Cibo Espresso

There’s nothing special about Cibo. It lacks atmosphere and that special something that keeps you coming back to make it your regular coffee place. It’s definitely a take away Coffee place as the seats are uncomfortable and the area is boring.
However, they do make a decent Chai Latte and fast, so I guess that’s all that really matters at the end of the day.

I don’t normally come into the Cibo franchises, my previous experiences with them have been somewhat sub par at best. Alas, a wait for a meeting and the cold rain outside pushed me into it’s warm interior.
I am not sure why Cibo is so popular, it’s tea and hot chocolate taste weak, the coffee bitter and bland, and most are ill prepared. It IS nice for a quick fix, but if you want something worth your money, a small walk to the Adelaide Arcade could easily achieve that.
It is convenient, and fast paced with very friendly service. Maybe that’s what keeps some people coming back here.
The ambience is actually quite nice, considering the bustling corner location.
Unfortunately it’s good points don’t outweigh the negative for me, but perhaps I am being too harsh.
Would I come back here willingly? Probably, would I enjoy it? Probably not.

I jumped off the Cibo Espresso bandwagon a long time ago. Back in the day, when I was a caffeine-​addicted desk jockey, I’d visit the Cibo on the corner of King William and Grenfell sometimes twice a day. They knew me, I knew them, and the coffee was spot on 99.8% of the time. I then got a new job in the East End and started visiting The Lunch Room instead. The coffee was so much better.
Occasionally I would grab a takeaway grande soy latte from the Rundle Street store but it was generally cr*p. I will say, they make a great regular dine in coffee, but when it comes to pouring something a little bigger, and serving it to take away, they tend to muck it up. It was either too weak, too cold, too… ick… My love afraid with Cibo was in tatters.
Well, that was until I got served by Grace at the T&G store a few weeks ago. We chatted like old friends, she introduced me to the new loyalty program – with plastic card that can be recharged, to boot – and I got served a coffee that took me back to the old days. I felt like I was an employee of the Big T all over again. Scary!
Any café in Adelaide that uses Bonsoy should be commended in my book. Well, if they make good coffee with it, that is. Cibo does, and T&G did, on this occasion at least. I will be sure to visit again to see if they still have it. Can’t wait to give the card thingy a whirl.
++++ VEGAN FRIENDLINESS — They use Bonsoy. Need I say more? In terms of food, as most of it is preprepared I think one will find it difficult to have a feed. Coffee is food right? But I could be wrong – I’ve emailed head office asking the question.

I don’t know why I ever deviate from this place in the morning.
Is consistently great and quick service, and if you want your coffee in a certain way (ie. small amount of milk with your Macc), then they’re happy to pour it out in front of you and seek your feedback.
Am slowly building up store credits on my Cibo card. This coffee is always consistently good, across most stores, which means you know what you’re going to get.
Well stocked with newspapers (AFR, Australian, SYDMH, ’tiser), which always really helps.
Hutt Street is my weekend Cibo store. It’s big and across the road from a good laundromat. They’ll even give you change for the tumble dryer so then you can wait out your 40min session.
My saturday morning cibo vice? The capocollo piadina.

28÷1÷2012
I walked in on Saturday after lunch around 1pm. I ordered my first ‘Americano’ coffee.
Barista looks up and says, «You want it short?» and waits for me to clarify. Inexperienced in such café terminology, I stare at him awkwardly for a brief moment.
«Okaayy,» I say, «Yeah…I’ll have it short.»
Dagger eyes straight towards me. I just stand there waiting as he hurries off to the back.
«I’ll bring it out to you!» The barista says out loudly…
«Oh…thanks.»
Barista didn’t laugh at such an intense situation…
Coffee was brought out to me, as he said.
Awkward as hell. And the Americano was strong and shot quickly down through my body. Dunno if this short Americano is any good for me, but it was worth a try for my first time.