Catalyst Cafe

Conveniently located just toward the West end of West Union, the Catalyst Cafe lets you escape the college scene pretty much, get a nice table in a low-key environment, and enjoy a quality cuppa whatever you like. Their hours are a bit odd, with earlier closing times than most all other places (and especially different in the summer). Parking is usually easy, and the outdoor tables by either the water feature or right on West Union (hot in the sun!) are a nice touch. My favorite place to sit is upstairs, where they have limited but adequate and open-feeling little tables. The service is always pleasant but because there is only ever one server you can wait sometimes, up to 10 minutes, to be served. There is no drive through. I'd give them 5 stars except it seems management has a bit of a "we know what's best for you" attitude, in that they do not have any artificial sweetners available. Don't want sugar on your teeth or in your tea or coffee? Too bad! You only get to chose honey or raw sugar. Other than that, and the sometimes inconvenient hours, it's a really nice place with good drinks, a nice vibe, and friendly people.

I went here for the first time today with a few friends and everybody loved what they got. They only had one chai left :/ so I allowed my friend to get it while I tried one of their great selection of local teas. The Royal Cinnamon tea was scrumptious and all our treats were nice compliments to our drinks. Plus, a very cool atmosphere.

It depends on who is working for quality of service but it is in an easily accessible space with great veiws of the river. A basic cup of coffee is hard to mess up but other than that it really depends on who is behind the counter. Limited food items so the cafe part of the title may be a bit misleading for some.