $ 1 refills on this? All morning long please.
My wife is a big fan of their espresso based drinks as well– a good mocha need not be overly sweet and this place nails that concept.
Combine the drinks with a little mix of pastries and a bagel with cream cheese and you can easily while away a morning here. That’s not hard to do in the space provided either– the front room has just 4 tables but plenty of natural light and a warm feel with little table lamps with paper lanterns providing plenty of warm glow. A back room is perfect for morning sun and a seat on a couch as well– it’s perfect for a small group gathering.
Not a bad way to wake up when in Asheville, I think it’ll be my first stop over and over again.