Venti Non-Fat Latte with 2% Foam? Flight Cafe Opens in San Pedro

It’s hard to imagine the world without Starbucks.  For years it was my morning…and often afternoon ritual.  The uber-efficient barristas who remember your order after one visit, the strange Starbucks vocabulary (they taught me the word barrista!), the fixings bar with nutmeg, heavy cream and Sugar In the Raw.  I can easily conjure up the smell of the place.

But that daily routine ended over 10 years ago when I moved to Belize.  I don’t regret that choice for one moment.   I now make coffee at home each morning with lots of powdered creamer (my choice) – and I drink it in Belize!

But I am still a big fan of a beautifully appointed coffee spot…one where friendly staff serves delicious baked goods and tasty treats.   And there is comfortable seating indoors and out with plentiful wi-fi.

So I had to go to San Pedro’s new spot – The Flight Cafe – for the “soft opening” this past Tuesday.  ESPECIALLY since it is owned and operated by the lovely folks who opened the new French bakery just this spring this year.  The baguettes, sandwiches and croissants are changing the way people eat on Ambergris Caye.

Wait!  That font looks familiar!  Well…maybe just a little.

Located just across the street from the Tropic Air terminal in the San Cas building.  JUST behind Delices De France – known to me as THE French Bakery.  (You can read all about it here:  One of My Favorite New Businesses in San Pedro)

A huge coffee list with some items I’ve never heard of – they must not be in the Starbucks dictionary!  I had to immediately look them up so I don’t seem like a TOTAL rube.

Lungo (Italian for “long”) is a coffee beverage made by using an espresso machine to make an Italian-style coffee – short black (single or double dose or shot) with much more water (generally twice as much), resulting in a larger coffee.

Cafe Noisette is an espresso with a dash of hot milk. It is a hazelnut color. The hot milk is either poured in by the barista before serving, or served in a small pot for the drinker to pour.

Cafe con Panna which means “espresso with cream” in Italian, is a single or double shot of espresso topped with whipped cream.

That last one sounds particularly delicious.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE!!!!!!!!

And the place looks great.

Next time I will have to take a picture of my latte in front of these very cute painted books.  (No I did not order that pain-in-the-butt drink in the post title!)

Smiling barristas!

The latte was good – the chocolate mousse – DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!

So dark and chocolate-y, it tastes like it has a tiny bit of coffee in it.  But it does not.  Also available:  hot breakfast, French pastries and take-away sushi from Jyoto Sushi Bar & Restaurant!  The chef was dropping off the containers as we arrived.

Soon they will also be doing organic salads AND crepes – savoury and sweet.  Are you a ham & cheese type or nutella?  Mmmm…

Great spot – and a tiny bit pricey for a daily treat for me.  But I know I’ll be stopping by often.

So no, I don’t miss Starbucks at all – and now I don’t have to.  But I’ll be completely honest.  I do miss my Tivo.  I miss him every day.