United By Blue Coffeehouse and Clothier

FREE HAND-​PUMPED DOUGHNUT! This spot seems to be half coffee spot, half clothing shop and environmentally conscious.
I ordered a mocha which was great and since I checked in with Unilocal!I got a free hand pumped doughnut! The mocha was good but the highlight was definitely the doughnut. Yummm. I believe it was stuffed with butter cream.
They sale genuine leather bags, gloves and jackets, they are pretty expensive since its made from recycled materials ($ 118). The seating it perfect for a group of about 4 people at the most, its small and seats are limited.
If you not aware of the location it could be easy to miss. Its nestled between the GAP and other shop so keep your eyes open. Its a hidden gem. If the Starbucks down the street isn’t your taste or you looking to try something new, definitely give this spot a try.

United has a great atmosphere and pretty great pastries and coffee. This location is always bustling with students and don’t expect to find a seat, but it’s great for a quick stop. The hot chocolate is delightfully crafted with rich cocoa, although it varies a lot between baristas. Try it out and grab a bagel too– if they’re not sold out!

$ 2.25 for a cup of coffee. Really interesting atmosphere. I wonder who actually buys clothes here. Coffee is pretty solid and this is a good place to get work done if its not too crowded.

Nice light filled shop. Don’t mind the retail aspect at all. Very tasty third wave coffee.

Stopped into United by Blue one day to get some studying done and was pleasantly surprised by the ambience. I’m a fan of bigger tables in coffeeshops because I can really spread out and get settled, so I was happy to see a table large enough to seat 6 people upon entering through the doors. I ordered a chai latte and also checked in to get a FREE hand pumped donut! SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS, and you get one every. single. time. you check in! I’ll definitely be back for more!

Although on the pricier side, anything I’ve had at UBBC&C has been delicious. However today I chose to try the Chickpea Salad with Arugula. The container was about the size of my coffee cup for $ 6. The 3 leaves of arugula at the bottom were totally limp, saturated with a dressing predominantly olive oil & garlic. The rest of the container was 99.99% chick peas with very little specks of feta. I’ve called in to let them know how disappointed I was, and the always cheery staff took my info, and explained that this comes in pre-​packaged so they will pass on the info to a manager. Just this one poor experience, but would recommend not ordering this unless you’re a true chick pea lover. I’ll fill up on the $ 4 herbed roll.

Let me just say it’s hard to find a coffee shop that equally pleases tea drinkers, and this place did just that. I’m normally a serious latte drinker, but I met my friend who ordered a sweet, iced-​tea. So I decided to order that day’s London Fog special. For those of you unfamiliar, London Fog is an English, black tea with milk and vanilla. It was great and, I left this place pretty impressed.
Sadly, the very small coffee shop was full, so I didn’t get the opportunity to view the many denim offerings on the wall. My friend I took our teas to go, and drank them on Penn’s campus. I’d love to go again and get the full vibe because mixing a coffee shop with a denim retail front is both unique and somewhat odd. Judging from the other reviews, it works. So give this place a try.

UnilocalERS, check in here and get a FREE hand pumped donut.
Not only is it free but it’s also delicious!!! I’m extremely picky about my donuts, and their hand pumped donut actually ranks in my top 5. I love the fact that it’s not too sweet, which is one of my biggest fear when I eat a Boston Crème or sort.
I also had their hot mocha, took a while to brew but it was delicious and again, not too sweet, perfect blend with the hint of bitterness from the cocoa.
The indoor seating was so adorable and cozy!
It definitely is on the pricier side in terms of coffee, but it’s worth a try!

An interesting idea of being a clothing store and coffee shop. I had a business meeting here and found them to be friendly and fast. Understanding that they would like to sell some clothes, this limits their seating and for us, that meant taking our coffee togo. No worries there, we found outside seating near Penn Bookstore. At the same time, once Winter rolls around, on of the four or five Starbucks at Penn or Drexel will have my business thanks to them having tons of seating.

This is my favorite coffee shop in University City. The baristas are nice and knowledgeable, the atmosphere is modern, yet rustic and the coffee is expertly crafted. A good latte and a good article would be a great way to spend your time at this place.

3.5 stars but bumped it up to 4 stars.
A cool place to get some work done if you can manage to snag a spot! Located on the east end of the Penn campus, United by Blue offers good organic coffee and a nice environment. They also accept credit cards with no minimum which is always a nice plus. I also appreciate the choice for almond milk, my favorite milk substitute!
My only complaints of this place is that it is too pricey — my tiny little cappuccino to go cost about $ 3.50 — and the lack of study/​work space. If it had more open space, I could see myself frequenting this place to work. For now, it’ll remain a place for me to go when I am feeling a need for a pick-​me-​up.

I came here today since I was in dire need of a caffeine boost.
It was my first time here, but every time I walk by, I am curious, so today I decided to stop by! I got the Chai Latte, and it was delicious! I also got a hand pumped donut. It was awesome! They are a decent size too, so good to share! I wanted to try the donnalli (I have no idea how to spell that?) but decided I only needed one sweet item for the day! They have a check in deal right now, so I ended up getting the donut complimentary.
I will certainly be back, especially since this place is so close to my office! Staff was very friendly and helpful. I like that there are places to sit and it isn’t dark or stuffy even in small space.
The only reason for 4 stars other than 5, is the price. They are a little on the expensive side but I would certainly suggest coming in and giving it a try, don’t let the prices deter you too much!

My favorite place on Penn’s campus to grab a quick coffee, pastry and study for an hour or two.
The space:
The shop is somewhat small, but there are usually a few available seats even during busy afternoon hours. As other reviewers have mentioned the place has a cool hipstery — but not too pretentious — vibe. If you happen to forget your headphones, their music selection is on point. If you want to plug in your laptop, their are outlets at both of the counters.
The drinks:
My favorite is the chai tea latte. They have any type of milk you could want, which is nice. They also have a wide tea selection. The baristas are friendly and attentive.
The clothes:
Cool selection of clothing and bags. Their shop on South Street has a wider selection, but its a good spot to pick up a gift or a winter hat.
Overall, a welcome addition to the east side of Penn’s campus. When you want something a little more interesting and relaxed than Starbucks, head a few shops down to United by Blue.

Starbucks’ hipster cousin that focuses on ecological sustainability and natural ingredients.
The Good: Very good coffee! The brownie-​cookie hybrid I sampled was dense and chocolatey, perfect for an early-​morning blood sugar spike. UBB’s interior is dressed up in natural wood/​metal and the menu is written on a chalkboard behind the counter, lending the place a trendy vibe.
The Bad: Excuse me, but how the hell are you supposed to find a seat in here? It doesn’t help that half the space is taken up by several massive racks of hipster clothing and personal items that nobody ever buys. Much better to grab-​and-​go.
The Ugly: Half a bar of soap is $ 8. For that price, you’d like to think that some bike-​wielding mustachioed fellow from Seattle went Fight-​Club-​mode and cooked the damn bar himself. Or, on second thought, maybe not…
In any case, UBB gives this native Portlander a much-​needed taste of home.

UBB brings joy to my workday.
The wonderful and friendly staff have all become fast friends, and they definitely reinforce the welcoming and comfortable environment, defined by hip décor and a casual attitude.
Darn cool clothing and lifestyle products also help to put this place the top on my list of faves.

Hip, tiny coffee shop around campus with a clothing/​accessories section to browse. They’re pretty expensive but it’s cool to just look around.
I got a latte and forgot I can’t handle whole milk very well but worth it!(?) the staff was very nice and didn’t mind us eating food that we brought from outside.

I come here way too much haha. Perfect study space if you enjoy a bit of coffee house music. Especially they have more than enough plugs! Pastry is fabulous, yogurt with granola also awesome too.
In terms of price, I think it’s worth it especially if you think about their pledge of removing a pound of trash from water with every purchase. Glad that I’m enjoying my coffee/​a good study space & also helping the ocean :)
If there’s one thing I slightly didn’t like was that when they first opened it was literally freezing inside haha. But a lot better now.

Most unbiased review!
–Mediocre beverages for unreasonable price :(
–comfortable, hipster décor & variety selection of music include oldies, indie, upbeat, calming, etc. Suitable for studying.
–Slow service, but customers could browse the magazines, photography books and clothes while waiting.

When the line at Starbucks is 20 deep in the mornings, I’ve often found the line here is nearly nonexistant and, on occasion, space is available to actually sit down on the cool wooden tables. That’s worth at least 3 stars right there.
The interior is very hipster and I have yet to see anyone actually browsing the clothes, but it’s a good vibe overall. I bet they’d make more money by throwing out the clothing and just adding more space to sit. Service has been average to good – some of the baristas still seem a bit new and that’s fine.
The pastries are the star here. The cinnamon sticks are very filling and the buttercream-​injected donuts are fantastic.
The problem here, which I’ve confirmed by talking with some others who tried it, is the coffee itself – it’s not good. Maybe better than Starbucks, but inferior to Joe, Hubbub, and even Wawa. I’ve had a couple of different roasts and they’re all lacking in flavor. Espresso drinks were alright, but nothing special either. Apple Cider was straight out of the plastic container, which isn’t really worth it either.
The other reason I can’t quite give them a higher rating is that it’s also rather pricey overall. While I can live with higher prices for higher quality, right now it’s not yet there for the coffee/​espresso side of things.
I’ll certainly be back on occasion (Hubbub remains my #1 coffee place near campus) and hope to see the coffee side of things improve here.

United by Blue is a new place that just opened up on Penn’s campus. The store is half coffee shop, half clothing store, which I think is an interesting concept. The décor and ambiance is really nice and laid back so it is a comfortable place to study (more on that later).
I ordered a small latte and a croissant, both of which were pretty good. My friend tried their special of the day which was the hot apple cider and she really enjoyed it! They also have bagels, donuts, Cronuts, biscottis, etc like a regular coffee shop. They have yogurt/​parfaits as well as a few sandwiches and salads. The place was already full with students studying there and upon going, I’m not surprised. I’m sure this place will get even busier as the year progresses and more students try it out. That said, United by Blue is certainly a welcome addition to our campus.
For those interested in their clothes as well — the frequent customer punch card can get you a free coffee but also 20% off of the merchandise!