In early October, Fortis Coffee opened shop at 214 E. Broad St. in downtown Westfield. Serving Indonesian Sumatra coffee, teas, smoothies and classic coffee shop baked goods, this small cafe provides a solid midday pick-me-up with great service.
When I walked in the door I was greeted by friendly staff and the lingering smell of a fresh roast. There were a few others in the cafe, but the small space made it feel slightly crowded. The ambiance of the shop was comforting but it did not feel like the conventional coffee place you would go to to sit down and do work. There were not many seats and, if too crowded, I can see how one may be easily distracted.
There are two ways in which you can order in the store. They have the standard register with an employee taking your order, but they also have a kiosk where you can order right from a screen. Fortis also has an option to place an order online for pick-up.
I chose to order at the register and for a first time customer the staff made sure I was familiar with the menu. While the menu seemed pricey there was a wide variety of options that you could not find at a standard coffee shop. They offer a variety of Boba, teas and uncommon latte flavors like pistachio chocolate and lavender caramel. I ordered a small hazelnut latte with oat milk for $7.15. My friend ordered a small chai tea latte with oat milk that came to a total of $7.55.
For an artisanal coffee shop the higher price did not come by much of a surprise, while it was pricey it was not much more compared to something you could order at Starbucks. The coffee was smooth and not too sweet. Oftentimes I feel like a flavored syrup can be overpowering, but in the case of my latte, this was not true. My friend enjoyed her chai but said it was nothing other than a standard drink she has had before.
What I found to set Fortis apart from other cafes in town was the service. Before we could walk to the other end of the store, my friend and I were both met with our lattes on the counter. Given the amount of people in the store I assumed we would be waiting at least a few minutes for our drinks, but the service rose beyond my expectations for a newly opened shop.
While the coffee was nothing out of the ordinary, the service and staff enticed me to return again. Any local business that can provide a product of such high demand, while doing so at a quick pace is worth supporting. While there are other cafe options in downtown Westfield that offer the convenience of being able to park in nearby lots, if you are willing to sacrifice a few cents to support a local business, I would say Fortis Coffee is well worth it.