To sum it up, The Shop is nothing short of a delight. From ambience to customer service, this establishment is the cool Brooklyn coffeehouse that Binghamton revivalists dream of. For a $12 lunch or a $20 dinner, you can enjoy a variety of dishes, next to candlelight and exposed brick; who could ask for more? And when you stop by, make sure to say hi to the owner Eugenie, as her friendly demeanor and welcoming attitude is the cherry on top of a great experience.
The Shop is a place that is built from scratch, and this is an ideal that you can find executed in all aspects of their product. The staff prides itself on homemade decorative items such as self-shot photographs of street art and the restaurant continues to grow with its brand new and expanded kitchen. To start off our meal, we began with a house-made pomegranate soda (offered during lunch) and hummus with chips (offered at dinner). Our advice: make time for the soda. While the hummus and chips are fine, it’s pretty basic and to not try this special drink would be a shame. It’s light, refreshing and sweet, but not overwhelming. And it’s got the bubbly kick you want out of a carbonated drink, without the feeling that you are getting cups of pure cane sugar poured down your throat.
For our meal, we got to try the quinoa and spinach salad, the red pepper eggplant whip, Swiss and Havarti crepe and the prosciutto, Havarti and Swiss pizzetta. All I can say is, with these three menu items, you really can’t go wrong. The quinoa salad has a good vinaigrette and a nice mix of textures, with sliced cherry tomatoes offering sweet bursts of flavor as you consume this light dish. As for the pizzetta, the tomatoes really make it special. The bread and cheese is soft and warm, but the tomatoes bring it home. It’s a fun take on pizza and will make you feel fancy, even if just for a day. A big highlight for me was the crepe. It was filling and substantial, and you can smell the swiss cheese-y goodness before it even gets close to your mouth. I don’t even like eggplant and the peppers were a bit strong, but all-in-all this dish was delicious and the ingredients came together to create something that shouldn’t be missed.
The nice thing about The Shop is that you won’t leave feeling terrible about yourself. The food is satisfying yet light, and is well worth the $20 dinner or $12 lunch. That being said, don’t leave without dessert. The highlight was by far the vanilla bean rose water cupcake. With a sugar-coated rose petal placed gently at the top, this cupcake is impossible to dislike. That being said, be prepared for its small size. It’s definitely a micro-cupcake, but perhaps that is a part of its charm, and its delightful consistency makes up for its size. If you want something richer, go for the espresso dark chocolate cupcake. And if you are really into espresso, try the drink. The drink itself is not really for me, but I was impressed by its addition of rum cream (something you could really taste within it) and house-made honey whipped cream. Another notable mention is the house brew with maple bourbon cream. This is a good cup of coffee, and if you don’t get it, make your friend get it and take a sip when they aren’t looking.
If you haven’t discovered The Shop yet, be sure to stop by. Bring your textbooks and take advantage of the couches and outlets — perfect for a homework or study session. Bring your friends and take advantage of their large window — perfect for people watching. And our biggest tip: go with people. Order everything and try it all.